thao do

@evegod

Viet Nam, hanoi

Joined Apr 2016

World Rank: #27347 (1 points)

Institution: hoangmai

English of JG. INTRODUCE Hello, nice to meet you today. Let me introduce a little bit about myself first. My name is Phong, P-H-O-N-G, so you can call me Phong. I was born in 1994, so I am 29 years old now. I graduated from the Military Technical Academy for about 7 years. And now, I am working as a project leader at Samsung electronic company. To be honest, I am really very fond of learning English. Because I think it's one of the keys that makes my career to be more and more successful. So I have tried to practice it every day. So, that's why I came here today. I hope that everything will be easy for me and that I can get a high score. Thank you! MUSIC 1. You indicated in the survey that you listen to the music. What kinds of music do you listen to? Who are some of your favorite musicians or composers? Well, the genre of music I listen to most of the time is pop. It has catchy tunes, and seductive melodies and also helps me blow off some steam whenever my mood is down. One of my favorite singers is Adele, she is known as one of the top singers in the world. She is an amazing singer with a nice and unique voice. Among her songs, "Make You Feel My Love" is one of my favorites. Because I like the melody and the lyrics of that song. I usually listen to it when I feel sad. Meanwhile, I also like a Korean boy band called Bigbang. They have fans all over the world, and that is why all of their concerts get sold out. Both Adele and Bigbang are very popular, but their music is different. Adele does a lot of Ballads, but Bigbang does a lot of Hip-Hop. And of course, I love all of them. 2. When and where do you usually go to listen to music? Do you listen to the radio? Do you go to concerts? Tell me about the different ways you enjoy music. Wow, it's an interesting question. Because of the intensity of my work, I don't have much time to listen to music, but only when I am running in the park or cooking. At that time, my cell phone was always beside me. As a result, I can listen to music on it whenever I want to. One more point that you might not know, I can play some musical instruments like guitar and piano. So I can listen to my own music as well. These are the ways I listen to music. 3. When did you first become interested in music? What kinds of music did you like at first? Tell me how your interest in music developed from your childhood until today. Well, first of all, I want to share with you that I first became interested in music when I was a kid. At that time, my parents usually let me hear the ones for babies on purpose that it would help me be more intelligent. I remember that "Bumble Bee" was the song I liked the most, and I used to listen to it over and over again. But when I got older, I started to listen to various types of music. Sometimes, I roll in the deep with pop, but sometimes I fall in love with R&B music. Once again, I listen to various types of music now. 6. Could you think back to a particularly memorable time when you heard a live performance? When was it? Where were you? Who were you with? What happened that made that performance so memorable? Wow, that was a nice memory of mine. I remember going to a concert with my friends a few years ago. It was a concert by an UK singer called Adele. Many other singers came to perform as well and of course, they played roles as guests. Because Adele is very popular in the world, the concert tickets quickly sold out. The mood of the concert was amazing, people were screaming during the concert. They sang along to most of the songs. It was an overwhelming experience. Looking back, it was one of the most memorable concerts in my life. MOVIES 1. You indicated in the survey that you like to watch movies. What kinds of movies do you like to watch? Why do you like those types of movies? When it comes to movies, I just watch whatever is good. But "action movies" is one of my favorites. Especially the ones that are subtitled in English, because they can help me learn English more quickly and naturally. In addition to this, they can also help me arrive relaxed after a long working day. However, because of the intensity of my work and my schedule, they don't always permit this to happen. I just only watch movies when I have free time, mostly on the weekend. But "action movies" is always the first selection of me. 2. Tell me about when you went to the movies recently. Who did you go with and how was that day? What did you do before the movie and what did you do after? Well, I remember going to the movies with my family recently. It was a long time since the last occasion that my family went to the movies together. Before the movies, we got some popcorn and soft drinks like oranges and Coca-Cola. After watching the movie, we decided to move to a Korean restaurant on the first floor of the building. In my point of view, this is the best restaurant in the city. The food tasted so good because we were starving. We ordered some beer and extra food while we ate. It was an enjoyable dinner. 3. What was a memorable movie that you watched in the past? What was it about? What was special about the movie? To be honest, I don't remember the name of the movie that I watched with my family recently. But I only remember that the movie was about the love story of 2 young people. They fought for their love by proving to their family that they had completely fallen in love with each other. But in the end, they could not go along as expected. The movie made all audiences cry including me. That story was so emotional. It still impressed me until now. PARKS 1. You indicated in the survey that you go to the park with adults. Tell me about the kinds of parks that you like to visit. What do the parks look like? As you might not know, there is a park in my neighborhood where I can take walks. After a long working day, I usually get exercise there. There are a lot of sports facilities in the park such as gym courts. Meanwhile, there is another park that is much bigger nearby. It's a riverside park along the river. I can enjoy the nice view when I take walks there. There are some sculptures and fountains in the park, and also bridges crossing the river. So these are two parks where I usually take walks. 2. Describe what a typical visit to a park is like for you. Tell me about the things you do and see at the park. Well, I usually go to the park to get some fresh air after a long working day. And sometimes I take walks there. It helps me arrive relaxed or blow off some steam when my mood is down. Additionally, I sometimes just enjoy the trees and flowers, and I am really very fond of taking pictures and posting them on social media like Facebook and Instagram. I think it really makes sense. So these are the things I usually do at the park. 3. Tell me about the last time you went to the park. Which park was it? When was it that you went? Tell me everything you did from the moment you arrived at the park until you left. OK. I remember going to the park recently to take a walk. It was a sunny day, and after going back from my office, I went by myself to the park near my house, which is one of my favorites. It took me about 5 minutes to get there. And I was able to get some exercise and burn some calories. After that, I felt very refreshed. In my opinion, parks are the perfect places for exercise. So this was what I did at the park recently. 5. How did you first start going to parks? What made you visit parks in the first place? Why do you go to the parks now? I first started to go to the park to get some fresh air. In addition, I really very fond of taking walks there. That is an easy way to make my mood to be better. I usually sat on a bench after rounds of running. One more thing, I enjoyed the trees and flowers there as well. These days, I can not go to the park because of the intensity of my work, but I will go there to get a walk whenever I can. I feel very refreshed after taking walks, that's why I started to take walks at the park. 6. Tell me about a memorable experience you had at a park. Maybe there was a special event, or maybe something unexpected happened. Begin by giving me some background about when and where it was. And then, give me all the details about what happened. Well, I remember bumping into my friend at the park. When I was taking a walk to get some exercise. Suddenly, I saw one of my friends there, and then I went over to her and said hi. As you know, I was very happy to see her. We asked how each other was doing and did a lot of catching up. So that was the incident I remember. DOMESTIC TRIPS 1. You indicated in the survey that you like to travel domestically. Tell me about some of the places you like to travel to and why you like going there. As you know, my country is Vietnam and there are tons of beaches here. Traveling is one of my favorites, that's why I travel a lot, especially in the summer. I like to go to the beach, and one of my favorite ones is My Khe. It's in a coastal city called Da Nang, which is in the middle of Vietnam. It is known as one of the top beaches in my country with tons of things to do near the beach. It gets extremely crowded during the peak season. So, this is what my favorite beach looks like. 2. Can you tell me the things you do in order to prepare for trips? Well, I pack tons of things before I go on trips. I am a heavy packer. Firstly, I pack suitable clothes for the weather. With the trip in the summer, I have to make sure to bring my swimsuit and my sunglasses. In contrast, I need to bring my warm jacket when I travel in the winter. Moisturizer and sunblock are needed as well. Secondly, emergency medicine is a thing that cannot be missed. It helps me in the urgent case. These are always in my backpack. As you see, a lot of things I need to pack before I go on trips. 3. Traveling can lead to many kinds of interesting, funny, and unexpected experiences. Tell me about one travel experience you had that was unforgettable. Start by telling me when this happened, where you were, and who you were with. Tell me about all the things that happened that make this experience so unforgettable. Wow, this question makes me remember my trip last year. It was a terrible memory, but let me tell you about that story. Last summer, I had a trip to Da Nang with my family and spent about 3 days to discover the culture and people there. But unfortunately, a tropical storm attacked directly to the place where we were at that time. The weather was truly bad with heavy rain and strong wind. So we could not go outside in that dangerous weather. ​Nonetheless, every coin has two sides, I had much time besides my family for sharing our daily lives, and our stories. The trip seemed a little bit broken but in my point of view, something unforeseen made the trip funnier and more attractive. That was one of the most special things I will never forget in my entire life. 6. Tell me about some of the trips that you took in your youth. Where did you go? Who did you go with? And what did you do or see during those early trips? Well, I remember going to the beach quite often with my family when I was a kid. We used to stay at a hotel right in front of the beach. During the day, we used to swim in the ocean and play with a ball as well. For lunch, we used to go out for some food. I remember having steak, pizza, and hamburgers. For dinner, we used to have a barbecue which was grilled ourselves outside of the hotel. The food always tasted so good because I was starving. After having dinner, we used to play all night long. Sometimes, we could see the fireworks near the beach on a huge holiday. Looking back, it was one of the most memorable trips in my childhood. OVERSEAS TRIPS  1. You indicated in the survey that you travel internationally. Could you describe for me one of the countries you've visited? What did it look like? And what were the people like there? I remember going to Japan with my friends a few years ago. Japan is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. There are many mountains there. In fact, roughly half of Japan is mountains. Also, Japan is an island nation, so there are a lot of beaches. Some of them are popular vacation spots. The coastline is very scenic as well. People often go on vacations to coastal areas. Meanwhile, Japanese people are quite friendly. That's the impression I got from the Japanese. So, Japan is the country I have been to. 2. Talk about the things that you typically do when you visit another country in an overseas city. I like to go to tourist attractions when I travel overseas. Historical sites or landmarks are the places I like to go to the most in the country. That's why I take a lot of pictures there. In addition, I usually take a food tour and enjoy shopping as well. Before going back to my country, I buy some gifts for my family. So, these are the things I do when I travel overseas. 3. Tell me about your first trip to another country or city. When did you go? Where did you visit? What did you do there? Who did you go with? Tell me about that trip with lots of details. I remember going on a trip to Thailand when I was a kid. It was one of my first overseas trips, so I was very excited. When we arrived, we went straight to the hotel to check in, and then we went on a tour. I was very amused by the things that I saw there. I also remember dining at various types of restaurants. The local food tasted amazing. Looking back, it was one of the most memorable trips in my childhood. 6. Sometimes, something out of the ordinary happens while traveling. I wonder if you have ever experienced anything surprising, unexpected, or unusual during a trip. Tell me the story of that experience in detail. Start by telling me when and where you were traveling, and then give me all the details of that experience. Wow, this question makes me remember my trip last year. It was a terrible memory, but let me tell you about that story. Last summer, I had a trip to Da Nang with my family and spent about 3 days to discover the culture and people there. But unfortunately, a tropical storm attacked directly to the place where we were at that time. The weather was truly bad with heavy rain and strong wind. So we could not go outside in that dangerous weather. ​Nonetheless, every coin has two sides, I had much time besides my family for sharing our daily lives, and our stories. The trip seemed a little bit broken but in my point of view, something unforeseen made the trip funnier and more attractive. That was one of the most special things I will never forget in my entire life. 7. Tell me about a popular place tourists like to go to when traveling outside your country. Why do they like visiting those locations? Vietnamese often go to Japan when they travel overseas. Because Japan is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. There are many mountains there. In fact, roughly half of Japan is mountains. Also, Japan is an island nation, so there are a lot of beaches. Some of them are popular vacation spots. The coastline is very scenic as well. People often go on vacations to coastal areas. That's why Vietnamese often go to Japan when they travel overseas. 12. Tell me about where tourists go and what they do on their overseas trips. Vietnamese like to go to tourist attractions when they travel overseas. Historical sites or landmarks are the places they like to go to the most in the country. That's why they take a lot of pictures there. In addition, they usually take a food tour and enjoy shopping as well. Before going back to their country, they buy some gifts for their family. So, these are the things tourists do when they travel overseas. VACATIONS AT HOME  1. You indicated that you take vacations at home. Who are the people you would like to see and spend time with on your vacation? Well, during my vacations at home, I usually meet up with my close friends. We ask how each other is doing and do some catching up. Moreover, we talk about our family members or children, and about our daily lives and work. Sometimes, we have a barbecue in which was grill ourselves outside of my house. The food always tasted so good because we could have dinner with our family. After that, we gather around a sofa and watch our favorite movies. These are the things I do with my friends when we meet up. 2. Describe exactly what you did during the last vacation that you spent at home. Give me a description of what you did from the first day to the last day. Talk about all the people you saw and everything that you did. I remember watching a movie with my family during my last vacation. Before the movies, we got some popcorn and soft drinks like oranges and Coca-Cola. After watching the movie, we decided to move to a Korean restaurant on the first floor of the building near my house. In my point of view, this is the best restaurant in the city. The food tasted so good because we were starving. We ordered some beer and extra food while we ate. It was an enjoyable dinner. 3. Could you tell me about an unusual or unexpected experience you had during a vacation you had at home? What happened? Who was involved? And why was this experience so memorable? I remember eating something wrong during my vacation at home. I think I ate something that went bad. After that, my stomach was upset. I went to the bathroom over and over again because I had the runs. Then, my younger brother went to the drugstore and got me some medicine. I felt better after taking the medicine. But I still had to stay inside and get a lot of rest. Since then, I have tried to be more careful when I am eating something. WORK 1. You indicated that you work. I would like to know about your company. What kind of company is it? When was it founded? Where is it located? What products or services does it offer? As you know, I work for a large electronic company named Samsung. I have been working here for 5 years. Because of a global company, we do business worldwide. It is one of the market leaders in cell phones and other electronic appliances. Our company was founded in the late 1960s. It was small in size when it first started. Now, it is a huge enterprise with headquarters in Korea and a lot of R&D centers overseas. So these are some details about the company I work for. 2. Tell me about your daily routine at work. What kind of work do you engage in on a normal workday? What do you typically do as soon as you arrive at the office? Tell me everything about your day at work. Well, I currently work in the project leader department. The average working time of mine is nine hours a day. I usually get to my office at 7 in the morning. First, I go over the things that need to do that day. I normally have a to-do list on my computer. Then I take a cup of coffee for a full-energy morning. In addition, I have regular meetings with my co-workers. But sometimes, we have ad-hoc meetings when there are some new issues. I back home at 5 PM every day. However, there are times I have to work late. So these are the things I do at work. 3. Now, tell me about a project you did at work last week. What kind of project was it? How did it go? What did you have to do for the project? Did you have any meetings to attend for the project? Well, I had a hectic work schedule last week. There were a lot of things to take care of. First, I had to push a couple of other teams to address some critical issues on my project. Then, I had to attend back-to-back meetings. And I also had to make reports to my boss. Besides, I managed to finish my work at the end of the week. There were some ups and downs along the way, but everything turned out okay. These are what I did at work last week. Family/Friends 1. Describe a family or a friend you have. What is he or she like? What is special about that person? Let me tell you about my parents. First, my parents are very family-oriented. They like to have family gatherings. In addition, they are both very active. They like outdoor activities like going hiking and traveling. On the other hand, my mom and dad are different in some ways. My mom likes animals, but my dad does not. This is what my mom and dad are like. 2. Tell me about what you commonly do with your friends or family members when you get together with them. I often go to coffee shops with my friends at the weekend to practice guitar. I definitely have a hot spot for playing this musical instrument. That is a perfect way for me to help my mood to be better after a long working week. But sometimes, we just come there to have some drinks, play games, or ask how each other is doing and do a lot of catching up. These are the things that I usually do with my friends when we get together. 3. Talk about what you did with your family members or friends recently. Tell me about the activities you did with them. Well, I remember going to the movies with my family recently. It was a long time since the last occasion that my family went to the movies together. Before the movies, we got some popcorn and soft drinks like oranges and Coca-Cola. After watching the movie, we decided to move to a Korean restaurant on the first floor of the building. In my point of view, this is the best restaurant in the city. The food tasted so good because we were starving. We ordered some beer and extra food while we ate. It was an enjoyable dinner. 6. Talk about a time when you visited a friend or a family member recently. What did you do when you visited them? What was memorable about that visit? Tell me everything from beginning to end. I remember going to my friend's place on vacation recently. Her house is not so far from my office, so I usually go there whenever I have time. When I come to her house, I feel very comfortable and relaxed. We asked how each other was doing and did some catching up. Moreover, we talked about our family members or children, and about our daily lives and work. Sometimes, we had a small party in front of her house with some food made by us. After that, we gathered around a sofa and watched our favorite movies. I really love that kind of occasion. These are the things I did when I visited my friend's house. 8. Talk about a visit to a friend or a family member from your childhood. Who did you visit and whom did you go with? What do you remember about that visit? What made the visit special? I remember going to my grandmother's place with my mom when I was a kid, and we had dinner together. I think I ate something that went bad. After that, my stomach was upset. I went to the bathroom over and over again because I had the runs. Then, my mom went to the drugstore and got me some medicine. I felt better after taking the medicine. But I still had to stay inside and get a lot of rest. Since then, I have tried to be more careful when I am eating something. Housing  1. I would like to know where you live. Can you describe your home to me? What does it look like? How many rooms does it have? As you might not know I actually don't live with my parents but I live in an apartment on my own. I have been living here for 3 years. There are three bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen in my place. In the living room, there are some furniture and home appliances. First, there is a sofa, a table, and a mirror. Also, there is a TV located on the top of a cabinet. The living room is connected to the kitchen. On the left of the kitchen, I placed a fridge, a microwave, and a gas stove. It's quite easy for me to cook something. So this is what my place looks like. 2. What is your normal routine at home? Do you do housework every day? What do you usually do on weekdays and what do you do on weekends? As you know, most of my daytime is for working at my office. So I just only have time to clean my apartment after getting off work. First, I vacuum and mop the floors and dust the furniture. Then, I clean the bathroom after taking showers. Regarding dinner, I cook a simple meal maybe with vegetables, fish, and sometimes with meat because I just live on my own. But on the weekends, I have a lot of time to do more things. Except for the above things, I can also do the laundry. After washing my laundry, I hang dry them on the rack, before folding and putting them in the dressers when they dry. These are the housework I do at home. 4. I would like to know where you live. Talk about the different rooms in your home. Tell me about your favorite room in your home. What does it look like? As you might not know I actually don't live with my parents but I live in an apartment on my own. And I think that bedroom is one of my favorites. There is a bookshelf, a bed, some dressers, and a computer here. My bedroom is the best place to kick back and relax. I can get some rest when I get home. One more thing, I can do whatever I want to in my room like browsing the internet, listening to music or getting some sleep. Watching TV and reading books are alternatives. This is what my favorite room looks like. 5. Describe the home you lived in as a child. How was it different from the home you live in now? I remember living in a small house with my parents in my hometown when I was a child. There was a stadium near my house, where I and my friends used to play football. But now, I live in a small apartment in the city on my own. There is a park in the neighborhood where I can take walks and get some exercise there. I can see a lot of convenience stores and coffee shops around my place. This is what my home looked like. 9. Talk about a special memory you had at home with your family members. Perhaps, you had guests over or had a party of some sort. Tell me about that experience in detail. I remember having my mom's birthday party at home. It was her 50th birthday. And of course, I got a birthday cake and a gift for my mom. In addition to this, we also cooked some food for the party. Except for that, we ordered some Korean food. The food tasted so good because I was starving. After the party, there were some leftovers. So I helped clean up after the party. It was an enjoyable party. 11. There are always problems that happen in any home. Things break, projects do not go as planned or people you live with do not cooperate. Tell me about some problems or issues that happened at your home. Well, I remember redoing the wallpaper at my apartment. It was old and torn a lot. So I decided to renew it. After it was done, the wall looked brand new. So I was very happy with the new look. Plus, I remember getting some new furniture. I got a new bed and a new table. After that, I rearranged all of the furniture to refresh my apartment layout. The change helps me find a lot of new emotions when I see the new layout. These are the changes I remember. 12. Pick one of those problems and explain everything that happened. When did it happen and what caused the problem? Explain in detail everything you did to resolve the situation. I remember when the AC broke down at my home. It was during the summer and it was very hot without air conditioning. So I had to call a technician to fix the problem. Plus, I remember when the remote control for the TV did not work well. I had to replace the batteries for it. Another one, I remember when the water leaked from the fridge, I had to wipe the water from the floor. I think these are the problems I remember the most. Internet 1. What do people normally do on the internet? Do they play games, watch television, or watch movies? Talk about all the things people do online. Well, people do tons of things on the Internet these days. First, they send emails, and messages or look for something useful for their work. As you know, most people have at least one social media account today, so they usually post things like daily activities, videos, and pictures on them. One more thing, they also do shopping or do online banking. Younger people often play games or spend their time watching movies online. These are the things that people normally do on the Internet these days. 2. What do you usually do on the Internet? Do you like to shop online? Do you like sharing videos with other people? Tell me everything you do online. As you know the Internet is a perfect place for everyone to do various types of things. And of course, I am not an exception. On the weekdays, most of my time is in the office, and the main purpose of accessing the Internet is just for work like checking mail or sending messages. Sometimes, I have to make a video conference with other teams overseas. But after going back to my home, I usually go there to listen to music or learn English. On the weekends, I usually listen to music while I am cooking or cleaning the house. When I have free time, I choose to watch my favorite movies or make a video call to my parents. These are the things I usually do on the Internet. 3. Tell me about your early experience of surfing the Internet. What do you remember particularly about that experience? Well, formerly, the Internet connection was quite slow. It took me a long time to access a website. But now, the Internet speed has become a lot faster than in the past. As a result of it, I can log on to a website much faster. Previously, I used to access the Internet only on my computer. And now, the smartphone has become more common to most people. I can surf the Internet when and wherever I want. I think that is the most impressive experience I have had. 6. Tell me about when you used the Internet to get a project done. What was the project about? How did the Internet help you do the project? I remember doing a project at work recently. At that time, I had to write a report for the project and show them to my boss. I surfed the Internet and did some searches before gathering some data and using them in my report. As a result of it, my report became much better because there was a lot of information in it. And some charts became much more beautiful as well. My boss commended me a lot, and of course, I was very happy. That is evidence to prove that the Internet is something useful when I am doing the project. 9. I am sure you have things that you remember seeing on the Internet. Talk about a memorable posting that you saw on the Internet. Why was it memorable for you? I remember seeing some postings about the recent Metoo movement. Sexual violence has become a major issue. Some people commit sexual harassment or rape. More recently, sex crime victims have been raising their voices. They are sharing their stories on social media. People are supporting the victims and criticizing the sex offenders. This is called the Metoo movement. I strongly believe that sex crimes should be wiped out completely. Phones 1. What do you like most about your phone? Maybe you like your camera or maybe you like certain applications. Tell me why you like these features and why. Well, people do tons of things on their smartphones these days. First, they send emails, and messages or look for something useful for their work. As you know, most people have at least one social media account today, they usually post things like daily activities, videos, and pictures on them. One more thing, they also do shopping or do online banking. Younger people often play games or spend their time watching movies online. These are the things that people normally do on their smartphones these days. 2. Tell me about the first phone you used. How was it different from the phone you use now? My first phone was a simple one. I was just able to make phone calls and send text messages, but that was it. However, phones have changed a lot over the years. They have become a lot better than in the past. I can do more on my phone now. I can get access to the Internet whenever I want to. The design is much different as well. Nowadays, smartphones have nice and eye-catching designs with various types of colors and sizes. So, smartphones have made a big difference in our lives. 3. Tell me about a time when you had trouble while using your phone. What was the problem and how did you deal with it? Well, I use my phone throughout the day, so it runs out of battery quite often. Once, my phone died when I was outside. It was very inconvenient because I had to check emails and send messages but I could not. I had no choice, but I had to go to a coffee shop to get my phone charged. Since then, I always bring the charger beside me. 5. What do you do on your phone besides talking to people over the phone? Do you make updates on your social media page? Do you play games? Tell me about what you typically do on your phone. As you know, I use my phone every single day. I usually use my phone to get access to the Internet. So, I can surf the Internet whenever I want to. First, I send emails, and messages or look for something useful for my work. As you know, most people have at least one social media account today. For me, I usually post things like daily activities, videos, and pictures on them. One more thing, I do shopping or do online banking as well. Like many other younger people, I often play games or spend my time watching movies online. These are the things that I normally do on my smartphone. Weather 1. Tell me about the weather where you live. What is the weather like in each season? Which season do you personally like? Vietnam has four 4 distinct seasons in a year: spring, summer, fall, and winter. The weather in spring and fall is very nice. Because the temperature is not too low and not too high. It's very great for outdoor activities. On the other hand, summer is extremely hot. It is very humid and sticky. People only want to stay in cool areas like offices, buildings, or homes with air conditioning. However, the winter is completely opposite. The temperature goes down to a low. And for me personally, I like spring because it makes me feel easy on everything. 2. How is the weather today at where you are? Is it cold, or is it warm? Talk about today's weather in detail. It's late fall here in Vietnam right now. The temperature is not too high and it's a little bit cloudy and windy today. It makes people feel easy on everything. That's why most people like this season. The weather is getting colder and colder every day. And it will be early winter soon. The weather forecast says it's going to rain tomorrow. I hope that the rain will not be too long because we have to work tomorrow. 5. How has the weather in your country changed over the years? What was the weather like when you were a child? How was it different from what it is now? We still have 4 distinct seasons in Vietnam. However, spring and fall have become shorter. On the other hand, summer and winter have become longer. In addition, it seems to rain a lot more in summer. Maybe it's a result of up warming effect of the Earth. It makes the people's lives have changed a lot. 6. Serve weather conditions can do a lot of damage. Tell me about an experience you had related to the serve weather conditions. Perhaps a city was floored, or maybe businesses or schools were closed due to heavy snow. What was the problem? How did the people deal with the situation? I remember when a strong typhoon hit my country this year. There were strong winds and heavy rainfall. And as a result, there were floods all over the place. Many houses and cars went underwater. People could not go outside. All of the schools and shops were closed and the businesses were affected as well. It was very nerve-racking. And it took a long time to recover from the damage. Text-Messages  1. You indicated in the survey that you exchange text messages with your friends. What kinds of text messages do you send? What are they about? I use a messaging app called Facebook Messenger to talk to my friends. I talked about tons of things with my friends on that app. First, we ask how each other is doing and do some catching up. I also share pictures and videos with my friends. Moreover, we talk about our family members or children, and about our daily lives and work. However, due to the intensity of my work, my schedule doesn't always permit this to happen. But I put all the eggs in the basket to exchange text messages with my friends whenever I have time. In summary, I exchange tons of things with my friends on the Facebook Messenger app. 2. Tell me when and where you send the text messages most often. Plus, who do you exchange text messages with? Well, I talk to various types of people on my messenger app such as my family members, my friends, and also my co-workers. I usually use my phone to exchange text messages with people on the go. I do that when I am on the bus or the taxi. Or even when I am in the office if I have any critical things that need to be discussed. However, I send text messages most of the time at night, when I go back home. Because I have more free time to do that. So I can send the text messages whenever I want to. 3. Tell me about a memorable text message you got in the past. Who was it from and what was it about? What made this text message more memorable than others? I remember getting a lot of birthday messages on my last birthday. Many of my friends remembered that it was my birthday. They congratulated me and told me to have a great birthday. Some of them sent me gift vouchers as presents. It felt good to get so many caring messages from people. Then I replied to each message and thanked them. That was the most memorable memory I have had because it made my last birthday something special. 6. We sometimes have problems while sending text messages. Tell me about a time when you had trouble sending a text message. Start by giving me some background and then explain what you did to deal with the situation. I remember having trouble sending a message because the Internet connection was bad. I tried and tried but still could not send the message. I was very upset and uncomfortable. On another occasion, I remember sending a message to the wrong chatroom. It was a personal message, but I sent it to a work-related chatroom. So I apologized for my mistake. Of course, it was so embarrassing. These are the problems with the messages I have had. Shopping - Fashion  1. You indicated in the survey that you like to go shopping. Talk about stores or shopping centers in your country. What are they like? Describe them in detail. There are tons of stores in my country. They are everywhere these days. Many stores are on busy streets with a lot of foot traffic. One of the largest places to shop is a complex mall near my apartment. There are various types of stores at these places. You can get deals there, or even get discounts at some stores. In addition to this, there are many restaurants at this place as well. So you can grab a bite if you are starving. Once again, there are a lot of stores in my country. 2. Where do you go when you go shopping for something? What do you buy when you go there? What is special about that place? I go to various places to shop such as department stores, and complex malls. However, I also like to shop online. Online shopping is very convenient in many ways. It takes much less time to buy some things. Shopping has become a lot easier than in the past. Also, there are a lot of options to choose from, so I can get great deals. I buy things such as cosmetics or movie tickets on the Internet most often. To be honest, I usually buy things on the Internet when I need something. 3. Think of your early memories of shopping. Was there a story you remember from your childhood? What did it look like and what were your impressions of that place? I remember getting groceries with my family when I was a kid. We went to a local supermarket near our house because we could get some things with good prices and good quality there. So we were able to get great deals as well. We used to get some ice cream and milk. Sometimes, we used to buy some drinks as well. I was very excited whenever I went there. So this was my early memory of shopping. 4. You indicated in the survey that you like to go shopping. Let's talk about your shopping habits. How often do you go shopping? Where do you go for your shopping? I remember getting groceries with my family recently. We went to a local supermarket near our house because we could get some things with good prices and good quality there. So we were able to get great deals as well. First, we got some ice cream and milk. Sometimes, we used to buy some drinks as well. However, I also like to shop online. To be honest, I usually buy things on the Internet when I need something. As you see, I go shopping quite often. 6. People sometimes go through difficulties while they are shopping. What were some problems you had to deal with while you were shopping? I remember shopping for some shoes recently. There was a pair of running shoes I wanted to get. However, the store did not have my size in stock. They were sold out. So, I could not get the shoes I wanted. But I had to face it and got another pair of shoes. On another occasion, I remember buying a shirt online. I tried it after receiving it, but unfortunately, it did not fit me. It was too big and long. Then I sent it back to get a refund. These were 2 problems I have had recently. 1. What kinds of clothes do people in your country typically wear? Do they wear different clothes for work or for play? I think people in my country are very stylish. They like to follow the latest fashion trends. As you know Vietnam has 4 distinct seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter. So people wear different clothes for each season. I can say that fashion styles are very seasonal. Typically, they usually choose formal clothes for work, but short ones for play. I think it depends on the habits of each person. 2. What kinds of clothes do you like to wear personally? What kind of fashion style do you like? What are you wearing today? Well, personally, I don't follow any particular fashion style but sometimes I refer to the style of some famous people like Korean singers or actors. I am fond of wearing simple clothes that look good on me. In addition, I especially like wearing darker clothes. I am a big fan of casual style. However, I pay attention to the detail of what I wear. For example, I only wear black pants and a white T-shirt. 3. Fashion styles are always changing. Tell me about the kinds of clothes that were popular when you were younger. How are they different from what is popular now? When I was a kid, fashion styles were not that stylish. Just only have casual and simple clothes. There were not too many shops to go. But now, there are tons of online shopping malls. I can buy clothes whenever I want to just by a click. People get exposed to new fashion trends much more easily. They have become a lot more fashionable than in the past. So, that is the difference between fashion trends in the past and now. 6. Tell me about the last time you bought a new piece of clothing. What did you need and where did you find it? Were there any challenges or problems? Give me all the details of the story. I remember shopping for some shoes recently. There was a pair of running shoes I wanted to get. However, the store did not have my size in stock. They were sold out. So, I could not get the shoes I wanted. But I had to face it and got another pair of shoes. On another occasion, I remember buying a shirt online. I tried it after receiving it, but unfortunately, it did not fit me. It was too big and long. Then I sent it back to get a refund. These were 2 problems I have had recently. Furniture - Recycling  1. Tell me about the furniture you have in your home. Is there a piece of furniture that is your favorite? There are various types of furniture in my apartment. In the living room, there are some furniture and home appliances. First, there is a sofa, a table, and a mirror. Also, there is a TV located on the top of a cabinet. The living room is connected to the bedroom. On the left of this room, I placed a bed, a desk, and a chair. And I think that my bed is one of my favorites. Because it is the best place for me to kick back and relax. Especially I can get some rest when I get home. 2. Tell me about how you use your furniture on a typical day. What kinds of things do you do with the furniture? I use the sofa in the living room all the time, especially when I go back home after a long working day. I sit on it when I am getting some rest or watching movies. Sometimes, I lay down on it to take a nap. My bed is one place that I use every single day. Reading books is an easy way that help me fall asleep. Getting a good night's sleep is very important. So the thing that I need to do if I want to have quality sleep is to have a good mattress. 3. Tell me about the furniture that you had at home when you were a child. Was there anything different from the furniture that you use today? When I was a kid, the furniture I had was a lot smaller. For example, my bed was a single bed for children. And the one I use now is a bigger one which is used for adults. Next, the color of the furniture used to be brighter. For instance, when I was a kid, my bookshelf was light brown. But now, the one I use is much darker. It's black. One more thing, the furniture in my apartment is much more modern than the old one in the past. So, the size and color are the best differences. 6. Tell me about a time when you had a problem with your furniture. Perhaps, it could have gotten damaged for some reason. Tell me what exactly happened and how you solved the problem. I remember when the AC broke down at my home. It was during the summer and it was very hot without air conditioning. So I had to call a technician to fix the problem. Plus, I remember when the remote control for the TV did not work well. I had to replace the batteries for it. Another one, I remember when the water leaked from the fridge, I had to wipe the water from the floor. I think these are the problems I remember the most. 1. Recycling is a common practice in many places. Tell me about all the different kinds of items that you recycle. I gather the recyclables at home separately. Cans, bottles, and plastics are put in the recycling basket placed in the corner of the kitchen. And then, I take all of them out once a week on average. I normally do that on my way out. As you know, recycling is eco-friendly. That is an easy way to reuse our resources and protect the environment. 2. Tell me what recycling was like when you were a child. Was there a particular place to which you took out the recyclables? Describe what it was like and what you did in detail. When I was a kid, people did not recycle at their homes. Instead, there used to be recycling days at schools. Students used to take scrap paper to school on those days. I remember doing that myself when I was a kid. But these days, recycling is very well-practiced in people's homes. It has become a daily routine in people's lives. Industry 1. Talk about one of the rising industries in your country. Why is that industry famous and what is special about it? One of the rising industries in Vietnam is the movie industry. Vietnamese movies have become a lot better than in the past. They are very fun to watch and entertaining. They are also doing very well at the box office. One more thing, some Vietnamese movies are being released overseas. So, the movie industry is one of the most promising industries in Vietnam. 2. Talk about a well-known company in the industry you mentioned. What is special about that company? As you know, following the growth of the movie industry in the world, a lot of related companies are newly founded. One of them is ABC. Even though it was founded just 5 years ago, ABC is a well-known company these days. Their movies are so amazing and entertaining. They bring us so much traditional value in each movie. That's why all of their newly released movies get sold out very quickly. That is the one thing that makes ABC special. 3. Tell me about the benefits that the industry provides. What kind of good is it doing for your country? The movie industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in Vietnam. It has become one of the largest movie markets in the world. Vietnamese go to movie theaters 4 times a year on average. This is one of the highest numbers in the world. They allow us to know that people more and more take care of movies and values of them such as traditional and historical values. In my point of view, that is the most important benefit of the movie industry. 5. What kinds of companies do young people in your country want to work for? Why do they want to work for those companies? Many young Vietnamese want to work for companies in the movie industry. Because this industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in Vietnam. It has become one of the largest movie markets in the world. Vietnamese go to movie theaters 4 times a year on average. This is one of the highest numbers in the world. In my point of view, another reason is that young people more and more take care of movies and values of them such as traditional and historical values. 6. What kinds of efforts have you made to help your career in the past? Why did you do those things and how did they help you? Well, I have done various things for my career over the years. One of them is improving my English. I do it every day, and of course when I have free time. Because I know the importance of it. It's one of the keys to helping my career to be more successful. I usually practice my English speaking skills at night. But sometimes, it's writing skills instead. Those efforts make me to be more and more perfect. It helps me to communicate with overseas partners more easily. Food 1. Many people try to eat healthily these days. What kinds of foods are healthy and why are they healthy for us? Well, I recently started working with a registered dietician to clean up my eating habits somewhat. She has me eating five times a day. First, I try to eat vegetables and fruits as often as I can. Because they contain a lot of vitamins and fiber. It's very good for my health. Besides, fish is one of my favorites because there is a lot of protein in them. In addition, eating organic food is a necessary way to detox my body, because they are not grown with chemicals. This is the way they help us to be healthier. 2. Tell me how you found out about eating healthy. Did your family eat healthy when you were growing up? Describe to me in detail how you started to eat healthy. When I was a kid, my parents used to eat healthy food. And they inspired me a lot. They made me eat vegetables and fruits every day. Also, milk was a thing always beside me when I was growing up. However, I tried to eat healthy myself when I got older. I cut back on unhealthy food and drinks such as alcohol. So, I found out about eating healthy when I was a kid. 4. What is a popular dish in your country? What is special about the dish? Please describe that dish in detail. One of the most common foods in Vietnam is Pho. It is also known as one of the most well-known foods in the world. It is very good for our health. We can find a lot of ingredients in a bowl of Pho like vegetables, noodles, and beef with amazing soup. They are mixed perfectly and balanced. I can promise that people will not forget it when they try it for the first time. That's why it's so popular in my country. 6. Tell me about a memorable experience you had while eating something. It could be good or bad. What happened? Why was it so memorable or special? Tell me everything with lots of details. I remember eating something wrong during my vacation last year. I think I ate something that went bad. After that, my stomach was upset. I went to the bathroom over and over again because I had the runs. Then, my younger brother went to the drugstore and got me some medicine. I felt better after taking the medicine. But I still had to stay inside and get a lot of rest. Since then, I have tried to be more careful when I am eating something. Health 1. Describe a healthy person you know of. What makes that person healthy? Tell me everything about the things that make that person healthier. I can tell you that my father is a healthy person. Because he works out as often as he can. He gets some exercise at the gym after work. Sometimes, he runs in the park in the morning before taking a shower and going to work. One more important thing, he always eats healthily and cuts back on unhealthy food and drinks such as alcohol. I think these are the things that make him healthier. 2. Have you ever changed a habit or a certain lifestyle for your health? Maybe you started to work out or started to eat healthy. Tell me about that change you made. Well, I recently started working with a registered dietician to clean up my eating habits somewhat. She has me eating five times a day. I try to eat vegetables and fruits as often as I can. Because they contain a lot of vitamins and fiber. It's very good for my health. Besides, I try to work out as often as I can, especially, after long working days. This is an easy way to detox my body. Once again, eating healthy and working out helped me stay healthy and lose some weight. 3. Talk about one thing that you did for your health in detail. What kind of impact did it have on your health? Give me all the details about the effect that had on your health. Working out at the gym and running in the park were the things I wanted to do every day to keep me healthy. However, due to the intensity of my work, it did not always permit this to happen. But I tried to do it whenever I could. Not mention to this, eating clean was a perfect way to help me be healthier. I tried to eat more vegetables and fruits, and have meals not too late. Having a positive mindset was an important thing as well. I tried to look on the bright side of things. This way, I was able to get less stress. So, these are the things I have tried to stay healthy. Restaurants 1. I would like to know about restaurants in your country. What do typical restaurants look like? What kinds of food do they commonly offer? As you know, there are a lot of barbeque restaurants in my country. They are everywhere, so it's very easy to find one. Many of them are on busy streets with a lot of foot traffic. They serve various types of meat such as pork, beef, and chicken. Among them, beef is my favorite. At these restaurants, there is a barbeque grill on each table. Customers grill the meat on the grill themselves. Once again, barbeque places are the most typical restaurants in my country. 2. Tell me about a restaurant you ate out at recently. What kind of restaurant was it? What was their menu and what did you eat? Who did you go with? Did you like how the food tasted? I and my family had a gathering in the restaurant near my house last week. In my point of view, this is the best restaurant in the city. The food tasted so good because I was starving. The beef I ordered was so juicy and tender. In addition, we had some drinks while having the meal. Beer was my choice. It went well with the food. And of course, it was a very enjoyable dinner. 3. Now, tell me about a restaurant you used to go to as a child. What was it like? What did you eat? Who did you go with? What do you remember most about that place? Tell me about that restaurant in as much detail as possible. I remember going to Burger King near my house with my family when I was a kid. While waiting for the food, I ordered some drinks for all members. Orange juice was my choice. The burger here tasted amazing. And other dishes were very good as well. I fell in love with them on my first try. I can remember how good the food was. Looking back, it was one of the most memorable fast-food chains in my childhood. 4. Many restaurants are changing their menus to suit customers who are more health-conscious. Talk about the changes you notice about restaurants in your country related to this trend. As you know, people have become a lot busier than in the past. They sometimes do not have time to cook themselves. So, they eat out or order in much more often. Meanwhile, people have become much more healthier than in the past. They think about their health even when they go out to eat. Due to this trend, many restaurants have developed healthy menus. They promote the health benefits of their menus. So, restaurant food has become a lot better than in the past. 5. Chain restaurants such as McDonald's have a set menu you can expect. On the other hand, small local restaurants have their own menus and you may not be able to know what to expect. Talk about your experience of going to a chain restaurant and a local restaurant. What was the biggest difference? When I go to restaurant chains, I know what to get in advance, because they have a pre-set menu. However, there is a little bit of difference in local restaurants. They do not have a pre-set menu, so I have to look at the menu carefully to see what to get. I think this is the biggest difference between them. 7. When your friends or family discuss restaurants they like or dislike, what are some of the characteristics they discuss the most? How do these characteristics affect their dining experience? When it comes to restaurants, my friend and I talk about the taste the most. We like to have dinner at restaurants that serve tasty food. Price is the next matter, getting a great deal is an important thing as well. The final one is the mood, it helps us enjoy the meal. Apparently, the truth is that all people want to have a perfect experience when they go out to eat. So, we talk about the taste, price, and mood when it comes to restaurants. 8. Talk about your favorite take-out or delivery food restaurant. What is the place like? What kinds of food do they commonly offer? There are a lot of take-out restaurants in my country. They are everywhere these days. Many of them are on busy streets with a lot of foot traffic. When I go to these places, I know what to get in advance, because they have a pre-set menu. For instance, when I go to Highland coffee shop, I always order a set of coffee and cake. Sometimes, I get the food to go or enjoy it on the spot. This is what take-out places in my country look like. 9. Talk about the last time you used a take-out for delivery food service. What did you get and where was it? What do you remember about that experience? I remember going to Burger King near my house recently. I ordered a Whopper combo and a cup of coffee as well. After getting the food, I left the restaurant. Actually, the burger tasted so good, and the coffee was so strong. It made me awake right away. I can still remember how good the food was. It was a very enjoyable meal. 10. Talk about a time when you prepared for a special occasion using a take-out or delivery service. What kinds of food did you get from the restaurant? Tell me about that experience with lots of details. I remember having my mom's birthday party at home. It was her 50th birthday. And of course, I got a birthday cake and a gift for my mom. In addition to this, we also cooked some food for the party. Except for that, we ordered some Korean food. The food tasted so good because I was starving. After the party, there were some leftovers. So I helped clean up after the party. It was an enjoyable party. 11. Many fast-food, take-out, or delivery restaurants are now offering healthy choices. Why do you think this change has come about in recent years? Was it a result of consumer pressure, market forces, or something else? As you know, people have become a lot busier than in the past. They sometimes do not have time to cook themselves. So, they eat out or order in much more often. Meanwhile, people have become much more healthier than in the past. They think about their health even when they go out to eat. Due to this trend, many restaurants have developed healthy menus. They promote the health benefits of their menus. I think consumer demand is the main reason for this change. 13. How do busy working people usually get their meals on weekdays? Do they order food or go to restaurants? What do they usually do? As you know, people have become a lot busier than in the past. They sometimes do not have time to cook themselves. So, they eat out or order in much more often. Meanwhile, people have become much more healthier than in the past. They think about their health even when they go out to eat. Due to this trend, many restaurants have developed healthy menus. They promote the health benefits of their menus. So, busy working people eat out or order in on weekdays quite often. 14. What do you usually do for dinner during the week? Do you order food or go out to eat? Do you cook your own meals? Does someone else cook for you? Do you eat alone or eat with other people? Well, I think it's fifty-fifty. It depends on the situation. I definitely have a hot spot for cooking, but because of the intensity of my work, it does not always permit this to happen. So, I ordered the food most of the time during the weekdays. However, on the weekends, I usually cook myself. I am not a great cook, but I know how to cook basic things. As you know, I don't live with my parents but live on my own in my apartment. So, I often have meals alone. 15. Tell me about how you found out about a special food or grocery store. Maybe a new specialty store opened in your community or a new farmer's market opened and you wanted to check that place out. How did you find out about this new food or grocery store? I did a search online for a traditional food restaurant recently. Then, I found a good place nearby. They had good prices and good-quality goods. I was able to get great deals there. Actually, I fell in love with the food there for the first time. Now, I am a regular there. I think I go there once a week on average. So, this was how I found a new food place. Gatherings 1. Talk about gatherings or celebrations in your country. What do people do when they get together to celebrate things? In my country, people often go to bars for social gatherings. They grab some drinks with their friends. Sometimes, they play drinking games or listen to high music. Drink break the ice and spice up the mood. In addition, people sometimes go to bars for after-parties. It is a great chance to bond with co-workers. On special occasions such as birthday parties, people like to go to bars as well. It helps people arrive relaxed and have so many memorable things. 2. What did you do at your last gathering or celebration? What was the occasion? Give me all the details. I and my family had a gathering in the restaurant near my house last week. In my point of view, this is the best restaurant in the city. The food tasted so good because I was starving. The beef I ordered was so juicy and tender. In addition, we had some drinks while having the meal. Beer was my choice. It went well with the food. And of course, it was a very enjoyable dinner. 3. Talk about a memorable incident that happened at a gathering or a celebration. Why was it memorable? What made it unforgettable? I remember going to a gathering last week. It was held at a bar and we drank beer there. However, I ended up drinking quite a lot that day. Then, I got very drunk because I drank too much. My stomach was upset and I do not even remember how I got home. As a result of it, I had a hangover the next day and had to get a lot of rest. Since then, I have tried to be more careful when I'm drinking. 4. Where do people usually have celebrations or parties in the area where you live or work? Is it at someone's home, a park, or somewhere else? Tell me everything about that place in as much detail as you can. I remember having my mom's birthday party at home. It was her 50th birthday. And of course, I got a birthday cake and a gift for my mom. In addition to this, we also cooked some food for the party. Except for that, we ordered some Korean food. The food tasted so good because I was starving. After the party, there were some leftovers. So I helped clean up after the party. It was an enjoyable party. Geography 1. Describe your country's geography for me. Are there mountains, lakes, or rivers? What is your country like? My country has a diverse geography. First, there are many moun

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