Topic 1:

TOPIC 1:

Bat Trang Porcelain Village is a traditional pottery-making village, which is located in the Northern of the Red River, Bat Trang town, Gia Lam district, Ha Noi. The pottery here is made of a special kind of clay – the white clay.
The craftsmen only use their hands to knead the clay into the shape of the bowl, flower vase, etc. Then, they draw lively pictures or patterns on the products and glaze them. After that, these kneaded-clays will be put into the kiln for heating.

The pottery products of Bat Trang Porcelain Village are always famous for the skillfulness, subtleness and the diversity of product’s shapes such as small bowls, large bowls, flower vases, pots, thuribles, etc. Especially, all the handicrafts of this pottery-making village are waterproof and fade-resistant.

The glaze of Bat Trang is also very subtle and unique with the secret recipe, which is handed down from generation to generation. Those values have created such an irresistible attraction and appealing feature for Bat Trang village. This is the reason why this traditional handicraft village can attract so many tourists as well.

TOPIC 2:

Life in modern cities truly causes a lot of nuisances. In the first place, citizens have to deal with traffic congestion every day. This problem is even worse in the rush hour when so many people run out to work and are stuck on streets for hours. Next, high cost of living is also a serious issue in the city, especially in metropolitan cities. More and more people find it difficult to live on their modest salaries when prices are going up all the time. Financial pressure makes city dwellers become constantly stressed and tired. Finally, the polluted air caused by exhaust emissions from millions of vehicles, construction dust and the lack of green trees negatively affects residents’ health. Many people suffer from respiratory problems such as cough, sore throat or asthma. Indeed, city life brings a number of difficulties as well as challenges to its citizens.

Talk about city life

Life in the city is full of activity. Early in the morning hundreds of people rush out of their homes in the manner ants do when their nest is broken. Soon the streets are full of traffic. Shops and offices open, students flock to their schools and the day's work begins. The city now throb with activity, and it is full of noise. Hundreds of sight-seers, tourists and others visit many places of interest in the city while businessmen from various parts of the world arrive to transact business.

Then towards evening, the offices and day schools begin to close. Many of the shops too close. There is now a rush for buses and other means of transport. Everyone seems to be in a hurry to reach home. As a result of this rush, many accidents occur. One who has not been to the city before finds it hard to move about at this time. Soon, however, there is almost no activity in several parts of the city. These parts are usually the business centres.

With the coming of night, another kind of actịvity begins. The streets are now full of colorful lights. The air is cooler and life becomes more leisurely. People now seek entertainment. Many visit the cinemas, parks and clubs, while others remain indoors to watch television or listen to the radio. Some visit friends and relatives and some spend their time reading books and magazines. Those who are interested in politics discuss the latest political developments. At the same time, hundreds of crimes are committed. Thieves and robbers who wait for the coming of night become active, and misfortune descends upon many. For the greed of a few, many are killed, and some live in constant fear. To bring criminals to justice, the officers of the law are always on the move.

Workers and others who seek advancement in their careers attend educational institutions which are open till late in the night. Hundreds of them sit for various examinations every year. The facilities and opportunities that the people in the city have to further their studies and increase their knowledge of human affairs are indeed many. As a result, the people of the city are usually better informed than those of the village, where even a newspaper is sometimes difficult to get.

The city could, therefore, be described as a place of ceaseless activity. Here, the drama of life is enacted every day.

Bài dịch

Cuộc sống ở thành thị cuộc sống ở thành thị rất nhộn nhịp. Từ tờ mờ sáng hàng trăm người ùa ra khỏi nhà như đàn kiến vỡ tổ. Chẳng bao lâu sau đường phố đông nghẹt xe cộ. Các cửa hàng và văn phòng mở cửa. Học sinh hối hả cắp sách đến trường và một ngày làm việc bắt đầu. Giờ đây thành phố hoạt đông nhộn nhịp và đầy ắp tiếng huyên náo. Hàng trăm người ngoạn cảnh, du khách và nhiều người khác viếng thăm những thắng cảnh của thành phố trong khi các doanh nhân từ nhiều nơi trên thế giới đến trao đổi công việc làm ăn.

Trời về chiều, những văn phòng và trường học bắt đầu đóng cửa. Nhiều của hàng cũng đông cửa. Lúc này diễn ra một cuộc đổ xô đón xe buýt và các phương tiện vận chuyên khác. Dường như mọi người đều vội vã về nhà. Kết quá của sự.vội vã này là nhiều tai nạn xảy ra. Những ai chưa từng đến thành phố cảm thấy khó mà đi lại vào giờ này. Tuy vậỵ không bao lâu sau một số khu vực của thành phố như ngừng hoạt động. Những nơi này thường là các trung tâm kinh doanh.

Đêm xuống, một hình thức hoạt động khác lại bắt đầu. Đường phố tràn ngập ánh đèn màu. Bầu không khí dịu xuống và cuộc sống trở nên thư thả hơn. Giờ đây người tìm đến những thú vui giải trí. Nhiều người đến rạp chiếu bóng, công viên và câu lạc bộ, trong khi những người khác ở nhà xem ti vi và nghe đài phát thanh. Có người đi thăm bạn bè và bà con. Có người dành thì giờ đọc sách và tạp chí. Những người quan tâm đến chính trị bàn luận về những sự kiện chính trị nóng hổi. Cũng trong thời gian này, hàng trăm vụ trộm cướp diễn ra. Trộm cướp chờ đêm xuống để hoạt động, và vận rủi ập xuống nhiều ngưòi. Chỉ vì lòng tham của một sô ít người mà nhiều người sẽ bị giết, và nhiều người khác phải sống trong cảnh sợ hãi triền miên . Để đưa tội phạm ra trước công lý, các viên chức luật pháp luôn luôn sẵn sàng hành động.

Người lao động và những ngưòi muốn tiến triển trên con đường công danh sự nghiệp của mình thì tham gia các lóp học ban đêm. Mỗi năm có hàng trăm người trong số họ tham dự vào nhiều kỳ thi khác nhau. Các phương tiện và cơ hội dành cho người dân thành thị để mở rộng học hỏi và gia tăng kiến thức nhân sinh thực sự rất phong phú. Do đó người dân ở thành phố luôn nắm bắt thông tin nhanh hợn người dân vùng nông thôn, nơi mà có khi ngay đến một tờ báo cũng khó kiếm.

Tóm lại thành thị có thể nói là nơi của những hoạt động không ngừng nghỉ. Chính tại đây vở kịch cuộc đời tái diễn mỗi ngày.

Talk about visit to a traditional craft village

Bat Trang village (Gia Lam district, Hanoi), about 14km from the center, famous for pottery, brand name 500 years. To this piece of pottery, Dolly found it extremely interesting to see ordinary flowers, ceramic pots on display in every corner of the village, or exposing sun-dried leaves. Visiting the village pottery factory, Dolly also introduced a piece of produce vases, warm cups or color hunting scene. Pottery Market is the most impressive feature of Dolly, this is the focus of hundreds of halls, simulated countless other pottery, spoiled, viewed household items like bowls, ordinary, vases for the wall-hangings, wind chimes and necklaces ... or farmer-themed products, buffaloes, Thi-Pho-Chi Pho from small statues to live.

Bản Dịch :

Làng Bát Tràng (huyện Gia Lâm, Hà Nội), cách trung tâm khoảng 14km, nổi tiếng với nghề gốm, thương hiệu 500 năm. Với tác phẩm gốm này, Dolly thấy vô cùng thú vị khi nhìn thấy những bông hoa bình thường, những bình gốm được trưng bày ở mọi góc làng hay phơi lá phơi nắng. Tham quan nhà máy gốm của làng, Dolly cũng giới thiệu một mảnh bình sản xuất, ly ấm hoặc cảnh săn màu. Pottery Market is the most impressive feature of Dolly, this is the focus of hundreds of halls, simulated countless other pottery, spoiled, viewed household items like bowls, ordinary, vases for the wall-hangings, wind chimes and necklaces ... hoặc các sản phẩm theo chủ đề nông dân, trâu, Thi-Pho-Chi Pho từ những bức tượng nhỏ để sống.

Talk about life in the past

There are a lot of interesting things about life in the past which we may never see in this modern life. First of all, the means of transport were extremely basic. People often traveled around on foot or the ride their bikes to farther places. At that time, only the rich could ride their motorbikes or cars on the street. Next, about education, schools were smaller and less modern compared to these of today. The number of teachers and students at school was also smaller. Students didn't have to study a lot of subjects like today because they mainly focused on learning to read and write and do maths. About entertainment, there weren't various sources of entertainment in the past. Children mostly played traditional and folk games such as blind man's bluff, hide-and-seek, skipping ropes, etc. Sometimes, they went to the market with their parents for shopping. Everything was quite simple and peaceful.

Dịch:

Có rất nhiều điều thú vị về cuộc sống trong quá khứ mà chúng ta có thể không bao giờ thấy trong cuộc sống hiện đại này. Trước hết, phương tiện giao thông cực kỳ thô sơ. Mọi người thường di chuyển bằng cách đi bộ hoặc đi xe đạp của họ đến những nơi xa hơn. Vào thời điểm đó, chỉ những người giàu mới có thể lái xe máy hoặc ô tô của trên đường phố. Tiếp theo, về giáo dục, các trường học thì nhỏ hơn và kém hiện đại hơn so với ngày nay. Số lượng giáo viên và học sinh ở trường cũng ít hơn. Học sinh không phải học nhiều môn như hiện nay vì họ chủ yếu tập trung vào việc học đọc, viết và làm toán. Về giải trí, trước đây không có nhiều nguồn giải trí đa dạng. Trẻ em chủ yếu chơi các trò chơi truyền thống và dân gian như bịt mắt bắt dê, trốn tìm, nhảy dây, v.v. Đôi khi, chúng đi mua sắm cùng bố mẹ ở chợ . Mọi thứ khá đơn giản và yên bình.

Topic 1:

I’ve always wanted to see the Earth from space so my dream house would orbit the Earth. It would be filled with a bunch of high-tech stuff that I could play around with and, of course, a button to turn off zero gravity because I don’t think sleeping while floating would be comfortable. I would also like there to be a teleporter that would allow me to go anywhere on Earth. How else would I get back to Earth to see my friends and family? Flying by rocket each time would be too wasteful.

Topic 2:

I don’t really get to spend much time watching TV programs mainly because I remain busy with other priorities in life. But, sometimes, I do enjoy watching different kind of comedy shows and documentaries because they make me “think” differently. Today, I would like to talk about one such comedy show which made a great impression on me.

I watched the program about a couple of years ago in the absence of my family who were out on a visit to see a “terminally” ill relative of them. Coincidently, the comedy show was also about an “elderly” ill person, with “limited” mobility, who wanted to find his “love” for the last time before dying.

But the problem was, of course, no woman was willing to put up with the old man because he had a very “tight fist”. In other words, he was a very “stingy” man with no intention whatsoever to spend any money on others, even if it meant spending on his “wife”! In fact, he was so “stingy” that he even liked to “sleep” on his money sometimes due to his fear of getting them stolen by others. Anyway, finally, one elderly lady became kind enough to marry him on one condition. And the condition was, the old guy would need to stop sleeping with his money. The guy happily agreed. But, after the marriage, the guy still kept sleeping with his money. The wife saw it and angrily reminded about his “promise”. The guy very calmly answered that “he was not sleeping with his money any more, rather the money was sleeping with him!” Needless to say, that was the moment when I simply burst out in laughter!

I really liked the comedy show mainly because it did highlight on a very natural human instinct which “pushes” people to go to any length, even if it is “lying” or “cheating”, in order to find “love” regardless of age or sex. It also made me realize the fact once again that even though sometimes “money” is what helps us “buy” love, it pushes us away too.

Topic 3:

Football is the most popular sport in my country, there are a million fans and supporters here like it. They like both watching and playing it. Because it is an affordable type of sport just only you need a ball. It is a game of skill, where ball control is far more important than physical conditioning, even children play it in the street every day. Also, here adore with the world cup matches. The second sport here is handball. The Egyptian handball team is more successful than the football one. We made it to the Olympics more than any other sport and achieved higher worldwide rankings than any other sport.
I used to play handball when I was a child. Nowadays I play it, with my friend when we have free time. It’s always a bit of a rush and I never get a chance to really enjoy it properly, so I wish I had more time for that.

Topic 4:

The Mekong Delta (Đồng bằng sông Cửu Long), nicknamed the ‘Rice Bowl of Vietnam,’ is a lush network of waterways in Vietnam known for its excellent nutrient-rich soils and diverse ecosystems – the banks are a veritable patchwork of fruit, vegetables, rice plantations and cattle farms that provide sustenance for more than a third of the country.

This impressive stretch of river frontage is the most biodiverse in the world if you don’t count the Amazon. Taking up much of the south of Vietnam, the Mekong Delta is an extraordinary place filled with lily pad waterways, rice paddies, mangroves, and enchanting wildlife.

While you can reach the Delta by plane, bus, or bike, a boat trip down the tranquil tributaries and mangroves of the Mekong is unforgettable. Paddled by a local in a wooden canoe, you’ll be able to witness everyday life on the river, passing farmlands, fruit orchards, monkey bridges, water buffalo, and floating markets. The best time to visit the Mekong is during the dry season between December and May when there’s less chance of flooding

Topic 1:

Tet is a traditional holiday of our country, Vietnam.
It often begins in late-January and ends in early-February. With the meaning of seeing the old year off and welcoming the new year, Tet becomes a special occasion of reunion for Vietnamese families. At that time, all family members try to come back to their home and get together to make such preparations for Tet as buying new clothes and cleaning their house. A branch of apricot blossoms or a Kumquat tree is indispensable decoration for every family in these days. They seem like a fresh air to the house. We display a tray full of fruits and vases of flowers on the ancestral altar.
Some typical Tet's food are sweets, coconut jam, fruit candies, melon seeds, stew pork with eggs, and especially sticky rice cake. Tet meals are usually bigger and more delicious than our daily ones.
On Tet holiday, people have many recreational activities. Young persons take part in the traditional games such as: tug of war, cooking rice, cock fighting, watching lion dance. Many people visit relatives to wish a happy new year. Adults will give lucky money to children. Woman like going to pagoda to wish good things for their family.
In my opinion, I like cozy and fresh Tet atmosphere. All family members gather and talk about resolutions for a happy new year. I can hang out with my friend and don't worry about anything.
" Tet" holiday is always in Vietnamese's heart.

Tet is a national and family festival. It is an occasion for every Vietnamese to have a good time while thinking about the last year and the next year. At Tet, spring fairs are organized, streets and public buildings are brightly decorated and almost all shops are crowded with people shopping for Tet. At home, every is tidied, special food is cooked,offerings of food, fresh water, flowers and betel are made on the family altar with burning joss- sticks scenting the air. First-footing is made when the lucky visitor comes and children are given lucky money wrapped in a red tiny envelope. Tet is also a time for peace and love. During Tet, children often behave well and friends, relatives and neighbors give each other best wishes for the new year.

Topic 4 :

Everybody has his or her own hobby. My favourite hobby is reading. I enjoy reading a book when I am free. I started to get the hobby from my father when I was four years old. My father is a researcher so he has a great collection of books on many fields: literature, science, art,…
I enjoy reading because it allows me to explore my own imaginative world. I keep the hobby of reading at least one hour every day. I usually read books at home, in my own room, at my office or at the local library. On my freetime, I can spend hours reading and thinking about facts described in each kind of books.
My favourite author is J.K.Rowling who wrote world-famous books “ Harry Potter”.
For me a good book is not only a true companion but also a well-experienced teacher guiding me through my life. There are a lot of advantages of reading. Reading makes me feel relaxed and calm. It has the miracle to relieve my suffering and my hardship and reveal to me strange and new horizons. I can also learn new vocabularies and grammars. So I can further improve my English. Moreover, it gives me unlimited imaginations. I can learn about different cultures of other countries in the world, too.
Instead of indulging myself in futile entertainments, I am often keen on reading books, which broadens my mind and improves my knowledge.
In a few words, the reading of books contributes to the moral and intellectual formation of a man. I love reading and I love books. I will collect more and more books and I wish I can write my own books in the future.

Topic 3 :

I would like to talk about the Lunar New Year festival, also known as the Tet holiday, which is the occasion expected the most by Vietnamese people every year. The festival usually lasts for around 3-4 days, and it takes place when a new year comes according to the lunar calendar.

The Lunar New Year festival takes place because it is one of the most well-known traditions of Vietnam. Our people have been celebrating this occasion for thousands of years, and although there has been some recent argument about whether we should stop celebrating this festival, I do not think this activity will come to an end soon, at least not in the short term.

There are some common things that people do during this festival. Perhaps the most important thing is that people who work and study in big cities would go back to their hometown to celebrate the new year with their families and relatives. The new year festival is one of very few occasions that families can gather together, so it is easy to understand why everyone in Vietnam expects this festival so much. Another thing that we usually do is that we give children some “lucky money” with the hope that it will bring fortune to those kids. We also have some other activities such as making “chung” cake, visiting temples and pagodas… and so on.

The new year festival is so important to me and also to all Vietnamese citizens. The reason is because we get more days off from work and study, and therefore we have more time to spend with our families and our loved ones. It is also a great time to think about what we have done in the previous year, and to make plans for the upcoming year.

Though I have been born and raised in a metropolitan city, I visited my grandfather’s house many times and that’s a beautiful village that I have ever seen. This village is in the north part of the country and falls under the ......( tự điền tên ) . This village is situated beside Lam river and has more than 10 thousand inhabitants.

I went there in my childhood with my parents and the latest visit was in the last January with my mother. This village is almost 125 kilometres away from the place we currently live in. First, we took a train to reach the station of the district/state/ country where my grandfather’s village is and from the station we took a taxi to reach the river port of our village. There we took a boat and finally we walked 1-2 kilometres to reach the village.

My grandfather has passed away a few years back and my grandmother, 2 of my uncles 2 aunts and their children still live in this village. Apart from our family members, the farmers and workers who work for my uncles, live there.

This, in my opinion, is the most beautiful village I have ever been to. My forefather lived there and my father spent his childhood and teenage there. So in terms of bonding, this is a very important place for me. My grandmother and some of the cousins are very fond of me and I mostly meet them in whenever I go there. So in terms of my relation to my origin and relatives, this is the village I admire most.

Besides that, this is a very beautiful village that seems like a painting by a famous painter. The environment is calm and pollution free, the green fields, fresh air and hygienic foods offer a very attractive reason for being there. The flowing river, the forest, the simple lifestyle of residence and my of my relatives are the main things I love about this village.

There are very few things that I dislike about this village and the village itself has nothing to do about it. Like the education facility and treatment facility of this village is very poor and primitive. That’s something bothers me a lot.