Read Mi’s email to Nick and do the exercises that follow.
From:  mi@quickmail.com
To:  nick@quickmail.com
Subject: English Camp
Hi Nick,
How are you? I’m having so much fun here at English Camp. It’s a pity you can’t join us. It’s my third day here and I wish the camp would last a month!!! 
On the first day, we put up the tents. They held a tent competition, and although we tried our best, our team was only the runner-up. Guess what? I met Nam, our classmate, but we couldn’t talk much because he was in another team.
Before lunch, we played some team building games. It was exciting! In the afternoon we went fishing. Hung, a student from Luna School, is a really good angler. He caught ten fish while I caught none. However, we let them all go.
The second day, when we had a cooking competition, was also awesome. We had to draw lots to choose the dish we would cook. Hung did ours and we were asked to make sushi. Hung and I didn’t know how to make it, but lucky us - we had Chie in our team! She’s a student who comes from Tokyo and has lots of
experience making sushi. Our sushi won the first prize! It’s great that Chie taught us how to make this healthy dish.
Today there’s an English speaking contest on how to learn English successfully for non-native English speaking students. Hung’s giving a presentation on his top tips for learning English. I must go now. Chie and Hung are calling me. Until next time, 
Mi

* Decide if the statements are true (T) / false (F). 
……1. Mi’s team wasn’t the winner of the tent competition.                
…....2. Mi is the only student from her class to join the camp
……3. They played some team building games after lunch. 
……4. Hung is a better angler than Mi.
……5. They kept some fish and let others go. 
** Answer the questions.
6. How did the campers choose the dish to cook for the competition? – ………………………………………
7. Where does Chie come from? – …………………………………………………………………………………
8. What prize did they win? – ………………………………………………………………………………………
9. Who is the English speaking contest for? – ……………………………………………………………………
10. What is the topic of Hung’s presentation? – ……………………………………………………………………

VI. Read Trang’s e-mail to her friend, Nick and complete the missing words:

(0) school study Monday new homework next English

From: quynhtrang@fastmail.com To: Nick@quickmail.com

Subject: new school

Hi Nick,

How are you? This is the first week at my new (0) school . Now I am doing my (1) _____________in the library. I have lots of friends and they are all nice to me. We (2)______________many subjects: Math, Physics, and (3)______________of course. I have a new uniform, and I wear it every day from (4)_______________ to Saturday. I have lesson in the morning. In the afternoon I read books in the library or play sports in the playground. How is your (5) _____________school? Do you study the same subjects as me? Do you play badminton with your friends?

School starts again next Monday. It’s late now so good night.

From: ha@fastmail.com
To: nick@quickmail.com
Subject: My family customs and traditions

Hi Nick,
Great to receive your email. Because you'll be here soon, I'd like to share with you my family customs and traditions. Well, we have the custom (41) ______ spending Saturdays together. You may ask why not Sundays. It's simply because my mum works on Sundays. On Saturdays, we always (42) ______ out. Sometimes we visit our grandparents in Vung Tau. Sometimes we go on a (43) ______ in the park or a nearby beauty spot.
You asked me about the Tet holiday, right? There's a (44) _______ that we make tet cake and cook braised pork and eggs (thit kho trung). Tet cake is similar to chung cake in Ha Noi, but it's long, not square. Braised pork and eggs is our traditional (45) ______ for Tet. It's so delicious! When you (46) ______ here, my mum will cook it for you.
What about your family? Share with me the customs and traditions you follow.
Cheers,
Ha

Question 41.A.for                  B.of                  C.in                              D.on

Question 42.A.stay               B.put                 C.find                           D.go

Question 43.A.trip                B.picnic            C.camp                        D.day

Question 44.A.tradition        B.customs        C.thing                         D.regulation

Question 45.A.thing             B.taste              C.dish                           D.jam

Question 46.A.go                 B.leave             C.come                          D.depart

Ex 5.Choose a suitable word or phrase to fill the gaps

From: ha@fastmail.com

To: nick@quickmail.com

Subject: My family customs and traditions

Hi Nick,

Great to receive your email. Because you'll be here soon, I'd like to share with you my family customs and traditions. Well, we have the custom (1) ______ spending Saturdays together. You may ask why not Sundays. It's simply because my mum works on Sundays. On Saturdays, we always (2) ______ out. Sometimes we visit our grandparents in Vung Tau. Sometimes we go on a (3) ______ in the park or a nearby beauty spot.

You asked me about the Tet holiday, right? There's a (4) _______ that we make tet cake and cook braised pork and eggs (thit kho trung). Tet cake is similar to chung cake in Ha Noi, but it's long, not square. Braised pork and eggs is our traditional (5) ______ for Tet. It's so delicious! When you (6) ______ here, my mum will cook it for you.

What about your family? Share with me the customs and traditions you follow.

Cheers,

Ha

1.

A. Of    B.for     C. in      D. on

2.

A. Stay    B. put     C. go       D.find

3.

A.Day       B. camp       C.trip         D.picnic

4.

A.Regulation       B . customs       C. thing       D. tradition

5.

A.Taste      B.thing           C.dish      D .jam

6.

A.Come               B. go        C.depart       C.leave

1.

Is Nick with his brother and sister?

2.

How many rooms are there in the hotel?

3.

Why is the room called the Tiger room?

4.

Where is his bag?

To: mi@fastmail.com;
superphong@bamboo.com
Subject: Weekend away!

Hi Phong and Mi, 
How are you? I’m in Da Lat with my parents. We are staying at the Crazy House Hotel. Wow! It really is crazy.
Da Lat is nice. It’s cool all year round! There are a lot of things to see and lots of tourists too.
There are ten rooms in the hotel. They are named after different animals. There is a Kangaroo room, an Eagle room, and even an Ant room. I’m staying in the Tiger room. It’s called the Tiger room because there’s a big tiger on the wall.
The Tiger is between the bathroom door and the window. The bed is under the window – but the window is a strange shape. I put my bag under the bed. I put my books on the shelf. There is a lamp, a wardrobe and a desk. There are clothes on the floor – it’s messy, just like my bedroom at home.
You should visit here, it’s great.
See you soon!
Nick

Dịch;

Nick's mum: Today we're making a prawn salad, which is a favourite of mine.

Mi: Fantastic. I love salad.

Nick's mum: This salad is simple but delicious. Here are the ingredients: prawns, celery, spring onions, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Nick: What should I do first, Mum?

Nick's mum: Get a big bowl for me. And then can you wash the celery?

Nick: Sure.

Mi: I can wash the spring onions if you like, Mrs Warner.

Nick's mum: Please, do. I'll boil the prawns.

Mi: So, do English people eat lots of salad?

Nick's mum: Yes, especially in the summertime. People often serve salad as a starter. But salads also make a healthy lunch or supper.

Mi: You’re right they're so versatile. And you car put anything in a salad.

Nick: Mum, the prawns are pink now.

Nick's mum: They're pink?

Nick: Yes.

Nick's mum: Good, they're ready. I'll drain them. Nick, can you peel them? Mi, could you chop the celery and spring onions? You should be careful if you use the red knife - it's sharp.

Mi: Right, everything's ready. What do we do next?

Nick's mum: OK, first, combine the prawns and celery in the bowl. Add two tablespoons of mayonnaise, half a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of pepper and some lemon juice. Now, ifl mix all the ingredients well.

Nick: OK.

Nick's mum: Finally, add the spring onion on top. Now we cover the bowl and leave it in the fridge for an hour. You've done a good job, both of you.

Mi: I can't wait to try it.

Nick: Yeah, I'm starving! An hour is a long time...

Nick's mum: Today we're making a prawn salad, which is a favourite of mine.

Mi: Fantastic. I love salad.

Nick's mum: This salad is simple but delicious. Here are the ingredients: prawns, celery, spring onions, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Nick: What should I do first, Mum?

Nick's mum: Get a big bowl for me. And then can you wash the celery?

Nick: Sure.

Mi: I can wash the spring onions if you like, Mrs Warner.

Nick's mum: Please, do. I'll boil the prawns.

Mi: So, do English people eat lots of salad?

Nick's mum: Yes, especially in the summertime. People often serve salad as a starter. But salads also make a healthy lunch or supper.

Mi: You’re right they're so versatile. And you car put anything in a salad.

Nick: Mum, the prawns are pink now.

Nick's mum: They're pink?

Nick: Yes.

Nick's mum: Good, they're ready. I'll drain them. Nick, can you peel them? Mi, could you chop the celery and spring onions? You should be careful if you use the red knife - it's sharp.

Mi: Right, everything's ready. What do we do next?

Nick's mum: OK, first, combine the prawns and celery in the bowl. Add two tablespoons of mayonnaise, half a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of pepper and some lemon juice. Now, ifl mix all the ingredients well.

Nick: OK.

Nick's mum: Finally, add the spring onion on top. Now we cover the bowl and leave it in the fridge for an hour. You've done a good job, both of you.

Mi: I can't wait to try it.

Nick: Yeah, I'm starving! An hour is a long time...

III. Reorder the following words to make a meaningful sentence. (1 p)

1. put/ school/ clothes/ to/ Let’s/ on/ and/ your/ go.

…………………………………………………………………………

2. having/ Summer/ at/ They/English/ the/ fun/ are/ Camp.

…………………………………………………………………………

3. city/ quiet/ My/ is/ place/ in/ school/ center/ not far/ the/ from/ a.

…………………………………………………………………………

4. you/ develop/ can/ When/ life skills/club,/ you/ join/ and/ this/ creativity.

…………………………………………………………………………

5. glasses/ long/ She/ hair/ and/ black/ has/ hair/ and.

…………………………………………………………………………

HOW TO IMPROVE ENGLISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Find native English speakers

In certain areas it’s the hardest thing to do, but it’s the best use of your time. Talking to actual native speakers is the most effective way to improve your English skills, speaking or otherwise. So whether you have to Skype them, call them, or beg them to speak to you, do so. Your progress will be faster this way than any other.

Listen to the music of English

No, not English music, the music of English - its lilt, its prosody, the sing-songy-ness of it. The intonation. Even if you speak perfect English technically, if you speak it like a robot you’re not speaking it the way it’s meant to be spoken.

Slow down

Above all, if you want to be understood, slow down. The more clearly you speak, the better chance your listener has of understanding you. It’s tempting to get nervous and want to speed up to get it all over with, but you can’t do that! Clarity is key - for some native English speakers, too!

Record yourself

Though we hear ourselves all the time, we really don’t know quite what we sound like. So record yourself! What are the weak and strong points you hear in your speech? And then you can concentrate on what you need to work on.

Speak English at home

This is the biggest, easiest mistake to make. You go about your day, you’re on the job working partly in English, you go to your English class, and then you go home and revert back to your native tongue. While you may be making slow improvements, you’ll never get past that dreaded lingual plateau. Make a point to speak it at home, too. Have only English at the dinner table. Stick to English TV at home. Make it as 24/7 as possible.

Speaking English as much as possible is very good for improving English communication skills.

A. True

B. False