GROUP 2: A PERSON

STEP 1: Choose one person that you can really talk about.
STEP 2: Brainstorm for the ideas and topic specific vocabulary to talk about that item
STEP 3: Use your prepare answer to talk about as many different person as possible: a teacher, a celebrity, a family
member or a leader.
TIP: You can make up the name and the profession of the person to suit your answer.
For example, I choose to talk about my father. The below table shows how I would make up my answer.

A family member My father

A person whom you admire My father

A leader My father (who is a director)

A person whose job involves helping My father (who is a teacher)

others
A celebrity My father (who is an athlete)

Now let's see what a good answer should be like.

Normally you are asked about:
- Appearance, Personality
- His/her personal and/or professional qualities
- A story about you and that person
- Your feeling towards that person and why what person has an influence on you
Note: You should answer all these questions. The most important question, question 4, is the last one. So be sure to
spend some time for it.
TIP: When you have to speak, whether it is for practice or in the real test, in your preparation time, what you have to
do is to recall the less-common words you have prepared. Don't waste your time to produce an outline, you will not
need it!
MODEL ANSWER: Describe a person who is older than you.
I would like to describe one of my teachers who taught me at high school. She had a great influence on me and was
a role model whom I look up to. Her name is Yen and she taught me Math for 3 years of high school.
She was in her 50s, and so she had a lot of teaching experience. Actually, we met each other almost everyday as she
was also my form teacher. She cared about us as if we had been her sons and daughters. For example, she always
brought some kinds of medicines so that whenever her students got a cold, coughed or something like that, she
would give them the medicines immediately.
Above all, I was most influenced by the way she taught us in class. Her thoroughness in teaching inspired me to
study Math, even though I had not been interested in the subject before. Thanks to her effective teaching method, I
was able to pass the university entrance exam with a high Math grade. Besides, I was also influenced by her
lifestyle, which was so simple and worthy of respect that I really wanted to copy her. As she is a warm-hearted
person, she always gave us advice about any problems we faced. At times, I felt that she was like my friend who I
could share everything with. Although we have now all graduated from high school, my friends and I often visit her
at the weekends to tell her about our daily life at university.
CUE CARD
1. Describe one time when someone said good words about what you have done. You should say:
- When this happened
- What did you do
- What this person said
-And explain how you felt about it
2. Describe an intelligent person you know- teacher (good at remembering numbers and calculation, critical
thinking, creative – always think out of the box, find the new ways to solve the problems to get the best effect)
You should say:
- Who is the person
- When and where you first met him/ her
- What kind of person he or she is
-And explain why you think this person is intelligent
3. Describe someone you have met recently and would like to know more about. You should say - Who this person
is
- What you did or talked about with this person
- Explain why you would like to know more about this person
4. Describe someone you haven’t met before and you would like to know more. You should say:
- Who this person is
- How you knew this person
- What you want to know more about this person
- Explain why you would like to know this person more
5. Describe a successful family business. You should say:
- what this family business is
- how you know about it
- who the customers of this family business are
- and explain why you think it is successful
6. Describe a handsome person you have met.
You should say:
- Who that person is
- How you got to know this person
- What he looks like
And explain how you feel about this person.
7. Describe a person you would like to work or study with. You should say:
- Who that is
- How you got to know each other
- What you want to work with her/him
- And explain why you want you work with her/him
8. Describe an interesting old person. You should say:
- Who that is
- How old she/he is
- What she does for a living
9. Describe a friend or a person who encouraged you to achieve a goal. You should say:
- Who this person was
- What encouragement she/he gave you to achieve your goal
-And explain how you felt about her/him
Model Answer:

My physics teacher at high school is the first one that popped up in my

mind when I looked at the question. He's the one who has had the
greatest influence on me.

Now he is in his 60s, but he looks really young for his age because of
his athletic body. He's still doing exercise every day to tone his
muscles. To talk about his personality, I think he's a man of discipline
and integrity. That may be because he's an ex-soldier. He's extremely
punctual and is never late for a minute. He is also fair-minded and
generous. However I must say that he's quite conservative.

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to study under his

guidance. He was a fantastic teacher with not only profound
knowledge'TfT Physics but also very effective pedagogical skills. His
lectures turned all difficult concepts in Physics to simple things that
every average student could understand. I think he could do this
because he was so skilful that he used examples to illustrate the
theories.

Today I don't use much of this knowledge for my work, but I still read
a lot about physics, especially astrophysics. In other words, reading
astrophysics books has become my hobby. I always feel thankful that I
had a great teacher, who inspired me to develop this love for physics.

10. Describe a singer that you like (singer)

You should say:
- Who this person is
- What type of songs she sings
-And explain why she is your favorite singer
11. Describe a person who has interesting ideas or opinions. You should say:
- Who this person is
- How do you know about his/ her ideas/ opinions
-And explain why you think his/ her ideas/ opinions are interesting
12. Describe a person who is good at a foreign language. You should say:
- Who that is
- What languages that person speaks
- How you knew he was good at that foreign language
- Why you think that person’s ability to speak that language is impressive
13. Describe a teenager you know. You should say:
- What this person looks like
- When and where you met this person
- What you do when you are together And explain why he/she makes you remember.
14. Describe a person you wanted to be similar to when you were young. You should say:
- Who that was
- How old you were then
- What that person had
- Explain why you wanted to be similar to that person.
15. Describe a person who helps to protect the environment
16. Describe an intelligent person you know. You should say:
- Who is the person.
- When and where you first met him/ her
- What kind of person he or she is
-And explain why you think this person is intelligent
17. Describe a famous person that you are interested in. You should say:
- Who this person is
- How you know about this person
- What this person is famous for Explain why you are interested in this person
18. Describe a person who was helpful to your work or study
You should say:
- Who this person is
- How you know this person
- How this person has influenced you and explain why you admire this person.
19. Describe a family member who you spend the most time with
- Describe a family member who you spend the most time with
 - You should say:
- Who this person is?
- What kind of person he /she is?
- What you usually do together?
- And explain why you spend most time with him/her?
20. Describe a performance or a show you watched recently. You should say:
- What is was
- When and where u watched it
- Who the performer was
- And explain why you watched it
21. Describe a person who always travels by plane:
- Who the person is
- How you know this person
- Where he or she goes
And explain why he or she always travel by plane.
22. Describe a person who is good at his or her job
- Who this person is
- What his or her job is
- How she or he like her job
And explain why this person is good at the job
23. Describe a person who taught you something important
You should say:
- Who the person is
- What she or he taught you
- And explain how you felt about him or her
24. Describe a person you know from the news that you want to meet
You should say:
Who the person was
What the person did
When and where you got to know about tis person
And explain why you would like to meet him or her
25. Describe a film you would like to share or talk about with your friends. You should say:
- Where you watched it
- What it was about
- Who you watched ut with
And why you want to share it with your friends
26. Describe a time you received about choosing a major or work.
You should say:
What it was
When you received it
Who you received it from
And how you felt about it
MODEL ANSWER

Name His name’s Mike. Actually, Mike is his English name. His
Vietnamese name is Minh. But I’ll use Mike because I know he likes
that.
Apearance Baby He/ she has a curly hair and big roud eyes which are sparkling as stars on
the sky. He/ she is chuppy with pinky cheeks. And she/ he ‘s really gorgeous
with thick black hair and brilliant smile.
Girl/ woman she has a curly hair and big roud eyes which are sparkling as stars on the
sky. She is not very tall but slim, attrative and look younger than her age.
And she/ he ‘s really gorgeous with thick brown hair and brilliant smile.
Boy/ man He has a short curly hair and big brown eyes which are sparkling as stars
on the sky. He is not very tall but well-built, attrative and look younger than
her age. And she/ he ‘s really gorgeous with
brilliant smile.
Old person He/ she looks graceful even in her old age, she/ he quite tall with grey hair
that she/ he keeps in a neat bun and he/ she has kind smilling eyes.
Age He’s 70 (…) years old now. But he’ll turn 71 (…) next month. I’ll
definitely come and celebrate his birthday.
Characteristic He/ she a good role model for me. He/she 's hard-working, patient and
s understanding; he's also got a good sense of humour and seems to get on
well with everybody. I think he/ she set a good example by working hard
and having a positive outlook on life. (I remember that he/ she is very busy
with tight working shedule his/ her work is always up to his/ her ears but he
always make quality time for me)
Others Teacher/ older He was a fantastic teacher with not only profound knowledge but
person also effective and engaging teaching methodology. For me
personally, his lecturers turned all the difficult concepts into simple
things that every average student can understand. I think he could do
this because he was so skillful in the way he used examples to
illustrate the complicated theories. I always feel thankful that I had a
great teacher, who inspired me to develop the passion for ….
Friend We started hanging out when we were in tenth grade, to be exact and
became inseparable by the end high school. People say friend
complete each other and I‘ve found that statement to be incredible
true. Even though we have distinct personalities, we share a lot of
similar interests, such as….She has always been there to listen to my
problems without judging or criticizing me and I know I can
confined in her and trust her. In addition to that, she has helped me a
lot through many difficulties that I have had in life. I hope when
we’re 80 we still spending time together and having fun.
Singer/celebritie I love his/ her songs not only because of their catchy melody but also
s the meaningful lyrics. He/ she’s really talented as he can play 5
different types musical instruments, compose songs and perform
 them with excellent tenor vocal. He's a really big deal in Vietnam.
He's got the talents, he's got the looks, he's got charisma - you know,
he has the full package. He’s also famous for his humanitarian
work. In 2000, he formed “Help to Fly” Foundation which is
dedicated to bringing innovation in health, development and learning
to the national community. He does great work like helping to
eradicate infectious diseases in developing countries. I find him
inspiring not just because his massive success in his career but also
because he is using the wealth and fame he achieved for the greater
good, something not a lot people would do.
Person who Since he usually has international tours, he travels by aircrafts on a
travel by plane daily basis. This is the fastest and maybe safest means of
transportation. He usually goes on seven-hour journeys and his
highest record is travelling by plane to 10 cities within a month.

Baby She is taught to do what a three-year old child should be able to do

such as dressing on her own, helping her mother with housework,
and even learning to prepare simple dishes. She seems to have great
fondness for reading and travelling. Because her parents are
working as freelancers, they devote a lot of time to her, take her on
most of their trips, and teach her a lot of practical things. To a little
baby, is there anything more attractive and compelling than visually
enjoying the world. I firmly believe that She will grow into a
beautiful and independent girl who is open-minded and well-
behaved.
Advice about Here I’d like to tell you about a time when I received an
major/ work advice on choosing my major.
At the time, I had just gotten my result from university
entrance exams and I was wracking my brain trying to choose
the proper program for my university application. I was
swaying between computer science and language. Honestly, I
have a knack for French as French has a long history as an
international language of literature and science and is a primary
language for many international organizations including the
United Nations, the European Union, and NATO, and I was
quite into computer programming. So it was hard for me to
make a wise decision. However, I also have a passion for
computer science. I can hardly say that I was kind of a
straight A student in high school. So it was hard for me to
make a wise decision.
Before I made the final decision, I consulted my uncle,
who is a university lecturer. I seek out his opinion on
whatever’s going on with me and he always gives me genuine
advice. After hearing my situation, he analyzed the pros and
corns of the two programs and the future opportunities I might
have. He suggested that mathematics would be helpful if I was
aiming to do academic research for a living in the future. But if
I wanted to build a career related to business, computer science
 would be my best bet. After all, jobs related to computer
science are usually high-paying occupation. With my uncle’s
help< I decided to study computer science as my major so far.
I’m really grateful to my uncle for his in-depth analysis and
advice. They really helped me make up my mind and make the
right call.

PART 3:
1. Do people in your country like to give other people compliments?
(Give a direct answer to the question) Well, as I see it, they rarely do. (Explain your reason or reasons)
Maybe because commendation is not a part of our cultural communication, so compliments are quite few
and far between in daily interaction. (Give an example (often a personal example)) For example, people
tend to focus on negative traits of one’s outward appearance, such as excess weight, acne, messy hair, …
Meanwhile, they regard offering compliments to others as unnecessary.
2. Do you think children need encouragement?
(Give a direct answer to the question) Definitely. In fact, people of all ages need some sorts of incentives.
(Explain your reason or reasons) Praising and rewarding children for their achievements are often used to
increase children's self-esteem. (Give an example (often a personal example)) For instance, praise that is
specific and acknowledges the processes of completing an activity or solving a problem helps develop
children's learning.
3. Whether it is necessary to punish children?
(Give a direct answer to the question) Apart from corporal punishment, I think most methods of
punishment are essential to youngsters’ upbringing. (Explain your reason or reasons) In fact, discipline
isn't just about giving kids consequences. Instead, it ensures children are gaining the skills they need to
become responsible adults. (Explain the opposite or alternative) Without some forms of punishment,
children would probably become self-centered and unable to distinguish between the right and the wrong.
4. Do adults need feedback on their work?
(Give a direct answer to the question) Well, they do need it, in my opinion. (Explain your reason or
reasons) Usually, children have little real-world experience upon which to base their learning. Adults
have a greater deal of accumulated experience that helps them solve problems, yet proper feedback is an
indispensable part in self progress for all.
5. Which one do you think is more important?
Encouragement or punishment? (Give a direct answer to the question) I think both of them are equally
important. (Explain your reason or reasons) As a matter of fact, these methods suit each individual
specifically. (Give an example (often a personal example)) While some children become more mature
with the appropriate punishment, others prefer supportive words from adults to excel.
PART 3:
1. What kinds of people do you like to be friends with?
Establishing a friendship with those who are friendly, of course, sympathetic and unselfish is one of my
biggest dreams. Luckily, I have found some who share those traits and made friends with them. They
have given me the incentive to play to my strengths in order to succeed and vice versa.
2. Do you prefer to expand your social circle or be friends with a small groups of people?
To me, I have shifted focus from quantity to quality. Because as many friends as I have, if they are not
willing to stand by me in most crucial moments of my life, they are not my friends. And I am highly
appreciative of those who are not reluctant to give me a hand when I face problems.
PART 3:
1. Do you think globalisation is a positive development?
From the perspective of economics, education and tourism, globalisation is apparently a positive
development. It is instrumental in boosting free trading among countries as well as foreign investments
into a developing country. From the perspective of cultures, this may be a negative development because
it is believed to cause a corrosion of culture.
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of family business?
Regarding the pros, families which run their own business receive the whole profit they make before tax.
Also, the freedom is also another advantage that those running family business have. However, doing
business on our own seems a bit risky as the likelihood of family business going bankrupt is higher than
that of prestigious firms.
3. Do people in your country like to work for big companies or small ones?
We believe that the bigger the companies, the more prestigious they are. As a result, many people are
attracted by the prestige of working for a top companies, especially multinational ones like the British
Council or Unilever, and work for them in order to have higher salaries.
PART 3:
1. Is it important to teach students environmental protection at school?
Definitely yes. Preserving the environment is of great importance because it ensures the growth of future
generations. Therefore, I think it should be incorporated in all school curriculums. In addition, students
spend a great deal of time at school. This gives teachers various chances to raise their students’ awareness
of environmental issues.
2. How can people protect the environment?
There are multiple ways by which we can better protect our environment. Firstly, we can adopt a green
lifestyle by using environmentally friendly products to reduce toxic waste accumulation. In addition,
wildlife is greatly endangered due to illegal hunting. For example, numerous rhinos have been killed for
their horns because of a false belief that they can cure diseases. This problem can be tackled through
education and speaking up to prevent such actions.
3. What is the importance of environmental education?
In order to pursue sustainable development goals, we must educate students about the environment. This
helps raise young people’s awareness of worldwide issues that affect humankind, such as global warming
or ecological imbalance. When the connection between human actions and the environment are well
understood, students will become more mindful in their everyday decisions. For example, they will
consume more green products or promote a green lifestyle. This not only contributes to a cleaner
environment but also eventually benefits our society and the future generations’ wellbeing.
4. Do you think it is necessary to make environmental protection as a subject?
Absolutely. Making environmental protection a compulsory subject means emphasizing the importance of
sustainability and showing students that we care about the wellbeing of our children and grandchildren.
This will definitely have a strong influence on the young generation as they may be inclined to conserve
the environment if it is deemed important.
Part 3
1. Do you like helping others?
Yes, I do. In my opinion, everybody has a moral responsibility to do others a favor, which is an indication
of give and take. Only by lending others a hand when they need us can we expect something in return.
The experience of assisting others makes me feel at peace and more useful in life.
2. In your view, should children be taught to help others?
Of course they should be. The willingness to help others, especially those less fortunate than ourselves,
should be instilled in children from an early age, in order for them to become better adults in the future.
Helping others with all their heart will gain them genuine, lasting relationships and respect from many
people. 3. How can we encourage children to help others?
3. There are many ways to encourage your children to help others.
Most important of all, parents should show good manners to be a role model for their kids. Besides,
children should be educated from an early age to help others with simple yet helpful acts, like taking an
elderly person across a street, or helping a neighbour water the plants. Through such acts in their
formative years, children will develop a social conscience and become caring adults.
4. How can (or, do) charitable organizations help people?
The aim of a charitable organization is to help alleviate the sufferings of those unfortunate or
underprivileged people in society. Whether supplying food for poverty-stricken people, or providing
vocational training for the unemployed, charities play a key role in bridging the gap between the rich and
the poor, helping others to overcome hardships and survive disasters.
5. What do you think are the benefits of having unpaid volunteer workers?
How do you think the volunteers themselves benefit? Nowadays, assistance is carefully calculated to
extract certain benefits, and people tend to alienate themselves from others, rather than help them.
Volunteer workers, who give without taking, will help by sharing love and care within their local or a
wider community. Volunteering can help you to feel good about yourself, combat depression, keep you
mentally stimulated, and provide a sense of purpose.
6. Do you think international aid (eg, from one national government to another), is important?
Yes, it is. Without the assistance of international aid, people in underdeveloped and disaster-striken areas
cannot get access to the basic necessities of life, like food, water and shelter. Such aid from official
sources serves to promote goodwill among nations, as has been shown by the response from many
governments to provide emergency help following the earthquakes in Mexico.
7. What are the qualities of being helpful?
I think that the essential quality of being helpful is your empathy.How can a person be helpful if he does
not know how to empathise with what another person is going through?In addition, your warmth can also
express your desire to help others. There are a lot of helpful people who cannot help but display their
inner feelings, especially when they are moved by other people’s stories.
8. Do you know someone who really likes helping people?
My high school teacher is a benevolent person, who tries her best to help other people, especially
underprivileged students. She runs an English class for disabled students at the weekends without taking
money, saying that helping others and seeing their smile is her greatest delight.
9. What can parents do to cultivate children’s quality of helping others?
Family background is very important. Firstly, parents should be an exemplary model for their children to
follow, by helping others in front of their children. Parents should also educate children to help others out
of goodwill, not for any personal hope of reward. Showing children how fortunate they are as compared
to their poor peers will shape their personality andinfluence their behaviourin a very positive way.