SPEAKING VSTEP 2

Test 01- What are you going to do in the summer?  Learning a language
course, doing voluntary work or learning to play a sport. Which do you think
is the best choice?

The Summer is coming soon and people are wondering what they should do in the
upcoming time: learning a language course doing voluntary work or learning to play a
sport.
In my opinion, attending an English course is the best option because of the
following reasons. Firstly, it is required for all students to have B1 certificate before
graduation at my university. It means that in order to graduate from university, we need
to have B1 level of English. Taking an English course helps me to better prepare for the
test.
Secondly, learning English enables me to have better job opportunities. You know,
English is necessary in our modern business world. Knowing English means that you can
find a job more easily and especially one with higher salary.
Regarding the other two options, I know that many of my friends opt to do voluntary
work because it’s a great way to help the local community and it offers a chance to make
new friends.
However, as for me, learning English is more important at this time. Taking up a
sport isn’t my choice, either because I go for a walk every day, which helps me to get in
better shape and improve my health. There’s no need to learn a new one.
In short, learning a language course is my final decision.  
 Test 02- A group of students are discussing where to buy clothes: in a
shop, in an open-air market or in an online shop. Which do you think is the
best choice?  

A group of students are discussing where to buy clothes There are three possible
options: in a shop in an open-air market or in an online shop. In my opinion, buying
clothes in an open air market is the best choice for the following reasons.
Firstly, there is a wider range of clothes in the open air market as there are many
different shops selling various kinds of clothes.
Secondly, clothes in the open air market are normally cheaper than those in a shop. I
don’t opt to buy clothes in a shop because you know, each shop has a limited number of
clothes.
Moreover, it offers only a few styles, for example, men’s, women’s, kids’. Besides,
clothes on sale are rather expensive. Similarly, buying clothes in an online shop isn’t my
interest. I have to admit that more and more people buy clothes in an online shop
nowadays because of the low cost and a wide selection of clothes.
However, I don’t like online shopping especially for clothes because I cannot try on
them so it’s difficult to know whether they fit me or not.
Besides, all clothes online look really nice thanks to photoshop possibly. As a result,
they might look really ugly when I bring them home.
In short, I would prefer to buy clothes in an open air market. 
 Test 03- A first year student is going to choose where to live: living in a
university hostel, renting a flat or staying with the relatives.  Which do you
think is the best choice?  

A first year student is going to choose where to live: living in a university hostel
renting a flat or staying with the relatives In my opinion, if I were in the situation, I
would opt to live in a university hostel for the following reasons.
Firstly, it is very cheap to stay there. A freshman would have to pay tuition fees and a
lot of other costs such as food, books and so on. Living in a university hostel would save
him or her a lot of money.
Secondly, I find it very convenient to stay in a university hostel because it is often
close to university so he or she can walk to school. Then, it does not cost anything to buy
bus tickets or gas.
Moreover, it is easy to share learning materials or discuss with roommates. Living in
a university hostel, you normally share the room with about a few people from the same
university.
Therefore, whenever there is a question you can easily ask them for advice or discuss
to solve the problem. I don’t choose to rent a flat because it is costly to do so. Regarding
staying with the relatives, I think it is not so comfortable.
Moreover, they might live far away from university or we have to do housework.
In short, living in a university hostel is the best option for a first year student.
 Test 04- If you won the lottery of 1 billion VND what would you do:
buying a house, buying gold or saving in the bank? Which do you think is the
best choice? 

If I won the lottery of 1 billion VND I would definitely buy a flat because at the
moment I have to pay the rent. Well, there’s a saying that a rolling stone gathers no moss.
I think it’s true that a stable accommodation would lead to a stable job. I know that with
one billion VND, I can only afford a flat far from the city centre so I would obtain a loan
from the bank or borrow some money from family and friends. I don’t choose to buy gold
because you know, the price goes up and down and with one billion VND, I will be able
to buy a lot of gold. Then, I would be worried about where to keep it. Regarding saving
in the bank, I think it isn’t a good idea for me to do so because right now the interest rate
is very low – just about 6% a year. Moreover, money will lose its value when we keep it
in the bank because of inflation.
In short, I would opt to buy a house if I were in the situation. 
 Test 05-You have a younger brother who is a talented student. Which high
school would you choose for him: a school abroad in Australia, a public school
near home, or a gifted school far from home.

My younger brother who is a talented student is deciding on which high school to go:
a school abroad in Australia a public school near home and a gifted school far from home
In my opinion, a state school near my home is the best option because of the following
reasons.
Firstly, he can still live with my family. Therefore, he can be well taken care of. On
the contrary, attending a school abroad or a gifted school far away from home in
Vietnam, he has to live on his own and can’t see his family often, so he might feel
homesick. Besides, living in another country is often quite challenging for a young
person like him. For example, he has to learn a new language which is rather difficult or
encountering culture shock. Secondly, as he lives at home, my family does not have to
pay for his rent or other living costs.
I have to admit that a school overseas or a gifted school will offer better courses. As a
result, he will have more job opportunities with higher salary. However, the ultimate goal
of studying is to be able to get a good job. This can still be achieved by going to a public
school near home because it can still provide good knowledge and skills to prepare him
for university entrance exam. In my view, wherever he studies, it is himself who decides
what he can learn, so I think, the public school close to my house is best choice for him. 
 Test 06-You want to improve your English speaking skills. There are 3
options for you: joining an English club, joining an English class at center, or
talking to foreigners in public places.

I want to improve my English speaking skills As for us we can choose among three
options: joining an English club, joining an English class at center, or talking to
foreigners in public places. In my opinion, taking an English course is the best choice
because of the following reasons.
Firstly, a course in an English center is often well structured with different real life
situations.
Therefore, I can take part in many speaking activities and more importantly, these
situations are common in our lives.
Moreover, a course is always instructed by an experienced teacher who knows which
materials are the best for his/ her students. Besides, he or she can also correct students’
mistakes if any.
On the other hand, nobody checks your work while you participate in a club and it is
often so noisy that you hardly hear what other people are saying. I do not opt to talk to
foreigners in public places because you know, they are normally busy sightseeing and
some of them are not willing to speak to us. Even when they are, we can only spend a
few minutes chatting on very limited topics like the weather, job and so on.
In short, taking an English course is the best option for me. 
 Test 07-Your school asks for your opinion about wearing uniforms Which
would you choose: wearing uniforms all week, wearing uniforms 2 days a
week, or no uniform at all?

My school asks us for our opinion about wearing uniforms. There are three possible
options: wearing uniforms all week wearing uniforms 2 days a week, or no uniform at all.
In my opinion, I would opt to wear uniforms 2 days a week so that I can take advantages
of both wearing uniforms and no uniforms at all.
Firstly, wearing uniforms benefits students who cannot afford to buy expensive and
fashionable clothes. As all people dress the same way, there will be no gap between the
poor and the rich so that poor students will feel more confident.
Moreover, when we wear uniforms we do not have to think of what to wear or how to
combine different clothes before getting to school.
Lastly, uniforms are a form of school unity. They tell other people what school you
belong to. Regarding the advantages of not wearing uniforms, well, you still have your
own choice of clothes which reflect your own taste as people often say the way we dress
reveals who we are.
In conclusion, it’s great for students to have a balance between wearing uniforms and
having their own style of clothes. 
 Situation:  Your cousin is the best student of the class this year. His
parents are thinking about a present there are three options: a laptop, a
holiday or some money. Which option would you suggest him?

Among three options: a laptop a holiday or some money, I suppose that a holiday
would be the best choice because of the following reasons 
Firstly, travelling helps to broaden knowledge. He can know more about the customs
and traditions of places he wants to visit. 
Secondly, going on a holiday is a good way for him to relax after hard studying
hours. He can take part in many activities to refresh his mind.
 Lastly, a holiday offers him a chance to have happy moments with family members.
Personally, I don’t choose a laptop because it may distract him from his study.
Besides, some money is not my choice because money may not be a suitable present for a
school student.
To sum up, I consider a holiday as the best choice for my cousin.

Situation: You have a Sunday evening out with your friends: seeing a
movie, going shopping or singing karaoke. Which one would you choose?
Seeing a movie
- Be very entertaining
- Experience exciting moments
 Going shopping
- Be great for girls to buy favorite items
- Be a good way to reduce stress
Singing karaoke
- Have so much fun- Release stress
Well if I have to choose among three options: seeing a movie, going shopping or
singing karaoke, I believe that going shopping with friends would be the best choice
because of the following reasons. First and foremost, my friends and I are very keen on
shopping. You know, it is great for girls to spend money on buying favorite items such as
clothes, handbags and so on. Moreover, going shopping is an incredible way to reduce
stress. When I go to the supermarket with my friends and collect some lovely items, I feel
very relaxed and excited.
In my opinion, seeing a movie is very entertaining, however, we don’t share a
common interest in any kind of films so it is difficult to choose a suitable one for all of
us. Singing karaoke is not my option because I am quite bad at singing. Besides, I don’t
like too noisy atmosphere in karaoke shops. In short, going shopping is the most ideal
alternative for me and my friends in a Sunday evening.

Situation: Your class wants to do something to keep memories at the

university before graduation. Which option do you think is the best one: a
collection of essays, a class photo book, or a class video?
A collection of essays
- Feel free to express more about personal emotions and thoughts
A class video
- Record real emotions and voices
- Be an exciting way to keep memories
A class photo book
- Be easy to implement
- Comfortably pose for photos
If I have to choose among three options above I believe that a class video is the best
choice. There are 2 main reasons why I decide to opt for a class video. First and foremost,
making a video helps to record real emotions and voices of all class members. Besides,
we can keep unforgettable memories in an exciting way with a video. We can both see
images and hear voices of our friends. Furthermore, we can store it as a soft copy on
google drive to avoid being damaged or lost.
Personally, I don’t choose a collection of essays because it takes my classmates much
time to prepare and write essays. Even it is quite boring to read all of them. A class photo
book is not my alternative because it is not as interesting as a class video. For all the
reasons I put above, a class video is the most ideal choice for me.

Situation: You are on the way to taking a very important exam. Suddenly,
you see a person getting accident. There are three options: keep going and
ignore, stop to help that person or take the exam, simultaneously call the
ambulance.
Keep going and ignore
- taking the exam is more important
- only you can’t help much that person
Stop to help that person
- Possibly save his life
- Show your kindness and morality
 Take the exam simultaneously call the ambulance
- The exam is very important
- Helping that person is the immediate emergency
If I were in this situation, I would choose to take the exam simultaneously call the
ambulance because of some following reasons. First of all, doing this exam is very
important to me. This is my final-term test so its result affects directly my GPA grade
point average. Moreover, calling the ambulance can help him have the immediate
emergency from the hospital. Obviously, experienced doctors know the best way to treat
him as well as save his life.
Actually, I don’t opt to keep going and ignore because it seems a little bit immoral to
do so. Besides, although stopping to help that person is a good idea, you may miss taking
the important exam and get the bad mark. For all the reasons I put above, taking the
exam, simultaneously calling the ambulance is the most ideal choice for me.

Test 12-Situation: Your company is going to have a new product and

wants to advertise it. What is the best option: make a phone call, send emails
or leaflets.
Make a phone call
- Convenient and fast
- Have interaction with customers
Send emails
- No fee
- Pack a large piece of information
Leaflets- A lot of people can approach leaflets
 - Grab customers’ attention with colorful images and eye
-catching headers
Among three options: make a phone call, send emails or leaflets, I will choose to use
leaflets to advertise the new product of my company. There are some main reasons
leading to this choice. In the first place, a large number of people can approach leaflets
because they are easily handed everywhere. I can post leaflets through people’s doors or
distribute them in public spaces. In the second place, leaflets can grab customers’
attention with colorful images and eye-catching headers. On leaflets, there is lots of detail
information about the product in terms of its design, function, usage and etc, therefore,
customers are more likely to buy it.
Actually, I don’t choose to make a phone call because I can’t transmit full
information about this product. Besides, a phone call may bother customers. About
sending emails, many people won’t read them and may consider them as junk mails. In
short, using leaflets is the most ideal option for me. 

Topic 1: The means of transport you like most.

If I have to decide which mean of transport I like most, it’ll be a car. Nowadays it is really
necessary for me and my family.

 Firstly, it is safer to drive a car than to ride a motorbike because in a car there are air
bags, seat belts, car alarm, etc, that prevent us from being injured if you have an Driving
a car at night on a lonely road will safer than riding a motorbike.
 Secondly, you never have to think about the weather (such a rain, sun, storm, and dark at
night) when you A car has air-conditioner which helps you to avoid getting wet, dust… so
it help to keep you healthy.
 In the third place, a car is comfortable and You can pretty much travel wherever you
want whenever you want within your local area, without having to worry about the
departure times and delays of the public transport system.
 Furthermore, you will feel comfortable and relaxed with the CD and DVD machines on
the You can listen music and you have pleasure of driving. When you are tired, you can
stop the journey and rest.
 Finally, if you have just the one car between you and your family, it can be possible to
share the vehicle between all of the family members thus providing everyone with a
mode of transport at all
 Topic 2: The most useful machine in
the twentieth century.

Among the most useful inventions in the last century, I find the computer the most
important because of these reasons:

 First, when the computer is connected to the Internet, it is a good way of learning and
getting You can read newspapers on line and download lots of information from the
web pages. Besides, you can learn online as well.
 Second, computers is convenient because it helps you work faster by typing, printing
document and storing data if you want.
 Finally, computer is a good way to entertain with many kinds of games and There are a
lot of games and on line activities like forum or Facebook for you to share ideas and
information with your friends. You can also listen to music or watch movies if you like.
 In short, computers are really useful and important to my life and my

Topic 3: Your favorite leisure activity

(for women).
I often cook when I have free time because cooking is a joyful and relaxing activity for me.

 First, cooking a good meal brings happiness to my All the members in my family can
gather around the table and enjoy the food I cook and talk and share the joy with each
others.
 Second, cooking is my favorite hobby because I’m a Cooking is one way to show my
feminine character and to show my responsibility in the family.
 Finally, cooking helps me reduce stress of everyday hard work and makes me When I
cook, I can forget the problems that I have and just pay attention to the cooking. Maybe,
after relaxing, I feel much happier and I can solve my problem.
 In conclusion, cooking is my favorite activity when I have free

Topic 4: The advantages of living in

the countryside.
Living in the countryside is really good for your life because of these reasons:

 First, living in the country can bring you a clean The air is fresher and there are lots of
trees, rice fields and rivers, you can walk on the fields or along the rivers to enjoy the
clean and fresh air there in the early morning.
 Second, living in the countryside is cheaper than in the city because people there have
lower income and don’t have the habit of spending a lot of If you live in the country, you
can save a lot of money.
 Finally, people in the country are more friendly and opener than people in the city
because they live near each People live together in a small village so they can talk
countryside can have festivals and you can join and fell very happy.
 In conclusion, there are many benefits of living in the

Topic 5: The disadvantages of living in

the city.

Many people find it difficult and unpleasant to live in the city because of these reasons:
 First, the air in the city is getting more and polluted because the traffic is so heavy, the
city roads are in bad conditions and the population is really There are fewer and fewer
trees, lakes and rivers.
 Second, the cost of living is much higher than in the rural People have to spend more
money on food, drink, clothes and other activities like traveling and entertainment, while
the salary has not been much improved.
 Finally, life in the city is more dangerous than in the countryside because of night clubs,
discotheques, casinos… City people are easily attracted by social evils such as drinking,
drug or gambling, etc. So, there are more crimes because some people don’t want to
work but only want money to
 In short, living in the city has many disadvantages so people have to struggle a lot to

Topic 6: Talk about your weekend

activities.
Weekend time is my favorite time in the week because I can enjoy myself and do many
relaxing activities I like.

 In the morning, after a relaxing breakfast, I often call some of my friends to ask them to
go shopping with We spend the whole morning going shopping and then have lunch in a
restaurant in the center of Hanoi.
 Then, I come back home for a In the afternoon, I often go swimming with my neighbor if
the weather is hot. In winter I go jogging in the central park instead. I usually have dinner
with my family during weekend, so we can talk with each other and share our stories.
After dinner, I sometime listen to music or surf the net to chat with friends or check
emails. I usually do not go to bed late because I will have lots of work on Monday.
 In short, living in the city has many disadvantages so people have to struggle a lot to

Topic 7: Talk about on of your

hobbies.
People may have different hobbies such as listening to music, watching T.V, dancing.
playing games or collecting things. My hobby is to read books.

 I enjoy reading many types of books, but my favorite is I like reading stories about
Sherlock Holmes of author Conan Doyle. I often read books in the evening after I finish
preparing things for the next day’s work.
 When I have free time, I often go to bookstores to look for new Once a week, I go to the
city library to read there. I sometimes read books on line if I cannot get hard copies of
the books I want.
 Books help me relax a lot after days of hard Thanks to books, I can broaden my
knowledge and learn new things.
 Topic 8: The most interesting place
you have been to.
I have been to many places in Vietnam, but the most interesting place that I always
remember is Da Nang, the beautiful coastal city in Vietnam. It’s wonderful to me because of
these reasons:

 First, the scenery in Da Nang is ideal for us to go We can swim in the blue and clear sea
water or do sunbathing on the soft sand beach under the yellow and warm sunshine.
The air is so fresh and pure.
 Second, the local sea food are fresh, delicious but not For example, tourists can enjoy
different kinds of seafood such as crab, prawn, lobster, seashell, etc. Also, the people
there are friendly, sociable and polite.
 Third, there are many interesting activities to do beside playing football, tennis on the
beach, building sandcastles on the beach or watching the For example, we can sail on a
board trip to the Cu Lao Cham and watch the mountain scenery on the way. Also, we
may visit Ba Na Hill.
 For these reasons, Da Nang has always been one of my favorite tourist

Topic 9: The importance of learning

foreign languages.
Nowadays, it is very important to learn a foreign language because of these reasons:

 First, learning a foreign language, English for example, helps us learn and get
information about new things in the There are a lot of books written in English, French,
Chinese, etc.
 Second, it help us feel confident when we travel We can talk very easily with people in
other countries and learn a lot from them. We can use the language to work and do
business without an interpreter.
 Finally, though a foreign language we learn we can learn more about the people of that
country, we know a lot about their culture and society and customs and We can become
friends of many people so our life is more interesting.
 In short, when we know a foreign language we can open a new to our Because of the
benefits of learning foreign languages, one should know at least one foreign language.

Topic 10: Ways to have a good health.

If you want to have good health, you should follow these pieces of advice:

 First, you should eat healthy food: lots of fruits, vegetable, fish and drink enough water
everyday to stay The Japanese eat a lot of fish so they live very long. You should eat
less meat and fat food because they may cause heart diseases and increase the
 cholesterol level in your blood. Fruits and vegetables no only bring you lots of vitamins
and minerals but also help you have a better immune system.
 Second, you should exercise everyday by choosing a suitable sport such as jogging,
tennis, swimming, yoga, They not only make you strong but help you relax as well. So, it
helps you keep fit and stay healthy. If you don’t have much time, you just need to do
morning exercises regularly.
 Finally, you need to have regular health check – If you have some problems with your
health, you should go to the doctor immediately before it gets more serious. You should
visit the doctor regularly in order to find out any diseases you may have, so that you
have a better chance to get rid of it.
 In short, if you take this advice, you will have a good

Topic 11: Talk about your favorite

television program.
Among many programs and channels available on TV these days such as the current news
programs, sport programs, entertaining programs, educational programs and movie
programs, etc, I like the program “the World of Animals” most.

This program is usually shown on VTV2 everyday at 8.30 in the evening. It often lasts about
45 minutes. In this program, stories of the life of many animals in the world are told in a very
lively way. For example, people can watch films about monkeys, snakes, tigers, insects,
birds, sea turtles, sharks etc and even the penguins and the polar bears in the far North.
While watching these films, I find the everyday life activities and habits of these animals
very interesting and full mysteries. In addition, I also learn that it is very important to protect
these animals and their living environments because they are part of our valuable natural
world. Watching this program makes me very well informed and relaxed after a day of work.

Topic 12: Talk about your favorite

sport.
These days, people are practicing many types of sport such as swimming,  running, cycling,
aerobics, tennis, table tennis, badminton, golf and football, etc. My favorite sport is jogging.
Jogging is a simple sport to practice because you don’t need any special or expensive
equipment like other sports. In fact you just need a good pair of trainers for your self . The
most suitable place for jogging is a park or somewhere around a lake near your house. You
can also jog on a field or in the forest if you are living in the countryside. For me, I jog for
about an hour in the afternoon everyday after work. I usually go jogging alone, but if
possible you can ask my family members, friends or neighbors to go with me. While we jog,
we often talk and share with each other about everyday life stories, so we feel that we can
reduce our stress. After going jogging each day, I feel that I am more relaxed and fit again
after a long day of work.
 Topic 13: Talk about one of your close
friends.
I have had many friends so far, but Thanh Nga is one of my close friends. Nga is about 30
years old and is now working a researcher at an institute in Hanoi. We met each other when
we were in the secondary school. During those days, we went to school together everyday,
studied in the same class and shared with each other all the joys and sorrow, so we have
become close friends since then.

My friend Nga is not very tall, but pretty with long black hair and a nice smile. She is a very
sincere, modest and helpful person. She likes painting and painted many pictures. Also, I
can still remember that Nga was very good at literature and foreign languages.

We often meet each other when we have time. When we are very busy, we often talk to each
other on the phone or we chat on the Internet. Whenever we meet, we often go to see other
friends, go shopping or sit in a quite place to have coffee. We talk about our life and share
with each other our good news or problems and see if we can help each other. Nga is really
a good friend of mine, a friend for life.

Topic 14: Talk about your house/flat.

I live in a house in Hanoi. The house is in a small and quiet street in Cau Giay district of
Hanoi. It takes about half an hour to go to the city center. The house was built 5 years ago.
It isn’t a big house and has two floors.

In my house there are 4 main rooms: a living room, a dining rooms, two bedrooms. Besides,
we have a kitchen, a bathroom and a toilet.

We have a little but pretty garden; my family often spend our free time there to grow plant
and vegetables. Next to the garden there is a small yard where my children often play after
school.

In my house, I like the living room is my favorite one. This room was painted light green, so
we feel very pleasant. In this room, there is a tea table, a sofa and a television. On the wall
there is a couple of oil paintings. After dinner, our family often spend time together talking
to each other or watching a favorite TV program. We often receive our guests in this room. I
love my house. Everyday when I come back home from work, I have a warm feeling of being
together with my whole family.

Topic 15: Talk about your job.

I am now working as a senior engineer in a company in Hanoi. My company name is ABC
Company. I have had this job for more than 10 years. In my job, I am in charge of managing
our department’s activities such as research development, technical supervision and
maintenance, etc. Besides, we also need to corporate our work with other departments in
the company in order to run the company’s business smoothly.

To do this job besides my university degree, I have had many training classes in project
management, product development, marketing, etc…

In addition, the skills required for this job are communication, time management, teamwork
and presentation skills, etc…

I really like my job because I am able to apply the knowledge and skills of the filed I studied
in my work. In addition, I have a flexible working time, so I can make full use of the time in
the office and have time for research. Also, I am lucky to work with a very active and
supportive staff. One thing I don’t like about this job is that I often have to travel, so I
sometimes don’t have time for my family. I am planning to further my study to get a doctor
degree