IELTS SPEAKING

TOPIC: JOB/WORK

Part 1

1. Do you work or study?

I’m currently working as a content writer at a small private English centre, which is a
prevalent job in Vietnam. My main job is to compile academic materials for the English
learners at the centre.

- prevalent (adj): phổ biển, thịnh hành

- compile something (verb): biên soạn

2. Why did you choose to do that type of work?

Although it’s not a really well-paid job, it gives me the satisfaction of making a
contribution to society. I have a particular liking for education and this work is one kind
of education and training careers. The progress of the students there is my motivation
for trying harder.

- the satisfaction of making a contribution to society (noun phrase): sự thỏa mãn vì

có thể đóng góp một phần công sức cho xã hội
- have a particular liking for somebody/ something (verb phrase): đặc biệt thích ai/
cái gì
- motivation for (doing) something (noun phrase): động lực cho cái gì/ để làm gì

3. Is there some other kind of work you would rather do?

I always dream of being an interpreter. Actually, I am a die-hard fan of my lecturerat

university, who works as an interpreter and teaches interpreting at my university at the
same time. I was always immersed in his stories about the occupation. It’s both
challenging and fascinating.

- always dream of (doing) something (verb phrase): luôn mơ về việc ...

- die-hard fan (noun phrase): fan cuong, fan cứng
- immersed in something (adj): đắm chìm
- both challenging and fascinating (adj): vừa khó/ đầy thử thách vừa thú vị

4. What do you like about your job?

It’s a rewarding job which helps me earn a living on my own in this city. Also, the
environment is perfect. I mean the facilities at the centre are top-notch and my manager
and colleagues are nice as well. All in all, it’s a great place to work.

- rewarding job (noun phrase): công việc đáng làm

- earn a living (verb phrase): kiếm sống
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 - on one’s own (idiom): tự mình
- top-notch (adj): xuất sắc, chất lượng hạng A.

5. What do you dislike about your job?

For the most part, I would say it’s the workload. There are always a lot of projects and
we are constantly under a lot of pressure. But the job is quite straightforward, so we
usually can manage it.

- for the most part (adv): thường thì, trong phần lớn trường hợp
- constantly (adv): liên tục, luôn luôn
- under a lot of pressure: chịu nhiều áp lực
- straightforward (adj): không phức tạp, dễ hiểu
- manage something (verb): thu xếp, xoay sở

6. Is that a popular job in your country?

Yes, I suppose being a content creator is a popular choice especially among youngsters,
but there are also many people who consider this job as boring. It’s understandable as
creating content for months can be quite monotonous.

- monotonous ~ boring (adj): nhàm chán, đơn điệu

7. Is there anything special about your job?

Well, the job gives me the freedom to create. I am encouraged to go somewhere outside
like a book cafe to find inspiration and come up with novel ideas. Sometimes, I can
work from home, which makes me so comfy. As I said earlier, my manager is very easy-
going.

- come up with novel ideas (verb phrase): nghĩ ra những ý tưởng mới lạ
- easy-going (adj): dễ tính

8. Would you recommend your current job to other people?

Actually, I recommended the job to many of my friends who are in the same English
department as mine at university. I believe this job is well worth doingss it can strongly
foster creativity and imagination.

- well worth doing ~ very rewarding (adjective phrase): rất đáng làm
- strongly foster creativity and imagination (verb phrase): thúc đấy mạnh mẽ khả
năng sáng tạo và trí tường tượng.

9. What do you do after work?

When I get in, I have a shower and then cook myself a meal. Then, I usually crash out
on the sofa in front of the TV. I also read or listen to music but mostly the TV gets the

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most attention. Later on, before turning in, I check my email and social media, but I like
a few computer-free hours immediately after work.

- have a shower (verbphrase)-, di tarn

- crash out (verb): ngủ quên
- turn in (verb): đi ngủ
- a few computer-free hours (noun phrase): một vài tiếng không sử dụng máy tính

10. Do you miss being a student?

Always. Being in a position where all I need to do is studying, where the whole year and
its events are arranged by experienced and caring teachers, where choices and chances
go hand in hand, is something I'd want again. The life of a student seems carefree.

- go hand in hand (verb phrase): di song hành

- carefree (adj): vô tư

Part 2

Describe a job you’d like to do in the future.

You should say:

- what it is

- what you will need to do

- how demanding it is

why you are interested in this job.

When I read the cue card, the first thing springing to mind was to become an interpreter.

An interpreter is someone who has acquired an oral fluency in another language apart
from his mother tongue. His mission is to convert spoken language from one language to
another to help people from different countries communicate with one another.

It entails listening to, understanding and memorising content in the source language, then
reproducing it in the target language. Sometimes, an interpreter has to cope with stress
and take his self-control when dealing with difficult speakers. Not everyone speaks with
precision and clarity and of course, accents can be tricky to discern. Interpreters,
therefore, need to keep their cool and remain relaxed, even in seemingly tough
situations. I think the job would be very technicallydemanding and challenging, but
very exhilarating to do.

The reason 1 have a particular liking for this job is that 1 think 1 have developed essential
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skills to do it well. 1 study the English language at university and to be specific, my major
is translation and interpreting. Despite the fact that I have yet to be fluent in English, 1
think I will be in the next few years as I keep practicing the language and improving
myself in other fields to broaden my horizons. On top of that, it may give me
opportunities to travel or to work in a multi-national company where I will meet new
people from all over the world, and learn about their cultures and experiences.

- entail something (verb): bao gồm, yêu cầu, đòi hỏi

- cope with stress (verb phrase): đối phó với stress
- take one’s self-control (verb phrase): giừ kiểm soát
- tricky to discern (adjective phrase): khó hiếu, khó nhận ra
- keep one’s cool ~ keep calm (verb phrase): giữ bình tĩnh technically demanding
(adjective phrase): yêu cầu chuyên môn cao
- exhilarating (adj): thú vị, vui
- broaden one’s horizons (verb phrase): mở mang tầm mắt, kiến thức
- multi-national company (noun phrase): công ty đa quốc gia

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Describe a job you wouldn’t like to do in the future.

When I read the cue card, the first thing springing to mind was to become an interpreter.

An interpreter is someone who has acquired an oral fluency in another language apart from
his mother tongue. His mission is to convert spoken language from one language to another
to help people from different countries communicate with one another.

It entails listening to, understanding and memorising content in the source language, then
reproducing it in the target language. It’s a well-paid job and can give people opportunities
to travel or to work in a multi-national company where they will meet new people from
all over the world, and learn about their cultures and experiences.

However, I don’t have a particular liking for it. My teacher at university is an interpreter
and he told US that the occupation was so nerve-racking. Sometimes, an interpreter has to
cope with stress and take his self-control when dealing with difficult speakers. Not
everyone speaks with precision and clarity and of course, accents can be tricky to discern.
Interpreters, therefore, need to keep their cool and remain relaxed, even in seemingly
tough situations. Besides, a good interpreter has to obtain insights into many different fields
like law, business, medicine, engineering, you name it. I think the job would be so
technicallydemanding and challenging that I can hardly do it successfully.

- you name it ~ and so on: vân vân

Part 3

1. Which jobs would you say are most respected in your country?

Well, actually I’ve never thought of it before, but I believe that occupations in the fields of
business, education and medicine are the most highly-acclaimed ones. As for business, it
is largely because people working in this field can make a fortune and have a high social
status. Meanwhile, people working in education and medicine spend most of their time
helping others. Here in Vietnam, we have the utmost respect for teachers, doctors, nurses
and the like.

- highly-acclaimed (adj): được tán dirơng, ca ngợi

- largely ~ mainly (adv): phần lớn
- make a fortune (verb phrase): kiếm rất nhiều tiền

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 - have the utmost respect for somebody (verb phrase): dành sự tôn trọng cao nhất cho
....
- the like (noun): thứ/ người tương tự

2. Some people say it’s better to work for yourselfthan be employed by a company.
What’s your opinion?

Well, I think it all depends. Some people want to start their own business after graduating
from university and they actually run it well. But as for me, personally I think being
employed by a business is the first step before I can be self-employed. To be specific,
working for others, I can getfamiliar with the feeling of being an employee and understand
obstacles an employee may be faced with. Only then can I know how to behave with my
followers when T run my own business and become a good boss. And when we are able to
establish a good working relationship, the business is more likely to take off.

- it all depends: nó còn tùy

- get familiar with something (verb phrase): quen với
- obstacle (noun): trở ngại khó khăn
- to be faced with something: đối mặt với ...
- take off (phrasal verb): thành công

3. What changes in employment have there been in recent years in your country?

Well, in former days, a tidal wave of people from rural areas gravitated towards
metropolises in search of work. But now the trend is slightly different. 1 mean there are
still people following this pattern but at present, an increasing number of companies and
industrial zones have sprung up on the outskirts of big cities so that more people can land
a job right in their current residential areas. Besides, young generations are increasingly
involved in setting up their own businesses. As a result, the “start-up” community is now
more vibrant than ever before.

- in former days (adv): trước đây

- a tidal wave ofpeople (noun phrase): rat nhiều người
- gravitate towards metropolises in search of work (verb phrase): đổ về các thành
phổ lớn để tìm việc
- spring up (phrasal verb): xuất hiện, mọc lên
- land a job (verb phrase): có được một công việc

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 - vibrant (adj): sống động, náo nhiệt, sôi động

4. What are some of the important things a candidate should find out before
accepting a job?

I believe everyone has their own criteria to select a job. As far as I’m concerned, I would
consider the compensation package - all the payment and benefits I can receive fordoing
the job like salary, allowances, annual leave, insurance, and the like. On top of that, my
area of responsibilities need to be clearly understood so that I will not be overloaded with
deadlines on the road.

- criteria (số nhiều của criterion) (noun): tiêu chí

- as far as I’m concerned: theo như tôi biết, theo tôi nghĩ
- compensation package (noun phrase): chế độ đãi ngộ
- allowance (noun): phụ cấp
- annual leave (noun phrase): nghỉ phép hàng năm
- overloaded with something: quá tải
- on the road (adv): trong tưong lai

Tôi tin rằng mọi người đều có những tiêu chí riêng đế lựa chọn một công việc. Theo tôi

5. Why do you think some people choose to do difficult jobs?

I can think of a couple of reasons at the moment. First, many people choose difficult and
dangerous jobs such as firefighters or police officers for humanitarian purposes: they
feel it’s their duty to contribute to society. Meanwhile, many others are adrenaline junkies
- their brains are wired for thrilling experiences and they tend to be very confident around
risk-taking and work well under pressure. Finally, it all boils down to money. For the most
part, the tougher the job is, the more money you can earn.

- for humanitarian purposes: vi mục đích nhân đạo

- adrenaline junkies (noun phrase): những kẻ nghiện adrenaline (thích cảm giác hồi
hộp, ly kỳ mà nhùng thứ mạo hiềm mang lại)
- wired for something: được lập trình risk-taking (noun): việc mạo hiếm làm gì đó
- boil down to something (phrasal verb): cái chính là ...

6. Is it always necessary to W'ork hard in order to achieve career success?

I’d rather work smarter than harder. Hard work is essential, but working smart

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accomplishes more. Someone who makes $ 1 million per year doesn't work one hundred
times harder than someone making $10,000 per year. They utilise their thinking skills to
minimize unnecessary tasks and extra steps, so that they can use their time wisely and more
effectively to get things done quickly.

- accomplish something (verb): hoàn thành, đạt được

- utilise something (verb): tận dụng

7. Do you think that successful people are always happy people?

Well, it’s an interesting question. I would say it all depends on how we define success.
Being successful is simply being able to make a fortune. I think most people think of
success that way and in that case the answer would be no as money can’t buy happiness.
In fact, the marriages of many affluent people end in divorce as they can’t balance
between work and life.However, if we expand that definition to other types of success
like being able to get up early in the morning, having a girlfriend or having a family
reunion, we will probably find that success can bring happiness.

- make a fortune (verb phrase): kiếm nhiều tiền

- affluent people (noun phrase): người giàu
- balance between work and life (verb phrase): cân bằng giừa công việc và cuộc sống