Speaking - Places 2

Speaking - Places 2

WARNING

All the examples written in this lesson are created for referencing purpose only. They are based on the writer's age, gender, experience and point of view. Please DO NOT copy and use them for your answers in tests.

Part 1

Home country

Vocab, Grammar & Others

settle in = Live in

work commitment :an engagement by contract involving financial obligation

start-up : a new business, or the activities involved in starting a new business

tonnes of reasons = a lot of reasons

flank : to be at the side of someone or something

abundance of = an amount that is more than enough

history buff: a person who knows a lot about history

date back + time= from + time

distintively = the most special

determined to V : showing the strong desire to follow a particular plan of action even if it is difficult

reside: to live in a place

ample opportunity: enough or more than enough chances

Multiple Choice

Q: Which part of your country do you want to live in?

A: Well, I would like to get settled in Thu Duc City, which is the new economic and technology capital of Ho Chi Minh City. It is a very beautiful and clean city. Also, I often visit the city ........... work commitments and me being in the IT industry would want to work there as it is the IT hub and start-up capital of Vietnam.

• due to

• because

Open Ended

Q: Which part of your country do you want to live in?

Multiple Choice

Q: What makes you feel proud of your country?

A: Oh, there are tonnes of reasons why I love my country Vietnam. Its special ............. makes it a very unique country where it is flanked by the mighty Truong Son Mountains to the west and the South China Sea to the east . Also, it has an abundance of large rivers and ancient temples.

• geography

• geographi

Open Ended

Q: What makes you feel proud of your country?

Multiple Choice

Q: Do you know the history of your country well?

A: Being a history buff, I am ........... of a lot of aspects of Vietnam’s history. To begin with, Vietnam was one of the oldest civilization on earth, with artificial evidences date back 5000 years ago. Vietnam was also the birthplace of many famous generals, most distintively Tran Hung Dao in 14th century and Vo Nguyen Giap during The Vietnam War.

• aware

• beware

Open Ended

Q: Do you know the history of your country well?

Multiple Choice

Q: Will you stay in Vietnam in the future?

A: Yes, absolutely. Although I plan to get work experience in an international coperation for a couple of years, I am very determined to come back as my family resides here and they are very important to me. Also, .......... Vietnam is one of the fastest growing economies, there are ample opportunities to work and perform better financially.

• since

• for

Open Ended

Q: Will you stay in Vietnam in the future?

Part 1

The area you live in

Vocab ,Grammar & Others

Located away from sth = far from sth

available: able to be obtained, used, or reached

progressively = gradually

construct = build

politician: a member of a government or law-making organization

blistering : very strong and severe

blow some steam off = relax

Multiple Choice

Q: Do you like the area that you live in?

A: I live in the ........... area of the city. It is a very peaceful area because it is located away from the city and the main road. All facilities like medical, bank, grocery shops, clothes shops and many more are available in my village.

• suburb

• suburd

Open Ended

Q: Do you like the area that you live in?

Multiple Choice

Q: What are some changes in the area recently?

A: Yes. it is slowly and progressively changing. There was no house when we constructed our house there. Nevertheless, now many new homes are built there, And some are under construction. A new grocery shop opens in .......... of my house so. Now we do not need to go to the city even for a small thing.

• front

• back

Open Ended

Q: What are some changes in the area recently?

Multiple Choice

Q: Do you know any famous people in your area?

A: I live in a small city, and no famous people live in my town or near my home. However, I know some people from my town who .......... with famous people like politicians and business people.

• connect

• conect

Open Ended

Q: Do you know any famous people in your area?

Multiple Choice

Q: Where do you like to go in that area?

A: To be honest, it must be the swimming pool. In Thai Binh, the weather is blistering hot in summer so everyone need a .......... to escape from the unforgiving heat. It is also a good place to blow some steam off with friends and family, too.

• way

• method

• mean

Open Ended

Q: Where do you like to go in that area?

Part 1

Home/ Accomodation

Vocab, Grammar & Others

get rid of sth: dispose of sth

spider web: a web spun by spiders to trap insect prey

avid : extremely eager or interested

gathering: a meeting of people coming together in a group

distant relatives: people who have the same ancestors as you but in 3 or more generations

storey= level ( for building)

notime : in a very short amount of time

moving in and out: change where you live

time-consuming: takes a lot of time

arrange: to plan, prepare for, or organize something

be able to = can

current : of the present time or most recent

privacy: the state of being alone, or the right to keep one’s personal matters and relationships secret

a whale of time : a great time

one's cup of tea: one's favorite object/activity/person/ etc

Multiple Choice

Q: What do you usually do in your flat?

A: Well, like most normal house ............ , I just live in that apartment and use all of its equipments. Sometime I do chores to get rid of dust and spider web in untouched area.

• owners

• buyers

Open Ended

Q: What do you usually do in your flat?

Multiple Choice

Q: What room does your family spend most of the time in?

A: To be frank, it must be the living room that our family use the .......... . My family are avid fan of football so we usually watch Champion League on TV. The room is also a gathering place where we meet our distant relatives .

• most

• more

Open Ended

Q: What room does your family spend most of the time in?

Multiple Choice

Q: Can you describe the place where you live?

A: I live in a flat in a 25-storey apartment building with my family. I enjoy my life there .......... all facilities and services are available within walking distance, which means everyting I need is right in my hand in notime.

• for

• due to

• because

Open Ended

Q: Can you describe the place where you live?

Multiple Choice

Q: Do you plan to live there for a long time?

A: The answer would be yes. My parents have been living there for a long time and moving in and out is too time-consuming and exhausting. Cleaning and arranging everything all over again would be like torture to them. For me, on the ....... hand, as I’m thinking of moving out to start my adult life, hopefully soon I’ll be able to afford to live in a flat or an apartment.

• one

• other

Open Ended

Q: Do you plan to live there for a long time?

Multiple Choice

Q: What’s the difference between where you are living now and where you have lived in the past?

A: As I’ve already mentioned my family moved several times when I was younger. And the most current house where we’ve been living for about ten years is the best house so far. All of us have separate rooms for our need for privacy yet a big dining room where we can spend a ............ of time together watching TV or having dinner.

• whale

• whole

Open Ended

Q: What’s the difference between where you are living now and where you have lived in the past?

Multiple Choice

Q: How long have you lived there?

A: Although during my childhood my family had to move a lot, I’ve resided in the most recent house for almost ten years. Comparing to the ......... houses, I think this house has been my cup of tea so far.

• old

• new

Open Ended

Q: How long have you lived there?

Part 2

Describe a quiet place you like to spend your time in.

+

Describe a tall building in your city you like or dislike

+

Describe a home that you like to visit but do not want to live in

=

Describe a tall, quiet building in your city you like to spend your time in but do not want to live in

You should say

Where it is /

How you knew it /

What it looks like /

How often you go there /

What you do there/

What it is used for/

Why you like it

And explain why you would not like to live there

Vocab, Grammar & Others

contemporary epoch: modern era

daunting : discouraging through fear

hustle and bustle : hastly and energetic

crave for sth : to desire something strongly

at dawn = at sunrise

bench: a long seat for two or more people, often of wood and usually used outside

voracious: needing a lot of something to be satisfied

caffeine: a chemical found in coffee and tea that is a stimulant (= something that tends to make you more active)

addict: a person who is unable to stop doing or using something

work like a charm: work exceptionally well

lush green: a green that is very attractive to look at

block : the buildings next to each other between crossing streets, or the distance from one street to the next in a city or town

glass tower: high building covered in glass

panels: sheet that forms a distinct (usually flat and rectangular) section or component of something

Vocab, Grammar & Others

dissimilar: not similar; different

prime location: perfect location for business as there are a lot ò people crossing that place everyday.

middle-income: having an income that is not low and not high

breathtaking: extremely good, beautiful, or exciting

picturesque: attractive in appearance ( ò a place)

work like a charm: work exceptionally well

blessing: mean something that is very good or lucky

trade center = supermarket

with a view to: with an intent to

promote: to advertise something in order to sell it

domestic: relating to a person’s own country

irritate: to annoy or make angry

water/ electric appliances: durable goods for home or office use

outdated: no longer useful or modern

Multiple Choice

Introduction

A: To be honest, finding a quiet place in this contemporary epoch is a daunting task. We are surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the city life and we crave for ............ and quietness. However, I am fortunate to have one such place in my vicinity.

• peacefulness

• peace

Open Ended

Introduction

Multiple Choice

Q: Where it is? + How do you know it? + How often do you go to there?

A: The place is called Wind Coffee , which is just about a mile from my residence. It is a part of the infarstructures for Damsan Apartment which was build in my hometown to solve the demand for afordable ............. . Being a caffeine addict, I frequently visit the shop.

• housing

• house

Open Ended

Q: Where it is? + How đi you know it? + How often do you go to there?

Multiple Choice

Q: What it looks like?

A: Unlike other modern blocks, which are huge glass tower, the building is painted in white and only the front side of the building is partly covered with glass panels.The structure of the building is not dissimilar to that of most building in Vietnam ............ , with the bottom floor used as shopping center and a bank while the top is for a coffee shop and a gym room.

• Nowdays

• Nowadays

Open Ended

Q: What it looks like?

Multiple Choice

Q: What you do there?

A: At the dawn of a new day, I usually do workout in the gym next to the coffee house. After that, I always have a cup of coffee on the benches which has a broad, nice view to the city . Being a voracious photographer, I often bring my camera to take picture of the city below or make some shots of the sunrise.

• effect

• affect

Open Ended

Q: What you do there?

Multiple Choice

Q: What it is used for?

A: The main purpose of the building is provide accomodation for workers and citizens of the city. However, one interesting feature of the building is that its trade center offers Vietnamese products only, with a view to promoting domestic products to foreign people and also to ............. national manufacturers.

• supporting

• support

Open Ended

Q: What it is used for?

Multiple Choice

Q: Why you like it?

A: In spite of its prime location, however, Damsan Apartment offers a reasonable price for its rooms, which are affordable for many middle-income families. From the coffee shop, we can enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the city. Lastly, the calmness of this place works like a charm for me. The picturesque decorations coupled with silence is a blessing for both eyes and ears.So, if you are planning to find a place with a beautiful and peaceful view, or simply want to buy something .............. ,Damsan may be a good choice.

• traditional

• trađitional

Open Ended

Q: Why do you like it?

Multiple Choice

Q: And explain why you would not like to live there

A: However, there is one thing that irritate me when chosing Damsan as my home. Each apartment is only 50 ........... meters so there won't be enough space for 4 members of my family. In addition to that, the electric and water appliances are oudated and not suficient for our needs.

• square

• cubic

Open Ended

Q: And explain why you would not like to live there

Part 3

Home country

Vocab, Grammar & Others

pay one's respect= look up to sb: respect sb

tie the bond: make the relationship between 2 people better

be short of= run out off : missing sth

etc (abbreviation for et cetera): and other similar things

feast: a large, special meal, often for many people, to celebrate someone or something

metropolitan: of / in a large city

high-rise building: a tall, modern building with a lot of floors

mud: wet, sticky earth

financial status: the amount of money you have

urban sprawl: to cover a large area of land with buildings, especially gradually over a period of time

sizable = large

Multiple Choice

Q: Do people like to visit other’s homes?

A: Yes, of course. Traditionally, Vietnamese people usually go to others home to pay their respects to the owners and tie the bond between them and the owners. This is done frequently in large celebrations, ......... is something Vietnam is't short of.

• which

• that

Open Ended

Q: Do people like to visit other’s homes?

Multiple Choice

Q:What do people do when they visit others?

A: Normallly, the guest will bring some kind of gifts for the owner. This can be fruit, flowers, money, gift cards, etc. For the owner, he or she will prepare tea for the guest. ........... even cooks a great feast to welcome the visitors.

• Some

• Some people

• Both are correct

Open Ended

Q: What do people do when they visit others?

Multiple Choice

Q: What kind of place do people in your country like to live in?

A: Well, it depends on ............ a person is living in the city or the countryside. In small cities, most of the people live in independent houses. Only a few metropolitan cities have high-rise buildings. In the rural areas, people live in houses built out of mud or brick depending upon their financial status. One more interesting fact is that majority of the population in my country lives in rented accommodation.

• wether

• whether

• weather

Open Ended

Q: What kind of place do people in your country like to live in?

Multiple Choice

Q: What’s the difference between homes in cities and those in the countryside?

A: Urban areas are well planned and structured to offer more residential space for the growing population in cities. But urban sprawl is hard to contain because it is difficult to fit the growing population into a limited space. So people give importance to live in the suburbs or can say the importance of suburbs is growing. Urban living provides better standards of living with all facilities. Another difference is that suburbs are the sizeable residential area surrounding main cities while urban regions to refer to cities’ core areas.The cost of living in urban areas is higher ....... compared to suburbs.

• as

• none

Open Ended

Q: What’s the difference between homes in cities and those in the countryside?

Part 3

The area you live in

Vocab, Grammar & Others

administration : the management or control of an organization

commercialisation: the act of commercializing something; involving something in commerce

nook and cranny: something remote

plying on: do sth regularly

daunting : making you feel slightly frightened or worried about your ability to achieve something

prominent: very noticeable, important, or famous

contemporary epoch = modern era

fierce: severe or extremely strong

let their hair down = relax

heaps of experience = a lot of experience

serene: peaceful and calm

youngsters = young people

Multiple Choice

Q: Is it hard to find quiet places in cities?

A: Yes, because the central focus of the administration of most of the cities is on commercialisation. Due to this, every nook and cranny of the cities have either residential units or commercial units. Moreover, the number of vehicles plying on the roads has increased considerably. ............. , finding a quiet place in urban areas is a daunting task.

• Therefore

• In addition to

• Moreover

Open Ended

Q: Is it hard to find quiet places in cities?

Multiple Choice

Q: Why is it quieter in the countryside?

A: In my opinion, the prominent reason for countryside areas being quieter is the open spaces they have. Due to these open spaces like farms, there is less noise. Moreover, people of rural areas make less use of vehicles. ............ this, there is less noise over there.

• Due to

• Because

Open Ended

Q: Why is it quieter in the countryside?

Multiple Choice

Q: Why do people go to quiet places?

A: From my perspective, in this contemporary epoch of fierce competition, people have too ............ stress in their lives. When they go to quiet places, they can let their hair down, and feel fresh .

• many

• much

Open Ended

Q: Why do people go to quiet places?

Multiple Choice

Q: Compared with young people, do old people prefer to live in quiet places?

A: It is an interesting question. I don't have much knowledged about this topic but I think senior citizens are more aware of the benefits of quietness due to the heaps of experience they have. ........... they chose to spend more time in a serene environment as compared to youngsters.

• Hence

• Because of that

Open Ended

Q: Compared with young people, do old people prefer to live in quiet places?

Part 3

Home / Accomodation

Vocab, Grammar & Others

daylighting: natural light from the sun, or the period during a day when there is light

air ventilation: the movement of fresh air around a closed space, or the system that does this

upper floors: the floors which are located in the higher half of the building.

fall down = collapse

respite: a pause or rest from something difficult or unpleasant

scarce = rare : not available in necessary amounts

commonplace: happening or seen frequently and so not considered special or unusual

vacant : not being lived in or used (of a place)

make sense: to be clear and easy to understand

accustomed to sth = familiar with sth

affluent: having a lot of money or possessions; rich

respite: a pause or rest from something difficult or unpleasant

Multiple Choice

Q: What are the disadvantages of living in tall buildings?

A: To be honest, I think the main advantage of living in tall buildings is better daylighting and air ventilation. It also offers a great view of city life. Finally, the upper floors are free from the noise of the streets below. On the other hand, the main drawback is the risk of disasters like fires and falling down due to earthquakes. Another thing I ............ is that it is a lot more time taking to enter or leave the apartments.

• like

• dislike

Open Ended

Q: What are the disadvantages of living in tall buildings?

Multiple Choice

Q: Do you think there will be more tall buildings in the future?

A: Yes definitely, as the land is becoming scarce especially in big cities. I think ..... the future it would be a luxury to live in single-storey or double storey houses and tall buildings would be commonplace.

• on

• in

• at

Open Ended

Q: Do you think there will be more tall buildings in the future?

Multiple Choice

Q: Why aren’t there many tall buildings in the countryside?

A: The simple reason is the availability of land. As there is a lot of vacant land available in countryside regions, tall buildings don’t make sense. Moreover, people in the countryside are accustomed to spending times in open spaces and even .......... tall apartments are built in such areas, I don’t think people would prefer living in them.

• unless

• if

Open Ended

Q: Why aren’t there many tall buildings in the countryside?

Multiple Choice

Q: Why do some people like to live in tall buildings nowadays?

A: I think the main reason is that they are cheaper. Especially in bigger cities, the land is so costly that it is impossible for even the affluent to afford single storey or double storey houses. Moreover, tall buildings offer certain respite from the .......... from the streets below.

• noise

• noisy

Open Ended

Q: Why do some people like to live in tall buildings nowadays?

Poll

How do you feel about the lesson. Please rate your experience

• Very good

• Good

• Normal

• Bad

• Very bad

Open Ended

If you chose "Bad" or " Very bad" as your answer, please state the reasons so that we can improve our lessons.