Midterm

Speaking
Part 1
Let’s talk about spending time with family.

1. Do you spend much time with members of your family?

2. Who do you get on with best in your family?

3. When did you last have a family get together/family celebration?

4. Would you like to spend more time with your family than you do now?

Let’s talk about friends.

1. What did you enjoy doing most with your friends when you were a child?

2. Do you keep in touch with any of your childhood friends now?

3. How might you spend time with your close friends now?

4. What qualities/characteristics make a good friend?

Let’s talk about celebrities [famous people].

1. Are you generally interested in celebrities from Vietnam?

2. Who is the most famous person in your country right now?

3. What foreign celebrities are popular in your country?

4. What famous person would you most like to meet?

Let’s talk about free time activities.

1. What do you like doing in your free time?

2. Do you prefer spending your free time alone or with friends?

3. Have your hobbies changed much since you were a child?

4. Are there any interesting hobbies you would like to try in the future?

**2**

Let’s talk about pets - the animals people keep at home.

1. Do you have any pets in your home at the moment? (what kind of pets?/Why?/Why not?)

2. Did you like animals when you were a child? (why? Why not?)

3. Are there any animals you dislike? (why?/why not?)

4. Will you keep pets in the future?

Let’s talk about zoos.

1. Do you enjoy visiting zoos?

2. Did you go to the zoo more often when you were younger?

3. What’s your favourite wild animal?

4. Where might you see wild animals in Vietnam (not in the zoo)?

Let’s talk about fish.

1. Do you enjoy eating fish and other seafood? (what kind? / Why? / Why not?)

2. Do you ever go fishing? (Why? Why not?)

3. Are there any good places to go fishing near your home?

4. Would you like to have fish in your home? (why? why not?)

Let’s talk about farming in Vietnam.

1. Are there many farms/farmers in your hometown? (what kind? Why? why not?)

2. Do you think it would be interesting to work on a farm? (why? / why not?)

3. What are the most common farm animals in Vietnam?

4. Would you like to live in the countryside in the future? (why?/why not?)

**3**

Let’s talk about part time jobs.

1. Have you ever had a part-time job? (Why/Why not?)

2. If you could have any part-time job, what would you do? (Why?)

3. Should students work part-time when they are studying? (Why/Why not?)

4. Will you work more or less in the future? (Why?)

Let’s talk about work.

1. When you were a child, what job did you want to have? (Why?)

2. Do you still want to do this job? (Why/Why not?)

3. What jobs do your parents do? (Why?)

4. What jobs do people in your home town usually do? (Why?)

Let’s talk about being a student.

1. Do you enjoy studying at university? (Why?/why not?)

2. Did you like going to school when you were a child? (Why?)

3. What do you remember most about your first school? (Why?)

4. What were your favourite subjects when you were a child? (Why?)

Let’s talk about your major.

1. What subject are you majoring in/planning to major in at university? (Why?)

2. Why did you choose to study at EIU?

3. What job did you want to do when you were a child? (why?)

4. What job do you hope to do after you finish studying? (Why/Why not?)

**4**

Let’s talk about where you live.

1. Where are you living at the moment?

2. Do you live in a house or an apartment?

3. Do you like your house/apartment?

4. What kind of home would you like to have in the future?

Let’s talk about the town or city you’re living in now.

1. Tell me about the area/neighbourhood you’re living in now.

2. Do you know your neighbours well?

3. Would you like to live somewhere else in the future?

Let’s talk about free time activities in your town/city.

1. What places do you like going to with friends in your free time? (why?)

2. Do you often go to the cinema? (why/why not?)

3. What’s the most interesting part of your town/city? (why?)

4. What changes would you like to see in your town/city in the future? (why?)
Let’s talk about buses and other public transport in your area.

1. Is there a bus stop near where you live? (why/why not?)

2. When was the last time you travelled by bus? (why?)

3. What other types of (public) transport are available? (why?)

4. Do you think you will use public transport more in the future? (why/why not?)

Let’s talk about going to the park.

1. Are there any parks near where you live?

2. Did you often go to the park as a child? (What did you do there?)

3. What kind of activities might you do in a park now?

4. Why do many cities have parks? Do you think they are important?
Midterm
Speaking
Part 2
A family member

Describe a member of your family you enjoy spending

time with.

You should say:

• Who the person is
• What they are like
• What they like

And explain why you enjoy spending time with them

A place you enjoy going with friends

Describe a place you enjoy going with friends.

You should say:

• Where the place is
• What you can do there
• How often you go there

And explain why you enjoy going there.

A family get together

Describe a time when you had a family celebration.

You should say:

• Why you were celebrating
• Who was there
• What you did

And explain how the celebration made you feel.

An animal

Describe an animal you like/dislike (not a dog or cat).

You should say:

• What the animal is.
• What it looks like.
• Why you like/dislike it

And explain whether or not it would be a good pet.

A businessperson

Describe a businessperson you admire.

You should say:

• who this person is
• what business this person does
• why you think they are successful

and explain why you admire them

A job you would not like to have

Describe a job that you would not like to have.

You should say:

• what this job is
• where people do this work
• why people do this work

And explain why you would not like to have this job
A city you would like to visit (not the city you live in now)

Talk about a city in another country that you would like

to visit in in the future.

You should say:

• Where the city is
• What you know about it
• Who you would like to go with

and explain why you would like to visit this city

A beautiful city you have visited

Talk about a beautiful city you have visited.

You should say:

• Where the city is
• When you went there
• Who you went with

and explain why you think this city is beautiful

Midterm
Writing
Writing Task 2
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Some people choose to spend free time with their family.

However, other people prefer to spend it with their friends.
Discuss one of these viewpoints.
Some people choose to spend free time with their family. However, other people
prefer to spend it with their friends. Discuss one of these viewpoints.

(introduction) Some individuals enjoy spending their leisure time with their families, while others
like to spend their spare time with friends. (thesis statement) This essay will consider one of
these views.

(body paragraph)
(topic sentence) On the one hand, spending free time with family has many advantages.
(first reason) First, family time strengthens relationships. (example/detail) For example, when
families enjoy activities together, like playing games or watching movies, they create happy
memories. (contrast) In contrast, when people spend time with friends, they may not have the
same deep connections. (second reason) Second, family time helps us learn important.
(example/detail) For instance, parents often teach their children about respect and kindness
during family activities. (contrast) On the other hand, friends might teach different lessons that
are not always as important.
Intro: paraphrase & thesis
Topic Sentence: choose one family
R1-E1-C1 relationships
R2-E2-C2 learning
Writing Task 2
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic:

Some people choose to keep cats as pets.

However, other people prefer to keep dogs.
Discuss one of these viewpoints.
Some people choose to keep cats as pets. However, other people prefer to keep
dogs. Discuss one of these viewpoints.

(introduction) Some individuals enjoy having cats as pets, while others decide to
have dogs. (thesis statement) This essay will consider one of these viewpoints.

(body paragraph)
(topic sentence) On the one hand, keeping dogs has many advantages. (first
reason) First, dogs are very loyal animals. (example/detail) For example, they are
always happy to see their owners, and they protect them from danger. (contrast)
In contrast, cats are often more independent and may not show the same loyalty.
(second reason) Second, dogs encourage people to be active. (example/detail) For
instance, dog owners must take their dogs for walks, which helps them exercise
and enjoy the outdoors. (contrast) In contrast, cats do not need to go outside as
much, so their owners may not be as active.
Some people choose to work for themselves. However, other people prefer to
have a job in a company. Write a paragraph discussing one of these views.

(introduction) Some individuals decide to work for themselves, while others want to have
a job in a company. (thesis statement) This essay will discuss one of these viewpoints.

(body paragraph)
(topic sentence) On the one hand, working for yourself has many advantages. (reason 1)
First, it allows you to be your own boss and make your own decisions about how to run
your business. (example 1) For example, if someone wants to start a coffee shop, they
can decide what kind of cakes to sell. (contrast 1) In contrast, if a person works in a
company, they must follow their boss's rules and may not have the same freedom.
(reason 2) Second, working for yourself can lead to more money if your business is
successful. (example 2) For instance, a small business owner can keep all the profits.
(contrast 2) In contrast, when someone has a job in a company, they usually receive a
fixed salary, which might be less than what they could earn on their own.
 Week 3
Writing Revision
1. Follow the structure
2. Use discourse words
3. Use Level 2 vocabulary
4. Make ideas easy to understand
5. No opinions
6. You…you…you…we…we…we…
>> they, people
Some people choose to work for themselves. However, other people prefer to have
a job in a company. Write a paragraph discussing one of these views.

(introduction) Some individuals decide to work for themselves, while others choose to
work for a company. (thesis statement) This essay will consider one of these views.

(body paragraph)
(topic sentence) On the one hand, there are a number of reasons why people might
prefer to work in a company. (reason 1) First of all, they can earn a stable income.
(example 1) For example, the company will pay them the same amount of money
every month. (contrast 1) In contrast, their salary will depend on how successful their
business is. (reason 2) Secondly, companies often train their employees to do their
jobs better. (example 2) For instance, when the company trains their staff to have
training programs, they can develop their professional skills. (contrast 2) However, if
they work for themselves, they will not have anyone to support them.
Writing Task 2
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic:

Some people choose to live in a big city. However, other people

prefer to live in the countryside. Discuss one of these
viewpoints.
Some people choose to live in a big city. However, other people
prefer to live in the countryside. Discuss one of these viewpoints.
(introduction) Some individuals decide to live in a big city, while others enjoy living in
the countryside. (thesis statement) This essay will discuss one of these viewpoints.

(body paragraph)
(topic sentence) On the one hand, living in the countryside has many advantages.
(reason 1) First, it is usually quieter and more peaceful than a big city. (example 1) For
example, there is less noise from cars and people, which makes it a great place to
relax. (contrast 1) In contrast, big cities are often loud and busy, so people can feel
stressed with all the noise and traffic. (reason 2) Second, living in the countryside is
healthier. (example 2) For instance, many people in the countryside have gardens
where they can grow fresh fruits and vegetables. (contrast 2) In contrast, in a big city,
it might be more difficult to find fresh food, and people may start eating fast food,
which is not as good for their health.