“How important is it to wear fashionable clothes in your country?

”
I haven't thought about this point yet. According to cyberspace, you would see tons of
Vietnamese people dressed to kill. However, in the ordinary lifestyles, I feel people dont mind about
how trendy outfits they wear are or how to be in vogue. The only thing that matters is how suitable
clothes are for people for their own sake such as having smart and elegant clothes to go to school or
work, wearing comfortable and sporty items to have a match, you name it. “
“Do older people and younger people wear different colored clothes?”
Well, I would definitely confirm that this problem is like chalk and cheese. Elderly people
tend to wear old-fashioned clothes which have a tendency to be traditional and nostalgic. For instance,
my grandma used to wear a kind of shirt used by southern vietnamese people - loose-fitting blouses,
which also reminded her about the past. On the other hand, youngsters nowadays would love to wear
stunning, expensive outfits with vivid colors and beautiful patterns such as silhouettes, lines, graphics,
etc to flaunt with others, but mainly to demonstrate their personalities throughout the garments that
they have on their bodies.
“Are clothes expensive in your country?”
Well, it depends on the locations that people purchase their wants. Perhaps the first place that
crosses everyone's minds to buy clothes is the shopping mall. However, one problem is that the price
of a piece of clothing there's much more expensive than the actual price since they mark up the price
significantly for the profits. On the contrary, going to thrift stores may give people better deals when
it comes to getting new clothes since they are cheaper and more affordable because people can haggle
a little bit. Therefore, I suppose the answer for this question actually depends on the place that you
decide to obtain the clothing.
“Do people wear more expensive clothes to work in your country?”
I suppose it differentiates the status that people are in. For instance, normal office workers
would go to a friendly boutiques to purchase smart clothes in order to go to the workplace as they
don't have enough money to buy those extravagant garments hanging in department stores. However,
due to the status that i’ve mentioned before, the higher you get, the more people need to show out.
What I mean is that people with high rank in the society will wear more fancy clothes to work to show
their status and normal workers would wear ordinary pieces. It can't be vice versa.
“Do you think people spend too much money on clothes nowadays?”
I actually have the same opinion about that. First of all, this is due to the rising significantly in
the price of everything, to be more specific is clothes in this situation. Compared to a decade ago, it
has increased 3 or 4 times since producers and owners need profits. Moreover, a crucial reason is that
clothes now officially play an important role in our daily lives. It helps to demonstrate our
personalities, to define ourselves and so on. That’s why there are so many fashion enthusiasts, slaves
of fashion nowadays. Even if they know they are high priced, they still want to derive those outfits.
Education.
Part 1.
“How many schools have you been to?”
Well i’ve been through 4 levels of schools, each of them i went to only 1 school since i am
pretty committed. They are as usual kindergarten, elementary school, secondary school and now I'm
studying in high school.
“Which school was your favourite?”
Funny story, my favourite high school is CNN which is a highschool specialise in languages.
I took a test there to perhaps win a place in the school. Unfortunately, I couldn't, so I went to a normal
public highschool where I'm studying now. CNN was a beautiful dream that I’ve ever had in my
adolescence.
“Did your parents choose your schools for you?”
Yes, they did, except for my highschool because I chose it by myself. In the past, I haven't got
enough experience with choosing what school will be a great call for me so all of the time, my mom
chose and enrolled for me. But when it comes to highschool, my teachers required us to make our
own decisions, and of course with parents’ consultancies. So yeah, I would say they have my back on
deciding schools to study in.
“Would you send your children to the same schools?”
I am sure that in years to come, we will see some major developments, so i’m not sure
whether my schools that i studied in still last or not. However, even if they still are, I wouldn't want
my kids to study in the environment that I had, it is too competitive and toxic. If I could, I would send
my children to schools that don't require them to have straight As and train them to be decent people
in the future. That’s all I want.

“What was your favourite subject?”

I don’t even have to think, english of course. I look forward to it everyday. This is because
I’m into linguistics, plus I have thought about my avenue in the future, to pursue the language's path.
that’s why besides english, i also learn german and spanish by myself.”
“Did you like any of the teachers?”
Yes, I love my secondary school literature teacher. She is amazing, helpful and generous. I
was her teacher’s pet. However, the principal reason that I love her is because she helped me a lot,
especially when I suffered from losses of my family members back in 4 years in secondary school. So
I would definitely call her my second mom for that reason.
“What sports or hobbies did you do at school?”
I would define myself as an energetic individual. I do a lot of sports, but mainly basketball
and swimming. I used to be on the basketball team in my secondary school but now I rarely play it
since I'm in 12th grade and I want to concentrate on my studies. However, when I have freetime, I still
call my friend to arrange a match, just to reconnect our bonds and chill out a little bit.
“ Which were more important to you, your teachers or your classmates?”
This is a tough question for me since they are both vital to me. However, if I have to answer, I
would definitely go with my friends. This is because friendship is the thing that makes unity, that
makes individuals become united. Moreover, if someone in that class suffers from difficulties,
classmates will always be there to support that friend because that’s how things work.

“When did you last handwrite something?”

Well this morning. I had my ielts listening, reading and writing tests so that is the last
handwriting.
“Is your handwriting easy to read?”
Well I would say that they are but not as aesthetic or beautiful as on videos people uploaded
on Tik Tok or Youtube. I have a mother who cares about the details so I was trained from little that
everything needs to be clear. Plus, your handwriting reveals a lot of your personality, your dreams, etc
than you know. Therefore, having a simple handwriting is important.
“Do you like writing cards and letters by hand?”
I do actually enjoy myself doing manual items, you know DIY, especially writing your own
cards or letters to your loved ones, your friends and so on. It carries a deep message that connects
your bond between you and the receiver. So I love doing those things. It Sounds sentimental but it’s
meaningful.
“Do you receive many handwritten letters or cards?”
Unfortunately I don’t because people nowadays tend to send messages online more than
actually buy cards or letters to write to the receiver, i mean me. That’s why I wish to have someone to
do little things like that for me, a small card with messages inside would make my day better.

Part 2. Describe a time when you learnt a useful skill.

I’m going to talk about the most helpful and practical ability that I’ve learnt since elementary
school is computing. IT or you could use the term “information technology” to be more precise. IT is
a compulsory subject in Vietnamese curriculum. Therefore, we had a chance to adapt with the modern
world pretty soon. So me and my classmates were taught the very first lessons and I was fascinated
about how things work with IT. Therefore, I would always be the last kid to leave the room. Noticing
that detail, my teacher offered to teach me more things after school. Therefore I got a golden
opportunity to surpass all of my classmates and eventually won some prizes. I participated in the IT
competitions 5 years straight, even getting into secondary school. And I am thankful because she
introduced me into a brand new world, considering the cream of the crop in my opinion. Those skills
support me a lot, in my daily life, in my part time job, in my competitions, etc. In general, IT is a
fundamental skill that I believe people should get used to and be skillful in because we are now in the
technological era.

Part 3.
“What kinds of skills are most important for young people to learn?”
I believe it depends. This is due to the fact that we are living in a contemporary era and every
ability that youngsters have is worth it. However, to answer specifically, I suppose having
fundamental skills in technology and soft-skills such as communication are vital for young people to
go to institutions or work.
“Do you think children learn more skills from their parents or their teachers?”
I believe juveniles would imitate actions from their parents from an early age and eventually
they have perks inside them without knowing it for instance singing, playing instruments and so on.
And of course, time flies, they would learn more techniques in different areas from their dads and or
or from their mums such as fixing broken gadgets, machines to cooking or sewing. They also earn
more abilities as they go to schools, but I quite believe that teachers don’t usually teach their students
skills that aren’t relatable to the lessons. Therefore, I’m quite sure that youngsters would learn their
perks from their moms and dads.
“What skills might become more important in the future?”
The thing that crosses my mind now and probably forever when it comes to this question is
computer literacy which is to be able to use computers. Not too much like programming just like
Mark Zuckerberg or Bill Gates but it has the ability to do simple things such as typing well, preparing
fundamental presentations and so on. We are living in a brand modern era, that’s why having
computing skills are so important, not just for school, but also to the occupations in the future too.
“Why do you think some people enjoy learning new things?”
In this question, I suppose that there are two reasons. First of all, since we are living in an
extremely competitive environment, people compete with each other for the most diminutive things.
That's why having perks that others don’t obtain is fortunate. It could enhance the ability in a specific
area that could give people more status whether it is in work or in other places. Another reason is that
after derive that new skills, people would probably feel tickled pink and proud of themselves for
spending effort and perseverance on new thing that help people to be better.
“Do you think people were more intelligent in the past?”
Oh yes, 100 percent. To be more precise, I believe that it exists for 2 reasons. First of all,
without them, by what i mean, without their effort on creating new innovations and revolutions, we
wouldn’t be in the modern era nowadays. The second reason why I believe they are smarter than most
of us is because visiting the sight-seeings around the world or learning about their inventions in the
past brought back thousands and millions years ago, we would have a firm proof for the question. The
perfect algorithms for the masterpieces and machines around the world are amazing.”
“Do you think people will be more knowledgeable in the future?”
I couldn't agree more about that opinion. In the past, people made mistakes and we corrected
them again and again until we reached the goal. That’s how practice makes perfect. Because of
failure, we can fix things that previous people have failed to do as we won’t make those mistakes
anymore and we’re getting more intelligent after times. That’s why in the future they would learn
from our mistakes and surpass us, and even invent state-of-art devices.
Environment
Part 1.
“How often do you visit natural places?”
Well I used to travel a lot of natural sightseeing with my parents. However, due to the
pandemic, I just stay home and watch the natural world through National Geography on the internet. I
mean, watching those channels is a way for me to travel around the world without actually paying to
see them.
“Do you prefer to visit the ocean or the mountains?”
Since I’m into swimming then I would definitely go with the ocean. However, as the pollution
rates are getting higher and higher every single day and a lot of marine animals have died because of
that, I believe not just me but our community should do more to conserve the sea than just go bathing,
eating on the shores and dumping trash there. Therefore, I still keep my mind about the ocean but I
hope there are more shoutouts to preserve the oceans.
“Have you ever gone camping?”
Sadly and unfortunately for me, I haven’t got a chance to try going camping. However, if I
got an opportunity, I would definitely go for it. Especially to try out the snack S’more. I’ve always
wanted to try that, well I tried that once in my house, but the ambience wasn't suitable so I will try to
have it again when I have a golden opportunity to go camping.
“Would you like to live in the countryside?”
It may sound old-fashioned and dull but I love to own a small, cozy house in the countryside.
This is because I love how tranquil and quiet it gives all the time that in the city, I possibly won’t have
a chance to try those tranquility and quietness. Moreover, I’m quite an introverted person so I want
my very own space so that I can basically do everything that I want without any criticisms.

“What's the weather like in your country?”

Well, it actually depends on the region that you live in Vietnam. Northern Vietnam, which
has Hanoi - the capital city, has 4 separate seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter. Each of the
seasons is distinct so people would know the weather like the back of their hands. If that is in
Southern Vietnam, then it only has 2 kinds of weather: hot and rainy. When it comes to the hot
seasons, it may be droughts for months, but after that, people there will kind of suffer from the rainy
seasons which will rain non-stop, sometimes a shower but sometimes a heavy rainfall.
“What kind of weather do you like the most?”
I would definitely choose winter because of 2 reasons. First of all, due to the freezing
meteorological conditions, I love how the wind blows across my face whenever I ride a bike to
school. The second reason which is also the main reason why I love winter is that my school doesn’t
regulate us the wear uniforms, that’s why I can wear my huge and thick coat to keep myself warm
without any detentions.
“Do you pay attention to the weather forecasts?”
I do a lot actually. I got this habit from my mom, she always wakes up early and the first
thing in the morning after doing her personal hygiene is to search for the weather forecast for that day.
I thought it was weird at the first place but eventually I am now doing it everyday. They are useful
and informative for individuals to choose the suitable clothes and bring extra items for that day.
“Is the weather changing in your country?”
I don’t quite understand the full meaning of this question. However, if it relates to the seasons
then yes, the weather does change throughout the year, but in 2 ways. In northern Vietnam, there is an
eternal rotation around spring, summer, fall and winter. However, when it comes to southern Vietnam,
then there are only 2 seasons which are the hot and rainy seasons.
“Do you like going to parks or public gardens?”
We don’t normally have public gardens in Vietnam, or we do but they don’t appear in
northern Vietnam so I have no choice but to describe the parks. Well, I used to go to the park every
morning with my dad to have a light exercise, but since my dad’s gone and I’m kind of having
insomnia so I don’t go there anymore.
“Who do you usually go there with?”
As I’ve mentioned before, I used to go there with my dad every morning. But now it’s just me
going jogging all by myself in that huge park where everybody has a companion.
“When was the last time you went to a park?”
Oh easy, last week. I went there in the morning to exercise as I’ve always done. The park is
around the corner of the street and the house is across the street so it’s a piece of cake to reach there
every morning.
“Do you prefer to relax with your friends in a park or an indoor place?”
Well, if we plan to have an aesthetic date then we definitely will prepare food, beverages and
clothes to sit in a park. However, usually we would just go to recreational places around Hanoi to seek
some entertainment.

Part 2. Describe a park you remember visiting.

I’m going to talk about a park that I remember visiting because I just went there a couple days
ago - Thu Le Park. First thing first, Thu Le Park is actually a zoo for visitors from all regions to visit;
however, in the early morning and before dusk, it becomes a public park for everyone to come there
to exercise. It is actually a piece of cake to go there since it’s in the middle of the city. Entering the
park, it’s like you travel to a juggle due to the various trees and flora that they plant. Following the
paths, you would see an array of wild animals from tigers, monkeys to elephants on 2 sides of the
paths. Well for me, I also go there at dawn because I always seek for the tranquility and quietness in
this lively and congested city. Moreover, I go there to absorb some fresh air and go jogging to keep
fit, so it’s going to be embarrassing to say no to a park with few people who have the same ideas as
you.

Part 3.
“Are there a lot of public parks in your country?”
Well there are, however, they would go under the tag zoo to be more precise. By what I mean
is that in english language zoo and park are different, but when it comes to vietnamese language, the
definitions of park and zoo are the same so Vietnamese people usually misunderstand that. Besides
that, we have various parks that lie along the country. This is due to a merit in natural resources that
mother nature has given us which we have numerous flora and fauna, from ordinary kinds to special
or endangered species.
“What are some of the different reasons people go to parks?”
I believe they are differentiated according to their age. For instance, when it comes to elderly
people, they’re all having troubles with sleeping, not insomnia but they just suffer from light sleep, so
I’m pretty sure that they all go to the parks in the morning because they can’t sleep any more.
Moreover, they could go for a walk to ease their minds and maybe, could sleep better after they reach
their home. However, there are other reasons such as an aesthetic purpose from juveniles to pose on
social media by preparing baskets of food, beverages and clothes to make a small picnic. And to
mature people, I believe they go to the park to seek for quietness and tranquility after a hardworking
and exhausting day.
“What sorts of facilities do public parks need to have?”
 I suppose I am not an expert in parks but basically the one thing that I can think about right
now is that to build up a park, people need fundamental resources such as seats, street lights, public
restrooms and so on. The reason for this is because without these facilities, it wouldn’t meet people’s
expectations of having a park in the neighbourhood or in the city.

“Do you think the natural environment is getting worse?”

With all of the contaminants that people are dumping that create pollution and climate change
then that is an absolute yes for the answer whether nature is getting worse or not. Not just on lands but
also to the oceans either. Before knowing the actual reason for climate change is partly due to the
environment, I always thought that it was because human activities such as dumping trash have an
impact on deforestation, desertification that contaminate the climate. That’s why I believe the nature
is not only worsen but also is dying out there, and seeking for help from every single individual in this
planet to be united together as a community to save the Earth, to restore how natural our mother
nature is by less using plastic, protect the land and the marine lives, etc. There are so many things that
each person can do to support themselves. Together we can change the world

“What problems do you think this might cause?

Is the natural world getting worse and worse? Um I must admit, a lot. There are 3 possible
accommodations that might be affected. They are on the sky which is the ozone, on the ground
including mountains and lands and finally the sea including water and the seabed. However, if one of
these levels is being endangered, the rest would also have a negative impact on. The most significant
example for this question is when we cut down trees, there isn't enough fresh oxygen. And we have
fought for this problem for years. And that is just one tiny problem in a messier world we are living in
such as forest fires, rising level water in the ocean, the loss of marine creatures and plenty more.

“What are some potential solutions to improve the environment?”

As I am just a 17-year-old girl, I know myself clearly that small changes would help to
contribute to make the world better. Therefore, I’m trying my best to follow the regulations, no
dumping, and using eco-friendly items. In addition, I suppose every single individual on Earth needs
to comprehend how vital it is to preserve our environment. Starting from little things such as instead
of using plastic, using eco-friendly devices, instead of exploiting fossil fuel, use eco-friendly
equipment such as from the sun or wind and there are many more that I can barely count out.
Together we can change the world so we need to do that starting from today to conserve the Earth not
only for us but also for the future generation too.

Food
Part 1

“Do you know how to cook?”

Not only can I cook, but creating dishes for my beloved ones is my cup of tea. I enjoy myself
making dishes for 2 reasons, due to the fact that my family has a cooking tradition and the major
reason is because I love people’s happy reactions on their faces whenever they try my dishes. It gives
me butterflies in my stomach first, then a tickled pink afterwards.

“Do you think all children should learn how to cook?”

Yes, I do agree with this question because not only they can learn how to be independent
whenever there’s no one besides them but also they can help their parents by supporting them after
long-lasting days at work. I believe that both parents and children would feel proud for helping each
other.

“Is there anything you would like to learn how to cook?”

I’m a huge fan of Gordon Ramsay, that’s why I want to learn all of his recipes on how to
make not just good, but delicious dishes, especially the grilled turkey that appeared on Master Chef
Junior. And for the trade, I could possibly teach him my very own Pho recipe, it’s a traditional one
that only my family knows so if I could, that would be a fair trade.

“Do you prefer to eat at home or to eat out?”

I always eat at home since I’m the chef of my family as my parents always come home pretty
late, but that’s fine by me. However, I suppose we do eat out sometimes for reasons such as
celebrations, birthdays and sometimes, just because we don’t want to eat home meals anymore so my
mom will tell us to eat out.

“What types of food do you like to eat?”

In the past then I would definitely answer you with fried food, fast food such as KFC,
McDonalds or Burger King. However, I have known the harmful effects of consuming those foods so
I quit eating that. And now I’m quite into vegetarian recipes since they are healthy and taste better
than those fast foods in my opinion.

“What kind of food is popular in your country?”

I guarantee that there are a lot of famous dishes that even appeared in The Guinness Book
such as Pho, Banh my. But besides that, there are numerous more foods that taste way better than Pho
and Banh my, such as Bun dau mam tom, Bun bo hue, you name it. And the reason why they are
popular is because of how healthy and full it gives us, with just a small amount of money, we can be
full all day, compared to fast foods that in Vietnam.

“What did you like to eat when you were a child?”

When I was a kid, my dad came and walked me home every time after school, and my house
is near a small market that sells everything from food, vegetables to gadgets, machines and even
clothes, jewelry. There are various retailers there. We would always get a cup of fresh che at the end
of that market. We did that for about 5 years straight. But then my dad passed away and I don’t eat
that che anymore because whenever I come across the place that sells che, the good memories just
flood through my brain and I get emotional every time. That’s why I decided to stop eating it and
make it become my last memorable memory about my father.

“Would you like to try any new type of food?”

Since I consider myself as a gastronome, I would definitely try out all of the food in this
beautiful world especially Japanese food if I had a golden opportunity. But I need to be very cautious
as well because my stomach is not as brave and strong as my ego and my dream, so I will watch out.

“Do you eat anything healthy?”

Yes, since I’m on my diet so it’s a must for me to eat balanced and healthy. However, I
suppose sometimes I don’t, especially on my treat day when I literally eat junk food.

“Is there anything unhealthy you like to eat?”

As long as I have a chance, I would love to try tteokbokki which is a spicy Korean sticky rice
cake. They are not that unhealthy to be honest, however due to the spicy flavor and the high rate of
flour, I still list that dish in my note not to eat them.

“Did you eat a lot of vegetables when you were a child?”

Oh yes, funny story. I heard that kids hate vegetables and everything in the green color.
However, I am different from the others when I beg my mother to buy more vegetables to eat,
especially the carrot and cauliflower, considering these two are the least favorite veggies to be eaten
as my friends told me.

“Is there any type of healthy food you would like to start eating in the future?”

I think that I am capable of eating all of the healthy food now. However, I would like to try
more Japanese food because it is considered as one of the healthiest types of food in the world.

Part 2.

I’m going to describe my favorite restaurant which is the chain store The Pepperoni located in
Cau Giay district. It has been open for more than 20 years according to my dad since this was also my
father’s favourite place as well. It’s not far from my house as it is only about 3 or 4 blocks away down
the street. I used to go there about 6 or 7 times per year since we always celebrated anniversaries,
holidays and birthdays there. I would consider going there as my family’s custom. However, it has
been 5 years since I last ate there due to the fact that there were a lot of losses in my family, especially
since we don’t go there anymore after my dad passed away. It brings us so many precious memories
when we were still together so my mom, my sister and I decided to put an end to that restaurant.
Moving on, I remembered they only sell all kinds of pizza and side dishes such as salad and pasta. My
recommendation is to try seafood pizza there since it is the cream of the crop in that restaurant. In
addition, the thing that I love about this restaurant is not only because it has scrumptious dishes and
full of vivid memories that I had with my family, but also because of the amazing customers’ service.
They serve us with their hearts and some period of time throughout the year, they would also provide
customers with great discounts on a total bill.
Part 3.

“What types of restaurants are popular in your country?”

There is quite an array of restaurants that Vietnamese people visit to eat out and I think it
differentiates according to people’s tastes as well. One of the most popular types is those fancy ones
that provide 3 or 4 course meals for gastronomes. I think this is because Vietnamese people want to
try European or western plates. Another type that is also common to people, specifically to
adolescence and teenagers in this country is the chain fast food stores such as burger king, kfc or even
mcdonalds which came to Vietnam around 2 years ago. In addition, we also have small market
vendors selling Vietnamese food such as banh my, banh xeo, etc as well if those vendors count as
small business.

“Do people care more about the food or the service?”

I believe I don’t know how to answer this question because I can’t just put all the bread in one
oven which is the food or the service. People would judge where they eat from their perspectives,
such as some people just care about how mouth-watering it’s decorated and how scrumptious it tastes.
Apart from that, there are people who only want to be served nicely. Therefore, I would probably say
that it’s all about the service first then then about the quality of the food in my opinion.

“Do you think it’s healthier to eat at home or at restaurants?”

Of course it is way safer and more qualified to eat at home than eat out. This is due to the fact
that when people cook all by themselves, they comprehend the quality and the food safety because
they cook them. In addition, they can adjust so that the dishes are in the same tastes as they want. On
the contrary, eating out may give us convenience since we just have to enjoy the food and pay the
check; however, cooks and chefs in the restaurants wouldn’t reveal the process of creating those
dishes or how the groceries are picked. What I mean is that we’re not completely sure about the
quality as well as is it safe to eat those dishes or not. Therefore, I’m not going to change my call in
this question.

“Are cafes popular in your country?”

Well they are, as always. There are several reasons for this. First of all, having a cup of coffee
is Vietnamese people’s jam and that is also literally the beverage that they would buy and enjoy after
finishing breakfast. In addition, there are numerous merits of drinking coffee according to us such as
it gives us the ability to stay awake and energetic to go to school or to work, both physical or mind
work, etc. And usually office workers don’t have much time to make a cup of coffee in the morning
so they would stop at cafes to buy one. Another reason why cafes are common not only to mature
people but to teenagers as well is because nowadays, coffee shops would be decorated aesthetically,
vintagely or retroly that fit with adolescents' taste for them to upload on social media. And that is one
way to PR that coffee store. In conclusion, cafes are so famous in Vietnam then and now.

“Do you think there will be more cafes in the future?”

I’m sure that there will be a lot more coffee stores to be opened in the time coming. Even one
of my passions is to have a very own coffee shop that signature and represents me. However, it would
be very competitive since the market now has already had a lot of cafes that may be successful or sell
at a loss. That’s why it would be worth thinking whether owners should open one or not.

“Is it better to have a business meeting at a café or a restaurant?”

 Well I’ve never opened a coffee store or even run a restaurant before since I’m only 17.
However, in my perspective, having a café would be a better choice than running a restaurant, no
matter the size, family business or chain store it is. This is I think because the main customers of these
coffee shops are students and office workers, who need beverages to drink at the place or take-away
for their studies and their work. In addition, not only they sell coffee, but also milk tea and desserts
too which are the main interests for teenagers, especially girls and misses. That’s why they won’t sell
at a loss when it comes to running a cafe.

Friends and family

Part 1

“How much time do you spend with your friends?”

Well not much to be honest, because I just spend time with them while we’re at school. Once
I get out of school, I just don’t contact them unless we have work or projects to do. I know it sounds
that I’m a mean person, but my classmates are just my acquaintances, I’m not close to anybody so
that’s why.

“What do you usually do with your friends?”

Well besides being classmates, learning together, we also chew the fat about others. I know it
sounds so mean but in our high school, there are so many dramas that even I’m a normal student
would hear and know a thing about those dramas.

“Is friendship important to you?”

 Well it is because friendship is the most precious bond just after family connections. Friends
support us through every difficulty, understand us no matter what. That’s how we have less egos,
more amigos.

“Do you prefer to have many friends or a few close ones?”

I wish to be in a small group of best friends. Unfortunately, I don’t have an opportunity to

have that merit so here I am now, having tons of acquaintances but no best friends at all.

“Do you have a large or small family?”

Well, we are a tight knit family that just consists of 3 members: my mother, my younger sister
and me. I had a dad before, just like other families but he passed away due to a transition brain tumor.
So we are very close to each other, even closer than before.

“How much time do you spend with your family?”

Literally every time that I have. Doing things together make us happy and become closer such
as cooking, doing housework together. Even if in the future when I study in another region, I would
still try to at least call them every day to make sure that they don’t miss me that much and they would
know that my love for them is never going to change.

“Do you usually eat dinner with your family?”

Since I’m the chef of the fam, that’s why we spend a lot of time together to eat dinner, and
not just dinner, even breakfast and lunch.

“Are people in your country generally close to their family members?”

Yes, of course, we have a tradition to be close with each other because we must always take
good care of our own flesh and blood. Not just our family, but also to the extended family and to all
the relatives too.

“Do you think you are a polite person?”

As long as it doesn’t sound that I’m a turkey cock then yes I assume that I am polite. This is
due to the fact that I have a great but strict education from my parents at an early age, I used to hate
all of those customs and traditions that my mom taught me, but eventually I’ve earned a lot of
compliments from others because of these perfect manners that I’ve expressed. Therefore, I’m
thankful for what my parents have taught me and I’m looking forward to studying more.

“Who taught you to be polite?”

As I’ve mentioned before, my mom is the first pedagogue that I’ve ever had in my life, she’s
taught me about Vietnamese customs, manners, how to be decent and many more that I can’t ask for
more.

“Do you think people should always be polite?”

 I do and I believe everyone should be well-mannered no matter what due to the fact that
people will judge a person not only through their appearances but also the way they treat others.
That’s why I think people should be civil not to their families but also to strangers as well.

“Is it more important to be polite to friends or family?”

I haven’t thought about this aspect before. I suppose that it’s vital to treat politely to not only
your family, your friends but also to strangers as well as a civilized person would do.

Part 2,

I’m going to talk about my best friend and her name’s My Huyen. The first time that I met her
was probably on the first day at my new secondary school. I went to my school alone since at that
time, we had a few family’s problems so I decided to walk to my school by myself. When I reached
the school, I saw a lot of other friends with parents going with them. Deep inside of me I was a green-
eyed monster but I had to accept the reality. I met this girl on the way to my classroom and a feeling
rose inside me again that I hated her at the first sight. Thinking about this right now, I don’t even
know why I thought like that but it was. However, time flew by and I started to like her. This is due to
the fact that we have the same tastes literally in everything, from clothes, food to even our bad and
non-experimental in crushing boys and girls problems. Fortunately for us not only we studied in the
same secondary school but also in the same high school, but we’re not classmates anymore. However,
that doesn’t let our bond be less firm as I always see her every afternoon since I would work for the
student council every afternoon. In addition, when we have spare time, we would always wander
around Hanoi to try out small restaurants and coffee shops that we haven’t attempted before. There is
a problem that will never be solved by us. We have a different favorite beverage that is coincidentally
the least drink that the other would ever drink. What I mean is that americano is my cup of tea and she
likes milk tea. But I don’t like milk tea that much and vice versa. I guess that is something that
connects us together to become best friends. Hates and then likes each other. We’re weird and bizarre
together.

Part 3.

“How important is it to have friends?”

I certainly think that on a scale from 1 to 10, it probably rates around 8 to 9 and I mean it is
vital to have friends by our sides. The merits obviously will outweigh the drawbacks since friends will
not only share good and happy times together but also when someone’s been through difficulties,
friends will be there for that person to support physically and mentally. That’s why people should
have at least one friend to be with for their own sake.

“Do you think teenagers rely more on their friends or family?”

Well as a teenager, I suppose that literally more than 90% of the teenagers will seek for their
friends’ support more than from their families as I used to do it as well. This is due to the fact that
their unstable minds and emotions make them want to listen to the same age more than from their
well-experimental parents. On the other hand, there are still teenagers who would consult with their
parents about their life problems such as Albert Einstein and so on. Therefore, it would be different
for each other since we can’t put all the bread into one oven.

“As people get older, do they rely more on their friends or family?”
 In this question, I suppose that the older humans get, the wiser people would think and
understand that family is the most precious thing in the world, that nothing can beat family. That’s
why civilians would depend more and mostly on their family than on their friends. On the contrary, I
suppose that there are occasions that friends before family such as family losses that people only have
friends left or even being orphans. We can’t just see the world through one eye, can we? Therefore, it
would depend on people’s decisions after all.

“Why is it important to have a good relationship with neighbors?”

I have waited for this question for a long time. I think there are 2 perspectives to having an
amiable and firm friendship with the neighbors, both in positive and negative ways. First thing first, in
a positive way, if we have a friendly relationship with neighbors, they would help us in every way that
they possibly could since that’s a neighborhood. On the other hand, if we don’t, there will be someone
spilling the beans about us that could harm our reputations no matter if it's a decent looking guy or a
generous woman because we can’t judge the book by its covers. That’s why, even if having
undelightful thoughts about people in the neighborhood, people still need to at least attempt to treat
the neighbors nicely.

“What do you think might cause neighbors to have arguments?”

I have no ideas since my neighborhood is quite peaceful. However, I think that there are
numerous reasons that lead to arguments between neighbors together such as secret pep-talks or
gossip between moms that have leaked out, between fathers about sports or backing up their wives, or
between elderly people since they have opposite opinions about some topics, etc. I mean, there are
things to be argued when it comes to being normal civilians.
Health

Part 1.

“What do you do to keep in good health?”

I am an energetic and fit person despite my physical appearance. I play a lot of sports, mainly
basketball and swimming. I used to go to the gym and do boxing with my PT, but since he moved to
another center due to this pandemic, I don’t go there anymore. Instead, I go jogging in a park at the
corner of Cau Giay street every morning to keep fit.

“Do you have any unhealthy habits?”

Oh I actually have tons of it. However, the one thing that is acute for me is that I sleep really
late at night, usually from 1 or 2 in the morning. The reason for this is that since summer vacation, I
watch films until I’m sleepy so that I stay awake too late. And the second reason is that sometimes I
suffer from insomnia, that’s why my biological clock is pretty messed up.

“What could you do to be healthier?

Well I suppose there are 2 things I need to concentrate on to achieve a balanced lifestyle
which are physical health and mental health. Regarding physical health, I should eat according to the
doctors’ advice which is to go with the food pyramid, exercise regularly and breath by nose, not with
our mouths, etc. And by what I’ve mentioned, mental health actually plays an important role in
obtaining great health. Stop thinking negatively, compliment positively, love myself and believe in
myself are some basic but vital activities. When I combine those 2 together, that is when I could be
healthy, both physically and mentally.

“Do you think you will be healthier in the future?”

Well it depends really. I believe that I would be because there will be significant
developments in medicine so that I won’t have to be worried about my illness. On the other hand, I
also don’t believe that I’m going to be healthier in the future if I continue eating junk food, drinking
soft drinks that contain high amounts of sugar. Therefore, I’m going to work to put an end to those
junk food and beverages.

“What do you do to relax?”

 Well it depends on the periods of time throughout the year. When it comes to the months that
I spend going to school, having basketball matches and hanging out with my friends around Hanoi are
the common activities. On the other hand, when it comes to summer vacation, Tet holidays or others
then I spend most of the time with my family, perhaps reading books, chilling with them or even
travelling with them for recreational purposes.

“Do you do any healthy activities to help you relax?”

Every time that I go bananas about something, I would go to the basketball court to play alone
there. Perhaps that is the only way for me to release the anger that I carry inside me. So I suppose
playing basketball is one way for me to feel at ease.

“Do you feel you have enough time to relax?”

Oh I used to have a lot of time to be chilled out, even in the periods that I go to school.
However, since I’m in 12th grade and I have competitions, exams to participate in, I feel like 24 hours
aren’t enough anymore. But I still seek some moments to take a break from school, work and
everything that I’m doing.

“What did you do to relax when you were a child?”

I used to sketch and draw when I was little since art is my jam. I would draw everywhere in
my house, including our walls. We still haven’t cleaned it up yet since I wanted to keep it as a
memory of a younger version of me. yeah but now I don’t anymore since I have another interest
which is computer programming.

“How popular are bicycles in your hometown?”

On a scale from 1 to 10, I suppose it would be rated around 7.5. Not a bad digit because our
famous and familiar means of transport is motorbikes. However, there are people who go to work,
schools by bike so it’s also common but not as popular as motorcycles in Hanoi.

“How often do you ride a bicycle?”

I ride it every day, to go to school, to the market, to my extra classes, etc. Basically, a bike is
the only means of transport that I use. Because I haven’t had a driver license yet and I want to protect
the environment by riding eco-friendly transportation which is bicycle.

“Do you think that bicycles are suitable for all ages?”

Yes, I totally agree that bicycles are suitable for all groups of age in our society. It brings out
numerous merits for people. For elderly people, bikes keep them fit and can help them to travel
around the city without paying any money. For juveniles and adults, it wouldn’t cost a fortune to buy
a bicycle compared to a motorcycle, let alone a car. So it would save a lot of money for them for their
tuition and or or living expenses.

“What are the advantages of a bicycle compared to a car?”

People always see the merits of having a car. However, putting a car and a bicycle on a scale,
I suppose bikes have more advantages than cars. From a very cheap price compared to a car, to the
convenience that bicycles give in every situation such as it would be simpler to go in the rush hours
than driving a car at the same time.

Hobbies

Part 1.

“Do you have any hobbies or interests?”

Oh I have a lot that couldn't be counted. However, recently I’m getting into watching films as
I spent most of my spare time on seeking new films. I also hold an interest in photography. I used to
go around Hanoi to take pictures, but now we’re in the pandemic, I just stay at home and widen my
knowledge in photography and wait for a chance to go out again.

“Did you have any hobbies or interests when you were a child?”

I used to sketch and draw when I was little since art is my jam. I would draw everywhere in
my house, including our walls. We still haven’t cleaned it up yet since I wanted to keep it as a
memory of a younger version of me. yeah but now I don’t anymore since I have another interest
which is computer programming.

“What free-time activities are popular in your country?”

I don’t know how elderly people and adults do whenever they have spare time, but to
teenagers like us, the common ones are going around Hanoi to discover things, food or beverages that
we haven’t known before. Another familiar one is playing sports, all ranges from football to
basketball, badminton or tennis.

“Are there any outdoor activities you would like to try in the future?”

It may sound dull and expensive but I’ve always wanted to try golf. I know that golf is a sport
only for high-class people in our society and a ticket to get into the golf court costs like an arm and a
leg for me. However, it would be great to try golf since I haven’t attempted that before.

“What do you do in your free time?”

I used to play games to kill time. However, since now I’m in 12 th grade, whenever I have
spare time, I would read a book or a novel, not only to unwind but also to widen my knowledge as
well. I find reading books is a very relaxing and comfortable activity.

“Do you have enough free time?”

Oh I used to have a lot of time to be chilled out, even in the periods that I go to school.
However, since I’m in 12th grade and I have competitions, exams to participate in, I feel like 24 hours
aren’t enough anymore. But I still seek some moments to take a break from school, work and
everything that I’m doing.

“When do you usually get free time?”

Except for the weekdays and Saturdays because I’m quite busy with my schooling and my
part time job, I suppose I only have Sundays as a day off. On Sunday, I would just sleep and do things
that I enjoy to kill time, and then be ready for a new week.
“What free-time activities would you like to try if you had more free time?”

Since I've been quite busy with my studying recently even though we are on summer
vacation. However, I would love to ride a bike around Hanoi if I had more spare time, especially at
dawn since I love how tranquil and quiet the ambience is in this lively and congested city.

“Is it popular for people in your country to take photos?”

Yes, actually you would see people taking photographs and selfies everywhere that looks
aesthetic or lively such as coffee shops with these vintage decorations or pubs which have cool and
retro adornments (=decoration) or even just out of the streets.

“Do you like taking photos?”

Photography is actually my jam and taking pictures for school clubs and clients is my part
time job. I suppose that I don’t have to bring home the bacon but I enjoy what I’m doing now.

“What kind of photos do you like to take?”

For my part time job then all of the time I would take people as a central point. However, my
passion is to take pictures about nature, the world, and the sky. I could assume myself as a photophile
as I take photos all the time without even getting bored.

“Will you take lots of photos in the future?”

Yes I will since photography is my passion. However, I wouldn’t consider it as my future

occupation because I pursue another avenue. But I will continue taking photos as my all time hobby.

Media

Part 1.

“How do you find out about the news?”

 I used to watch the television since my dad always opened it up every morning. But now I just
read it on our national websites on my phone as I can choose what to consume the news and it’s more
convenient than watching the news on tv.

“What types of news stories do you like to follow?”

It actually depends because I don’t hold much interest in the news. However, the one thing
that I always listen to is about nature such as forests, juggles, animals both on lands and under the
seas, etc.

“Do you think it’s important to follow the news?”

Yes I do and it actually vital to keep up with the world through the news. This is because I
and people can be up-to-date with trends or problems that we’re having or things that we need to do
and so on.

“Do people in your county prefer to follow international news or local news?”

I believe it differentiates the groups of age in our society. What I mean is that for instance,
elderly people would always listen to the local news, what happen to the Vietnamese government, to
the regions in Vietnam, what the economics or relations with other countries in the world. Basically
they just care about news about Vietnam. On the contrary, us teenagers and adults have a tendency to
pay more attentions to international news. I would say they also listen to Vietnamese news, but
mainly about the outside world than just local news.

“When did you first use the internet?”

I believe back when in the third grade. I know that is pretty late, but before that, I hadn’t
known exactly about the internet, then in 3rd grade, we had IT as a compulsory subject so that is the
time that I got a chance to find my feet to the cyberspace.

“What do you do on the internet?”

Believe me or not, I used to borrow my dad’s pc only to play games online. But when I’m in
grade 6th, I participated in a programming competition, that was the beginning of my studying through
the internet. Eventually, I now just use the cyberspace for my work, my study and watch films in my
spare time.

“Have you ever brought anything online?”

Yes I have, a lot to be honest. I used to go straight to the retailers or stores to by items, but
since we’re in the pandemic, I’ve been purchasing online mostly clothes and books. I rarely buy
cosmetics online because I don’t trust the way they pr the products.

“Do you always believe the information people post on their websites?”

I don’t always trust those information that sellers wrote on their pages. However, if they are
still the same after I have spent hours to search of discover about the product, I will them my heart
and probably buy the products.

“How often do you read a book or magazine?”

 I don’t read magazines as I find them boring and uninformative. Instead, I would dig my head
in books and novels, as I fond of imagine and to be in a world that the writers have built up for
readers.

“What types of books or magazines do you like to reads?

I read mostly fantasy and romantic novels as I find them super thrilling and fascinating to
read and to be in an imaginary world. In additon, I consider myself as a bookworm for reasons
because besides novels, I also get a kick out of linguistics books such as English and German and
others as well.

“Are there any types of things that you don’t like to read?”

In general, I suppose I’m not into things that doesn’t contain colors. To be more specific, I
don’t fond of reading newspaper since they’re just in a nostalgic color. The real reason for me not
liking reading newspaper is actual I just prefer obtaining the news from the internet.

“What types of books or magazines did you like to read when you were a child?”

I fond of reading children stories when I was little, even now I’m still into those books. This
is probably due to the fact that they always end with happily ever after, with happy endings that the
characters would be forever ecstatic. I didn’t understand at first why all of the children stories have
happy endings, but since I’ve grown up, I finally comprehend the reasons why. Because they want us
to believe in a beautiful world that we are living in, that every single person in this planet deserves
love and caring. Beautiful message after all.
Shopping

Part 1.

“Do you like to go shopping?”

I’m not quite a slave of fashion so I don’t really fond of going shopping. However, if I need
new garments or outfits then I would spend hours to find the perfect pieces that catch my eye.
“How often do you go shopping?”

I used to go to the thrift stores near my grandparents’ flat in Dong Da Street every 2 months.
There are times that I just go window shopping, there are times that I actually buy some clothes. But
now I don’t quite go there anymore since they’re all close due to the pandemic.

“What kind of shops are there where you live?”

I’m living in the capital city of Vietnam; therefore, there are all kinds of shops in this lively
city, from department stores, chain stores to boutiques, supermarkets or even small and friendly
markets in every district.

“What’s the worst thing about going shopping?”

Oh I went to H&M once to buy a new coat for the winter, but the way that the workers in
H&M chain store treat me and other customers were unacceptable. That’s why I believe that bad
customer service is the worst thing when it comes to going shopping.

“Do you like visiting street markets?”

Oh my god, that is me and my mother’s favorite activity at the weekend. We would wander
around the market to purchase all things that help us to survive the following week. Besides that, I’ve
learnt a lot of experience on shopping not only from my mom but also from the sallers as well.

“Are street markets very common in your country?”

They are and actually they are even more famous and familiar than malls or department
stores. Retailers and sellers in street markets are nice and they sell products at an acceptable price, not
similar as in those stores that they mark up the prices for the profits. In addition, there are many more
merits that going to the street markets give us so that’s why they are common and considered as a
symbol for Vietnamese people.

“Do you like to buy anything in particular at street markets?”

I suppose the only things that I purchase in those street markets are groceries and vegetable so
I’m going to go with in. I still prefer to buy them in these small markets comparing to the malls since
they are cheaper but still in a fresh and great-quality. In addition, if people compliment the sellers,
they even have discounts. That’s why I love going to the street markets

“Does your country have street markets open at night?”

Yes, we do, but it depends in each region in Vietnam. In northern Vietnam, we don’t usually
hold a night market unless it is a festival or a holiday. However, in southern Vietnam, they always
have night markets since HCM city is a way livelier city than Hanoi.

“Have you ever bought anything on the Internet?”

Yes, I have. Mainly clothes and books. I will never buy cosmetics online because I don’t trust
the information they wrote on the descriptions, even if they’re rated highly by the custormers or not.

“Is it popular for people to shop on the internet in your country?”

 It is actually quite common recently since we’ve been in pandemic comparing to a few years
ago. In addition, there are still numerous products that people prefer to shop at those actual retailers
instead of online due to the fact that they don’t quite give their hearts on those products.

“Will you buy anything on the internet in the future?”

I suppose I can’t predict whether supplies or products that I’m going to purchase in the future.
However, I think that I will continue buying books online because I’ve been doing that for a while
now due to its convenience and its discounts that sellers provide us comparing to the actual prices on
the market.

“What are some disadvantages with buying products on the Internet?”

There are numerous drawbacks that people might have suffered, including me who just found
my feet with the term shopping online. Fake products, receiving wrong packages, wrong customers’
information such as addresses, telephone numbers, problems with shipping, or even the all-time
difficulty which is customers’ service.
Technology

Part 1.

“How often do you use a computer?”

Well I use them all time, considering as a device that I can’t live with them, can’t live without
them now. I use my laptop mostly for my studying since we’ve been using online classes through
zoom a pretty long period of time and partly for my online part time job which is to be a freelancer
editor.

“What do you use it for?”

 I use my laptop mostly for my studying since we’ve been using online classes through a
social flat form which is zoom a pretty long period of time and some of the time for my online part
time job which is to be a freelancer editor.

“Do you play computer games?”

Yes, but I used to play it, a lot to be honest. However, since I discovered the harmful effects
of sedentariness due to sitting too long to play games such as obesity, problematic eyes and many
more. That’s why I stopped completely because of these reasons and also I wanted to concentrate on
my studies as I’m a senior at high school now.

“Will you use a computer more in the future?”

Well I suppose that my future career that I’ve been planning to be depends a lot of working
with computers since I want to be an IT programmer. However, I believe that I would divide using
computer time wisely since it’s harmful for my health to be sedentary and focus on the laptop all of
the time.

“How often do you use a mobile phone?”

If you asked me this question a month ago, I would definitely answer you with all the time
since probably a phone is considered as one of the most important device to a teenager for numerous
reasons. However, since I have to practice for IELTS, my German language exam and preparing for
12th grade knowledge, I only use it around 2 hours per day for putting my mind at ease after those
huge information that I’ve received from manuals, books and from YouTube.

“Do you prefer to text people or call them?”

It depends really. I tend to be an introverted person so most of the time, I would text people as
distinct from calling them. But I suppose if that person is from my family members or one of my best
friends then I would call them immediately, even with videos because why not.

“In what situation is a mobile phone most useful?”

I remembered that phone was invented due to the fact that people wanted to communicate
even from some faraway locations such as in another region, another continent. That’s why calling is
the most useful part in a phone in my perspective because not only we can call them to hear their
voices, but also we can see them as having a video section such as with FaceTime, messenger and so
on. That brings us the pure happiness and the bond that we already have inside of.

“Have you ever lost a cell phone?”

Yes, I have and it makes me embarrassed and regretful whenever I thought about it. It wasn’t
my phone but it was my mom’s. t happened when I’m in 7 th grade that my teacher required us to bring
a phone for an experiment in a subject that I don’t remember anymore. Pardon me for that. And after
school, I stayed at my school for a little bit but eventually, while I was with my friends, I lost it.
Finding that phone was like finding a needle in a haystack because I couldn’t find it at all. After
knowing that I lost it, my mom was pissed off for a week. So I’m still regret because of that.
“Do you still write letters?”

I don’t usually write letters because I always text or use mails to contact people. However,
some occasions, I still use letters to send to my beloved ones such as to my family members or my
best friends since I find letters contain meaningful messages that could enhance the bond between me
and the receivers.

“Do you think email will ever totally replace letter?”

Yes, I totally agree with this aspect because in this modern era where people tend to text and
use mails then I think not long from now, letters will be obsolete.

“How do you feel if you receive a handwritten letter or card?”

Oh I wish to have someone who is willing to write a letter to me because all of my friends
don’t exchange letters or cards. I find them vintage and special that letters bring us a strong
connection in relationship between people. So if someone really wrote me one, I would definitely fall
in love for them.

“When did you last write a handwritten letter or card?”

Alright this is a secret but I have a habit that I will write a letter for myself on the first day of
new year so that was the last letter that I wrote. It’s all about my passion, my dream, goals that I
should achieve in a new year and so on. Letters like this give me strength, confidence and bravery to
deal with a new year that is coming.

Part 2.

I’m going to talk about a social flat form that I always use recently which is YouTube.
YouTube is not only the all-time famous website but also a common application for all groups of age
in our society, including children, adolescence to mature people and even elderly people. I used to
only listen to music on YouTube since I had thought that it only provided with music. However, I
found out that there’s more than just music. So I started to use YouTube more and more to get to used
to YouTube and eventually now I’m not only an expert on YouTube but I also even started my small
business on YouTube by become a creator on that flat form. Besides uploading videos on YouTube,
people can do more than just that such as learning, earning money, relaxing and so on. As I’ve
mentioned before, I used to only listen to music on YouTube, but now not only that, but I also ended
up receive knowledge especially studying linguistics and lessons related to my curriculum at school
and bring home the bacon on YouTube. Not really a job but I earn money for my family so probably
that’s fine. That’s why I think YouTube is so useful, not only helpful for everyone but also practical
and beneficial as well as YouTube has numerous amazing tools and suggestions for watchers and
entrepreneurs if you start a business or a channel on YouTube.