Cam 9 test 2

1. When do people give gifts or presents in your country?

I think like in most countries we give gifts on special occasions; the main ones would be
birthdays, weddings, graduation from college or university, maybe when people buy their
first apartment or home; really anything that people think is an event to celebrate.
2. Do you ever take a gift when you visit someone in their home? why or why not?
Well, whenever I am invited to sb’s home, I often bring some things like a bunch of
flowers, a bottle of wine, or some seasonal fruit… as a gift. This is to thank the host and
the hostess for having me.
3. When did you last receive a gift? what is it?
The last gift I gave was on Valentine's Day last year. This is a funny gift because I don't have
a boyfriend and it's a gift I give to my mother because I think she's the person I love and am
most grateful for in the world. And the gift that I gave my mother was a box of chocolates that I
made myself....
4. Do you enjoy looking for gifts for people?
Sometimes I enjoy looking for gifts, but not always. Again, it depends on what type of gift
I'm looking for and who it's for.
Things like birthday presents can be hard to choose sometimes because they're so personal
unless you know the person really well.
Wedding gifts, on the other hand, are much easier - they even give you a list sometimes!
The gifts I like buying best are when I see something and I just think of a particular person,
so I'm not really looking for a gift but I find something that I think one of my friends or
family would love, and I buy it for them.
There doesn't always need to be a special occasion to give a gift.

Part 2. Describe something you did that was new or exciting

Recently, I have taken up writing blogs as one of my pastimes. I do it on Blog.com which is one
of most popular blogging sites nowadays. I only started it a few weeks ago so there are only a
couple of entries so far.
After finishing the initial design,1 now focus on writing new posts. I started this blog to add
posts that will work as a reference for me as well as other viewers. For instance, I have visited
most of the major món ăn in my hometown and I know them quite well. So I have written some
food in these places with vivid illustrations and descriptions that may help other people who
are . I’ve already gotten a few comments on some of my entries from people who read it and
found it useful.
To me, creating something new that grabs people’s attention while helping them is always
exciting and motivating. I also write several blogs in English so it’s a great way to improve my
writing and get me using English in a productive way. Watching the blog and the number of
page visitors rising every day inspires me to continue contributing useful posts for other people.
The whole thing is quite exhilarating and I’m sure I will keep it up for a long time.
Part 3.1
1. Why do you think some people like doing new things?
Personally I think because it is thrilling and adventurous. You get the chance to see new
places, meet different people and learn something new. The other reason is possibly
curiosity, which is also a part of human nature. I think lots of people like to experiment
and do things outside their comfort zone, you’ll never know till you try, as they say.
2. What problems can people have when they try new activities?
Well, obviously they could make mistakes easily as they’ve never done it before. They
might also feel nervous or self-conscious if they’re doing something with a group of
people who are experienced in the activity. If the activity is difficult and the beginner
keeps making mistakes they can often get frustrated and annoyed and want to quit
early.
3. Do you think it’s best to do new things on your own or with other people? Why?
I think it would be safer to be accompanied by other people, especially when the new things
are risky. You’ll have someone there to explain what to do and guide you through. Plus, if
anything goes wrong there’ll be someone there to help. Having an experienced person
there can help you stay calm and feel more motivated.
Part 3.2
1. What kinds of things do children learn to do when they are very young? How are these
things?
Cách một: + Basic things like how to eat, walk or play with other kids
+ a bit older => decide something for their life: what to wear, to eat ..
+ arrange their lives: time to play, learn or do some chores
 Essential => important life skills
Cách khác: The first things babies learn to do are thing like recognising people’s faces
and voices, they learn to crawl and then walk and slowly start to speak. Kids often learn
by imitating the adults around them which is why parents always repeat their names to
the children, so that they will be the first words they say. Speaking and walking are two
of the most basic skills people have so obviously they are extremely important.
2. Do you think children and adults learn to do new things in the same way? How is their
style different?
There is no question, they learn new things in different ways
I think that the learning methods for children and adults are very different. People say
that children’s heads are like sponges, they just absorb new ideas and information really
easily. Children are less conscious of failure so they’re usually not afraid of making
mistakes. They also have much shorter attention spans than adults so they need lots of
different activities to learn. On the other hand, grown-ups tend to consider things more
thoroughly and rationally. Adults often learn by reading long books or attending long
lectures. They have longer attention spans but are also more conscious of making
mistakes. This can inhibit them from learning things as easily as children do
3. Some people say that it is more important to be able to learn new things now than in
the past? Do you agree or disagree with that? Why?
I guess I would say yes
+ live in globalization => more interaction, more chances to broaden your horizon and
gain knowledge from many aspects of life => willing to learn new things or they will
become dated very soon
+ more requirements for jobs/universities => not only does a person have to master his
major, but it is also advisable for him to gain language, computer, and many other social
skills to perform well in his work. I mean he has to do multi-task job.
….

I do agree with this opinion. Compared to the past, nowadays changes happen swiftly
on a daily basis, thus there is no doubt that people need to be more proactive in
learning new things to be able to catch up. Especially if you work with technology a lot,
the tasks and tools you use to do them will always be changing and advancing so you
constantly need to be able to learn new things.