1.

Your favourite family member

I will tell you about a family member whom I love dearly, and that person is my mother.
My mother is a pillar of strength who has been with me through thick and thin.
She is the person that made me the way I am today.

My mother and I did lots of things together. We often go shopping, discuss books we read, or do chores together,
but our favorite bonding activity is cooking.
Enjoying the meal afterward is always a treat, but what I treasure most is the time spent with my mother
preparing the ingredients, cooking the dishes, learning new recipes, and catching up while we were at it.
One time, I went home from university during the holiday, and this trip home coincided with my family’s
housewarming party.
My mother had prepared a special mushroom and chicken soup, and I told her I really loved that dish.
Little did I know, those words were enough for her to go out and buy a massive supply of ingredients to make it
again for the next three days with me.
I cherished that experience so much, and to this day, whenever I taste the soup, I am reminded of my mother’s
love.

And that story also clearly shows why I adore her so much.
My mother loves her children to bits and will go to great lengths to ensure our happiness.
To her, nothing is as important as her family, and so she makes her best efforts along with my father to keep us
fed and safe.
My mother is a strong woman who has endured plenty of ups and downs in her life, yet she is always all smiles
to keep everyone optimistic.
No words can describe my admiration and gratitude for her.
2. Your favourite dish
10. A traditional dish
11. A time when you cooked a traditional food

Vietnamese cuisine is celebrated worldwide for its exquisite flavors and diverse dishes, and one standout
delicacy is Chưng cake.
It is one the most traditional special foods for the lunar new year in the North of VietNam. It is an indispensable
symbol in the traditional Tet holiday.
The legend of “chung” cake is closely associated with the legend of Hung Kings, who were the ancestors of the
Vietnamese people.
Banh chung is a dish with great flavor and deep traditional meaning, so it is my favorite dish.
When Tet festival is coming, Vietnamese people of many generations are touched by the feeling they get when
gathering around the “chung” cake pot and waiting until the cake is done to a turn. Because in each person's
mind, banh chung is a dish that means reunion, the meaning of reunion simple but warm.

In terms of ingredients, banh chung is made from things that are very simple and easy to prepare; combined with
skillful hands of the person wrapping the cake.
The main ingredients are sticky rice, dong leaves, meat, and crushed green beans.
Each ingredient is carefully selected to create the most delicious and rich food.
As for sticky rice, people choose round seeds, not musty so that when cooked, they can smell the aroma of
sticky rice.
Green beans choose beans with a beautiful yellow color, cook well and crush them as filling.
People will choose bacon or lean meat, mixed with ground pepper, minced onion.
Another equally important ingredient is the dong leaf for wrapping the cake.
In some other regions, people use banana leaves to wrap cakes, but the most popular is still the leaves.
The stage of cooking is considered an important stage. Usually people cook cakes with dry wood, cook in a
large pot, fill with water and cook for about 8-12 hours.
This long cooking time is to make sure the cake is evenly cooked and pliable.
When the water is boiling, the smell of banh chung is soothing. At that time, everyone began to feel the Tet
atmosphere enveloping the house.
That’s why many families make this dish for Tet festival.
3. A happy memory
14. A memorable journey you had

One of my most beautiful and memorable memories is a trip with friends to HaLong Bay (HLB) last summer
vacation. To me, the trip was not just a holiday but rather an interesting experience and learning.

Ha Long Bay is located in Quang Ninh Province and is 151 km from HaNoi City to the East. It is one of the
most beautiful natural wonders in the world. We took 4 hours to get to HLB by car.
As soon as we reached there after a long journey, I was stunned by the beautiful scenic views that I only saw in
pictures. HLB has a nice, clean, romance beach and there are many things to discover.
After lunch, we took a short rest then we swam all afternoon.
We stayed in a 3-star hotel in front of the beach.
In the evening, after going back from the club, we sat together on the beach to see the stars in the sky. It was so
romantic and relaxing.
Next day, we hired a boat for a trip to see the islands. How amazing it is. I was extremely surprised with the
natural beauty of Thien Cung cave, Trong Mai island…. and rich vegetation. I was so interested in areas and
islands in HlB that I didn’t want to leave.
We did so many activities included swimming, surfing, football, boat trip and shopping. We took a lot of
photographs. I so liked seafood in HL that I bought a lot of them as a present to my family when I came back.

I really had a relaxing and wonderful time in HLB.

That was a pity when we only stayed there 2 days.The trip left me with many impressions and beautiful
memories with friends. If I visit HLB another time I will enjoy more of its scenery. This is truly the happiest
memory that I will never forget.
4. Your learning English

English is becoming popular over the world and is business language nowadays. That's why I'm trying to learn
English in many ways. I studied English from grade 1 to high school. I'm currently a student, still learning E.
I have learned about some effective methods of learning English.
The cornerstones of learning any language are expanding one’s vocabulary and grammar. To increase
vocabulary and grammar, read English texts, pick up new words and phrases, and work on grammar exercises.

I study English every day. I want my vocabulary to improve. I learn English by listening to US, UK music or
watching cartoons.

Next, perfecting your pronunciation is essential for communicating in English effectively. To enhance
pronunciation, try practicing tongue twisters, listening to recordings of oneself speaking, and listening to native
English speakers.

Thirdly, enhancing communication abilities is crucial. Communication skills can be enhanced by taking part in
language exchange programs, conversing with native speakers, and watching English-language movies and TV
episodes with subtitles.

Finally, it’s critical to stay motivated if you want to succeed in learning English. Creating a support system,
setting attainable objectives, and recognizing accomplishments can all help you stay motivated.
Because English is the most used and spoken language around the world. Learning English will increase your
chances of getting a job, participating in discussions and improving your networking skills. English helps you to
increase your learning opportunities. Actually, I don't like English very much, but because of work, for the
future, I want to try to learn English. It's easier to find a job, more confident in communication, and can help me
travel without a translator. My English is not very good so I am trying every day to improve.
5. A time when you had a great meal at a restaurant

Most people love eating out and I am one of them.

One of my impressive restaurants is Beef King. It is located in the Ba Dinh District in Hanoi capital.
I used to go there three times with my sister. This restaurant is very famous for the Western dishes such as
beefsteak, french fries, hamburgers and grilled foods.
From the outside, the restaurant looked quite small but when I came in, it turned out to be very spacious.
The entire atmosphere was filled with the smells of food. Honestly, at the beginning I didn’t expect much about
the quality of the food here, which has very cheap prices.
However, the taste of the food here was beyond my expectation. They were totally up to my standard! The most
popular dish in this restaurant was beefsteak which was cooked perfectly with medium well level.
What I was really satisfied with at this restaurant was the way the staff and waiters serve us there. They were
very friendly and made us feel that we were our home.
Moreover, the relaxing music there really made our dishes taste more flavorful.
I will definitely come back to this amazing restaurant more in the future.
6. Your favorite subject at high school
When going to school, there are many subjects; however I still like literature the most.
First, literature plays an important role in both education and daily life. Literature is not limit to a subject to be
learnt at school. Furthermore, this subject teaches humans about several aspects of life. From the very first step,
students learn to write, read as well as describe things and people.
Moreover, literature teaches one to be a responsible citizen and likable personality. Literature is more than a
subject, it’s an art and it can be applied directly into life such as: journalism, editor. People are not born to learn
this unique subject, it needs long time to master.
Besides, when learning literature people not only know more works of art but also understand the culture,
tradition of each country. Literature is the mirror reflecting humans and their lifestyle. Studying literature means
learning the way to love and live a true life.
Literature is not only about words. Including stories, I learned about the culture as well as the beauty of the
Vietnamese people in literature
In my free time, I often read literary works. I was able to hone my writing skills and experience new things at
the same time. I love the feeling of reading a good and meaningful article. Every time I read such an article, I
often repeat their use of words, thereby increasing my vocabulary. Because I like literature, I never get bored
when I study it. On the contrary, I find it extremely interesting.
All in all, with great benefits of literature, it is necessary for each society, especially developing countries.
7. Some tips to improve your memory
1. Improve memory by training your brain: Create a habit of recording important events. Frequently reminisce
about things that have happened. Learn to associate some similar events and things together.
2. Exercise to improve memory and exercise: including jogging, swimming, dancing, badminton, and jumping
rope
3. Improve memory by practicing meditation: Survey results show that people who meditate regularly have
more flexibility and the ability to handle problems more sensitively than people who do not meditate.
4. Get enough sleep: Specifically, each person needs to sleep deeply and get enough sleep for 7-8 hours/day.
5. Improve poor memory by reducing sugar consumption: People should prioritize using foods with natural
sweetness (fruits, vegetables...) and limit drinks and foods high in sugar such as tea. milk, cakes,...
6. Limit your calorie intake - an effective way to improve your memory: Foods that are high in calories but low
in nutrients: greasy fried foods, carbonated soft drinks, cakes, animal fats...
7. Increase your caffeine intake: Taking 200 milligrams of caffeine into your body every day can help increase
your memory ability.
8. Dark chocolate - a food that helps improve poor memory: because the flavonoids in cocoa have the ability to
increase blood flow to the brain.
9. Avoid stress: maintain a positive, scientific lifestyle to keep an optimistic spirit, avoid stress by creating a
habit of watching movies, listening to music every evening, meeting friends in your free time, taking care of
yourself. Regular body care at the spa
10. Don't rely too much on electronic devices, but instead learn music or a new language to help improve poor
memory
11. Playing intellectual games helps improve memory and protect brain health: Intellectual games such as
Chinese chess, chess, lego assembly, guessing letters... will help the memory training process. and improve
vocabulary significantly
8. Your ideal house
In my dream, I would like to have a five - floor house with a large garden.
There are eight main rooms including four bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and an exercise room. In the
living room, there will be a big TV, a table, sofas and some pictures.
There will be a smart robot in the house. It will help me do a lot of housework, such as mopping the floor,
vacuuming,...
Each bedroom will have its own balcony and private bathroom.
And my bedroom will be on the third floor. The walls will be gray, and I will hang a lot of pictures of me, my
family and my friends in a corner.
I also want to have a well-equipped kitchen where I can cook delicious dishes for my family.
An exercise room will be on the fifth floor. In the room, we will install equipment such as treadmill, dumbbell,
barbell, …
In front of my house, there is a beautiful garden with a variety of flowers and trees. I can relax in this place after
hard-working hard.
There will also be a swimming pool, a pond to raise fish, and an orchard. If I could stay in this house, I surely
would be very happy.
I will try to become a successful person to make my dreams come true.
9. Your future plan
I am a first-year student at an academy in Hanoi.
While the school is holding exams, I am trying very hard every day to review for the exam to achieve the best
results in general subjects.
They are very difficult subjects and require hard work to understand and take the exam. We have to find answers
to the questions in the outline that the teachers sent.
After that, I need to memorize very long answers every day or if I can understand it, it will feel easier.
For me, these exam preparation days are really difficult and I really hope to pass this exam quickly.
In the new year, I will try to learn more English to get a TOEIC certificate. Because if you have an English
certificate, it will be easier to graduate and find a job later.
To meet the requirements, I have to practice hard all four skills: Writing, Listening, Speaking, Reading and have
to find a reputable center to study, which is also not an easy job nowadays. There are many classes.
Before Tet, I also plan to work part-time at a tutoring center to earn more income for myself.
And I plan to return home with my family early for the Tet holiday this year.
In addition to studying at school, I will do homework and read books in the evening.
One week I will spend the weekend playing sports with friends. Although I study hard, I also care about my own
health.
We need to make specific plans to accomplish our goals.
12. A happy childhood memory
Last weekend, while cleaning my bedroom, I came across an album and found a photo of me on the first day
coming to school – a day filled with special emotions.
It was a sunny day with many white clouds. My mom was the person that accompanied me to school. On the
way to school, I could see many other children around my age were going to school like me, some of them were
crying a lot. Fifteen minutes later, we arrived at the school.
Mom said goodbye to me and suddenly I bursted into tears. I felt lonely and scared because there was no one
beside me then.
Then a woman came by my side. She had a bright smile and a gentle face which reminded me of my mom.
With a warm voice, she introduced me to my teacher.
I had thought that teacher was someone that would punish me when I made mistakes, but my first impression
was a little different from my expectation, she was like a sweet angel.
Later, she took me to my new class. There are a lot of new friends. Sitting at my place, looking around the
classroom, I was impressed by the colorful and lovely space here. It was painted in bright colors with a large
book shelf at the corner, filled with comics and toys, which were all well-organized.
After that, the very first lesson at school started.
Beside learning to spell and write, I was also taught to sing, to draw pictures and was told a lot of interesting
stories, which made me really excited.
It was my first day studying at school, quite a long time ago but still gives me a sense of nostalgia for my
carefree childhood.
13. Your home
Many people have a dream of a modern house in a big city, however, I love my house which is located in a
peaceful small hometown.
My house, which is quite large with two floors, is enough for my family to live comfortably. My house has two
floors with a living room, kitchen, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and 1 worship room.
The exterior of the house was painted blue and the interior of the house was painted light yellow.
My parents love natural lights so my house has a lot of windows.
There is a white leather sofa, a television and a sideboard in the living room.
Next to the living room is the kitchen which is used for cooking and enjoying the meals.
The second floor is the room of my parents, sister and me.
In my bedroom, it is painted a bright color to make a room more spacious. I hang a few beautiful paintings and
photos on the wall.
There is a balcony on the second floor, where I can enjoy the wonderful view of the scenery of mountains and
forests every day. We have a large garden where we plant flowers and trees.
Every Tet holiday, all members of my family decorate the house together and then gather in the kitchen to cook.
Although my house is not too big, to me that is the most beautiful house in the world.