Giáo trình Speaking II (Phần 2)

56 : APOLOGIZING 
Learn the language for apologizing on page 111. 
Use of English : 
1. You must have waited for me, please forgive me. 
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2. I really must have rung you. 
3. As long as you have a paper to read, it's all right. 
4. Seeing that you were late too, I'm not too worried. 
5. Provided that you don't mind, I'll call again. 
6. I can assure that I don't mind at all. 
Composition : Write a letter explaining what has happened and apologize for any 
inconvenience 
Useful words and expressions : 
Unexpected situation do not mean to hurt your feelings cannot 
accommodate as the house is being painted book the hotels 
will take the friends out for sight-seeing invite them for dinner 
apologize for the unexpected situation hope to see them soon 
UNIT 29 
Lesson 57 : TIME TRANSFIXED 
Situation : 
Questions to ask the guide in an art gallery about a picture 
Who painted this picture? 
When was it painted? 
What is it famous for? 
Which material did the artist use to paint this picture? 
Which country did the artist come from? 
Can you add more questions? 
Talking points : Advice to someone who wants to become a painter 
Like painting visit museums often take a drawing course 
practise every day travelling talk too other painters 
Lesson 58 : INTERPRETING SOMETHING DIFFICULT 
Use of English : 
1. I find it completely baffling. 
2. It utterly confused me. 
3. The painting shocked us. 
4. We all found it completely bewildering. 
5. The film was very disappointing. 
6. His paintings have puzzled people. 
7. I was bored by that TV play. 
8. Modern art is completely confusing. 
9. I found that novel fascinating. 
10. I was amazed by the work of some artists. 
UNIT 30 
Lesson 59 : NORTH VERSUS SOUTH 
Situation : 
Advice to a friend from the southern U.S.A. who wants to work in your country. 
He/she should look for a job in Ho Chi Minh. City or in Hanoi where the working 
and living conditions are more developed and more suitable to foreigners. It is easier for 
him/her to apply for a position as the need for foreign employee is high. 
Talking point : 
Describe your idea of a good holiday. 
Useful words and expressions : 
Good weather meet interesting people admire picturesque nature 
see local performances/festivals taste local specialties 
good and safe journey fond memories enjoy the time 
Lesson 60 : THE LANGUAGE OF ARGUMENT 
Further practice : 
A. 1. Fat people are usually in jolly temperament. 
2. Thin people are normally in introspective temperament. 
Do other sentences similar to the two examples above. 
B. Complete the sentences 
1. Famous people are normally clever by heredity. 
2. Well -educated children are usually polite. 
Do other sentences similarly. 
C. Young people nowadays travel a lot. 
People with a lot of money are usually not happy. 
Cameras which are made in Japan are always expensive. 
Do all the exercises. 
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ASSIGNMENT 1 
Note : Record yourself when doing all these assignments. Listening to the records 
helps improve your speaking skills and track your progress. Each assignment should be 
done in 180 minutes. 
1. Formally introduce your parents to your acquaintances. 
2. Describe one of your friends. 
3. What would you like to ask to find out as much as possible about the following 
things or people : 
a house you might buy 
a large city you are first time 
a person you might want to study with 
a hotel you're going to stay in 
a job you might take 
a person you're falling in love with 
4. What's the best way to travel? Give your reasons. How about in your country? 
ASSIGNMENT 2 
1. You have just returned home from your holiday. Describe your trip and holiday 
to your friend. 
2. Your English/American friend is visiting you. Tell him/her as much as you can 
about the following things in your country : 
work clothes money entertainment 
travel religion family life education 
3. "Young couples should lead their own lives and not worry about their parents." 
Discuss. 
ASSIGNMENT 3 
1. Make as many propositions and counter-propositions as possible for the following 
statements : 
TV makes people lazy-is entertaining. 
Cars are dangerous-very useful. 
Travel by air is expensive-very fast. 
Taxis are expensive-very convenient. 
2. Talk to some out : 
if they have ever been to another city/foreign country 
what impresses them the most in that city/country 
which country in the world they would like to visit and the reasons why. 
3. What we need now is a Men's Liberation Movement! 
ASSIGNMENT 4 
1. You will introduce Guest Five to Guest Six. 
Guest Five : Jan Macdonald : a typist ; five children ; likes football 
Guest Six : Mike Jones ; a TV producer ; married ; likes football 
Give one piece of information at a time about each guest. 
2. Talk about you 
Do you like receiving letters? Do you like writing them? What does your post 
mainly consist of? Do you prefer to telephone friends or write to them? Why? Who do 
you find it difficult to write to? What sort of letters are difficult to write? 
3. Which local festival would you recommend a visitor to your country to see? Give 
your reasons. 
ASSIGNMENT 5 
1. Answer the following questions 
Which is the longest river in the world? 
Who is the richest in your country? 
Which is the highest mountain? 
Which means of transport is the safest? 
When is the happiest time in your life? 
When is the most miserable moment in your life? 
What subject do you like best at school? 
Which country has the most population? 
2. Make a conversation between a waiter/waitress with a group of diners. 
3. What things do you do to help the environment? What do other people do? What 
do you wish more people would do? 
ASSIGNMENT 6 
1. You live next door to your partner in an apartment building. Your partner is 
having a party and making a lot of noise. It is after midnight. You have an important 
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business meeting tomorrow and you can't sleep because of the loud music and laughter. 
Phone your partner and try to get him or her to stop the noise. 
Example : I would you would ask your friends not to make too much noise. 
I don't want to be unreasonable, but could you close all the windows as it is too 
noisy? 
2. Make a questionnaire to find out the characteristics of some of your friends. 
Example : You are working hard, concentrating hard. You're interrupted. Do you 
a. welcome the break? 
b. feel extremely irritated? 
c. vary between these two extremes? 
3. Desirability or not of living in the old days. Discuss. 
ASSIGNMENT 7 
1. Make questions for this menu 
Bill's Burger Heaven 
Drinks Juices Breakfast 
Soft Drinks Orange Fries 
Coca cola Apple Sandwiches 
Seven-up Fruit punch Salad 
Pepsi 
Example : What kinds of drink do you have? 
Act out a conversation between a sale assistant with a customer. 
2. Make 2 short biographies of 2 famous persons that you know. 
3. TV programs should be censored. 
ASSIGNMENT 8 
1. Interview your friends to find out 
a. their worst memories 
b. their best memories 
2. Answer the following questions 
Where do you think superstitions come from? 
List as many superstitions as you can think of (example : 13 is an unlucky number) 
Do you believe that your future is already determined or do you think you make 
your own future? 
3. Science and social development. Discuss. 
ASSIGNMENT 9 
1. Work with your friend. Tell him/her what your idea of a great summer vacation is. 
Look at the following suggestions for places and activities and add others of your own : 
 Type of place Activities 
the mountains sports : walking, bicycling 
the beach sightseeing : museums, natural wonders 
a big city socializing : dancing, going to nightclubs 
an out-of-the-way hotel or resort 
2. Talk to your friends to find out the best vacation they have ever had. What made 
it so much fun? What was your worst vacation? Why was it so awful? 
3. What makes a great vacation? Discuss. 
ASSIGNMENT 10 
1. What are some of the typical characteristics of the following types of film? 
a western a James Bond film a horror film 
a love story a comedy a documentary film 
a war film a criminal film 
2. What information might be left in messages left by the following people : 
a. wife to husband (she had to leave the house suddenly before he 
got home from work) 
b. teacher to student (teacher had a meeting and would be late for the class) 
c. visitor to friend (the visitor, who has stayed overnight, gets up late and leaves 
after the friend has gone to work) 
3. Advantages and disadvantages of computers. 
ASSIGNMENT 11 
1. What do you think? Answer the following questions : 
Do you think it's possible for everyone in the world to have enough to eat? 
Why or why not? 
What would have to be done in order to feed everyone? 
Do you think that people and the government of the world will do what is necessary 
to produce enough food in the future? 
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2. Talk to your friends about means of transport and fill in this table 
 Advantages Disadvantages 
Plane 
Train 
Car 
Bus ■ 
3. Your opinions of the movie industry in your country. 
ASSIGNMENT 12 
1. Read this help-wanted ad. You are interviewed for the position. What questions 
might the interviewer ask you? 
Assistant Manager 
Luxury hotel needs hard-working, ambitious individual for assistant night manager 
position. Must have pleasant manner and ability to deal with people and solve . Excellent 
working conditions, benefits, and career opportunities. Varied and interesting duties, lots 
of contact with people. Must type 60 words per minute. General bookkeeping, and 
managerial skills a plus. Hotels in 5 countries-opportunity for future transfer. Send 
resume' to Box 79024, Chicago, IL 60680 
2. Talk to some partners and find out 
If they are in good health 
If they pay much attention to fitness and health 
If they are good at looking after people when they are ill 
Some details about the last time he/she was ill or went to see a doctor 
3. Give advice which you think might help to keep people healthy 
ASSIGNMENT 13 
1. Use the following menu for role play activities between a customer and a cashier 
at a fast food restaurant. 
Ham sandwich $2.30 
Cheese sandwich $2.40 
Piece of pizza 90p 
Hamburger $3.20 
Ice-cream 80p 
Cup of tea 50p 
Coke 60p 
Orange juice 60p 
Mineral water 80p 
2. Talk to your partners and find out 
when they last ate in a restaurant and whether the meal was enjoyable 
what type of restaurant they most like and most dislike 
what they woud choose for a special birthday dinner 
what sort of foreign food they enjoy very much 
3. Which way of communication do you like best? Here are some ideas to start you 
off : postcard, telephone... 
ASSIGNMENT 14 
1. What do these sayings mean? 
When it rains, it pours. 
It's raining cats and dogs. 
April showers bring May flowers. 
Every cloud has a silver lining. 
Don't rain on my parade. 
2. Describe your country. 
3. Talk about the world climate in the year 2100. 
ASSIGNMENT 15 
1. Ask your partners the following questions. Add more information after your 
positive or negative answer. 
Example : Have you ever been to self service gasoline station? 
No, I haven't. It is illegal in my country. 
Yes. I have to but I didn't know how to put in the gas. 
Have you ever gone down in the wrong way on a one-way street? 
Have you traveled to a foreign country? 
Have you ever run a red light? 
Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket? 
Have you ever run over an animal? 
2. What are some of the typical characteristics of the following types of film? 
a western a horror film a love story a war film 
a comedy a documentary film a criminal film 
3. Your opinions on fears and phobias 
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ASSIGNMENT 16 
1. These words have something to do with making a journey by plane. Number them 
in the order in which you would have to use them to describe a flight. Give a short 
explanation for each of the words. 
to take off passport control seat belt 
runway check-in-deck boarding card 
security check airport bus passenger lounge 
aisle duty-free shop customs 
to land light attendant luggage reclaim 
emergency instructions packed meal or snack gate 
2. Talk to your partners and find out 
if they have flown before (if so, how many times and where to) 
what they like most about flying 
what they dislike most about flying 
how they compare flying with other ways of travelling 
3. Your opinions on travelling 
ASSIGNMENT 17 
1. What if you had been born a member of the opposite sex? 
How would your life have been different so far? 
What would have happened to you? 
What wouldn't have happened that has actually happened? 
How would your life be different now? 
2. What can you interpret from these news headlines? 
Theft of valuable painting from National Gallery 
Over 100 highway deaths last month 
Over 24,000 new businesses began last year 
Spacecraft discovers new planet beyond Pluto 
Mexico 
Manager accused of accepting bribes-forced to resign 
Missing airline found in jungle-survivors rescued by helicopter. 
3. Talk to your partners and discuss some important points you would include in a 
description of : 
a good employer a bad employer a good employee a bad employee 
ASSIGNMENT 18 
1. Interview a partner about his/her job (past, present, or imagined). Find out about 
the work he/she does 
the surroundings and facilities such as a canteen or sports club 
the advantages of the job 
the disadvantages of the job 
his/her colleagues at work 
2. Which jobs do you think would be so boring, so dangerous, so demanding 
or so unpleasant? Give reasons. 
3. Your solutions for unemployment. 
ASSIGNMENT 19 
1. You want to buy a second-hand car. Read this ad and ask many questions as 
possible. 
Buying a second-hand car 
Find out about : 
a. the price b. the distance traveled c. the age 
d. possibility of discount e. method of payment 
2. Answer the following questions : 
How do people in your country learn English? 
In what ways is English used in your country? 
3. Give your opinions on this : 
Everyone should learn a foreign language. 
ASSIGNMENT 20 
1. What are the important criteria for you when you buy clothes? 
Is there any article of clothing you don't like shopping for? 
Do you ever make mistakes when shopping for clothes? 
Compared with now, have you ever had a very different attitude towards clothes and 
fashion? 
2. Talk to your partners and find out their opinions on today's fashion in clothing, 
hair etc. 
3. Discuss this saying : 
New fashions in clothing are created solely for the commercial exploitation of 
women. 
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