Topic 31- 40

TEST 31
I like to go shopping at a supermarket. Why?
I like to go shopping at a supermarket because of the following reasons:
The supermarket is large, comfortable and conveniently-located. It takes me only a few minutes to walk there from my house. I usually don't have much time for shopping, so I have to buy things according to a plan, or from a shopping list. At this supermarket I can buy exactly what I need very quickly because everything is placed on open shelves. All I have to do is (to) choose whatever I want and take it to the check-out counter.
Apart from that, I don't have to bargain over prices before buying, yet. I'm never afraid of being overcharged for anything. Goods are sold at fixed prices and the supermarket guarantees the things we buy. Should the items become faulty, the supermarket will either have them replaced or repaired for free.






TEST 32
The birthday present you bought for your mother
I always have a difficult time choosing original birthday presents. My imagination never seems to go beyond ties, handkerchiefs or pairs of socks. But strangely enough, it didn't take me long to decide on my mother's birthday present. For the first time in my life I had a good idea - I would buy her a gas stove which I thought would make her happy.
As a housekeeper of a large family, my mother had to toil hard over her bulk of housework. Among her household tasks was the cooking, which took a lot of her time. The cooking was done by means of burning firewood or compressed coal, which usually emitted a lot of smoke. This was affecting my mother's health. With a gas stove she could save a lot of her time as well as her health.
Since I bought her this gas-stove, my mother has had some free time to relax and her health has improved a lot. I felt very happy that the birthday present I bought for my mother was of great service to her.





TEST 33
Describe New Year celebrations in your country
Every year towards the middle of the twelfth lunar month everybody is eager to welcome New Year.
They all have their houses whitewashed and decorated beautifully. They buy new clothes for their children and get everything ready for Tet.
On the thirtieth night of the twelfth lunar month when the clock strikes 12, the New Year actually takes place of the old one. All houses are well-lighted and they're busy making offerings to their ancestors. Children, in their new clothes, wish longevity to their grandparents, parents and are looking forward to receiving some money put in small red envelopes.
On New Year’s Days, the Vietnamese usually eat square and cylindrical glutinous rice cakes and water-melons or crack water-melon seeds and enjoy some special foods. On these days they often pay visit to each other and wish each other a Happy New Year. During New year's Days they avoid talking nonsense and often go to churches, pagodas and temples to pray for a lucky and Prosperous New year.
Vietnamese Tet lasts about a fortnight after that they're ready to resume work as usual.



TEST 34
Describe the advantages of living in the country and the disadvantages of living in the city.
Although I've spent most of my life in the city, I always prefer to live in the country rather than in the city.
First, living in the country we can enjoy fresh and pure air all year round whereas the city atmosphere is seriously polluted.
Second, we can live a safe and peace full life in the country while townsfolk are often obsessed with sudden deaths caused by careless drivers and fool hardy motorcyclists.
Third, nothing can be compared with beautiful sceneries at dusk and at dawn in the country side. They help us relax wonderfully after a hard day's work while the debaucheries in prostitute houses in beer shops and dancing-halls are ruining townspeople's body and soul.
Four, nowadays, with the extensive electricity network, country life isn't less comfortable and civilized than town life.
In a word, we can enjoy the clean atmosphere, the closeness to nature and the gentle pace of living in the country whereas the city life with its evil influences spoils and poisons townsfolk's minds.




TEST 35
Describe your English teacher
My English teacher is Miss Loan. She's of medium height, about twenty five of age. She's fairly pretty with her oval-shaped face, straight nose, large forehead and bright eyes. Though young and attractive in appearance she's dignified and virtuous.
She's known to be a teacher of considerable ability. Her method of teaching differs somewhat with that of our former teacher. Instead of explaining fully every new lesson beforehand she just gives us assignments and let us work out ourselves. Thus her methods of teaching correspond to all of us and help us become active in our English learning.
When teaching, she particularly pays close attention to English accent and pronunciation. She often makes us pronounce an English word several times until it's pronounced correctly and accurately. She always encourages us in our English study and thanks to her devotion to teaching us, we have been making a rapid progress.
Everyone in our class is now talking about our new English teacher who deserves our love and respect.




TEST 36
Describe the career you have chosen, and the reasons for your choice
The choice of a career is of the utmost importance. It determines one's whole life. As for me, after careful consideration, I want to become a construction engineer.
In our country, after long years of atrocious war, many houses, villages, bridges and roads were destroyed by bombing They all need to be repaired or rebuilt. After graduation, I'll contribute my part to the reconstruction of my war torn country into one of the most modern and powerful countries in the world.
How happy I feel when I am able to turn slum areas into blocks of high buildings, to bring happiness and joys to my poor compatriots!
How proud and delighted I am to build high-ways, bridges and factories for my city dwellers by the sweat of my brow'






TEST 37
Describe your native village and state your reasons why you love it
Although my village is small, it's very beautiful and lovely.
My village is divided into 4 hamlets which are directed and supervised by heads of hamlet who are m charge of and responsible for the activities of their hamlet.
In the middle of the village stands an ancient pagoda where the villagers gather to make offerings to the God of Agriculture on the 15th day of the first lunar month. On the left flows peacefully a blue and clear river where I used to take a swim on hot days when I was young.
Almost the houses in my village are built on high ground to avail floods in the rainy season. The villagers live chiefly on agriculture. All year round they cling to their soil, thinking of the best ways to force their soil to produce more food and vegetables to their families. They get rich owing to their creative work and industriousness. The harvest time is the merriest and busiest season of the year.
How I love my native village! It's in this nice and lovely place that I was born and have grown up and spent wonderful days of my childhood. It's the cradle, the paradise of my whole life!




TEST 38
Write about a holiday you took. Give details.
My friend and I recently went on a four-day holiday to Nha Trang. It was wonderful to escape the air and noise of Ho Chi Minh City.
We took the night train and we were gently lulled to sleep by the sound of the train and the pleasant night air. We arrived in Nha Trang early the next morning and checked into the Grand Hotel which is very near to the beach, restaurants and nightlife. The hotel offered all kinds of accommodation-from first class to economy. The staff was friendly and extremely helpful to us. They recommended a few tours which we took and we were not disappointed with. On the beach we ate fresh seafood such as boiled crabs, grilled lobsters and sanguine oysters. Nha Trang was clean and quiet, making our holiday very peaceful, restful and unforgettable.







TEST 39
Tell about the pollution in our city and how to solve it
The pollution of air, water and land in our city with such pollutants as smoke, industrial and household waste is getting worse and worse. It has reached intolerable levels. The-amount of carbon monoxide (CO) of the air now far exceeds the accepted limit. As a result of this, the health of every citizen here is being jeopardized alarmingly.
To solve the problem of pollution I think the government should relocate the factories outside the city limits and penalize people for littering, especially for relieving themselves in the streets. I also think there should be stronger controls on vehicles emitting pollutants. Apart from these measures, the government should establish more factories to recycle garbage, which is probably the best way of disposing of household waste. Then the masses should be mobilized to tidy up their houses and the streets where they live, to grow trees and plants into forests to preserve their environment. Only then can the pollution be diminished.





TEST 40
How do you spend an evening when it rains?
Evening is the time when I've finished a day of hard work and deserve a good rest. I usually go out either to see a film or visit my friends to discuss current events and inquire about each other's school work.
However, I'd rather not go out but stay (at) home when it rains. When at home, the first thing I'd like to do is to put everything in my study room in order. Then I invite my next-door neighbour to come over with his chessboard for a couple of chess games. This helps settle me down until dinner time. Sometimes I want to be alone in my room to read funny stories, listen to good music or simply to the sound of the rain beating on the outside. Once in a while my grandfather will contribute his share to these indoor activities of mine by telling me and my younger brothers and sisters stories about well-known characters in our national history. We all like to hear about these famous people's good works in literature, good deeds in cultural and social activities, and especially feats of war.
In spite of all the things I try to do to while away my time when it's impossible for me to go out in the evening because of the rain. I always find it dull. So I think I should embark on an indoor hobby to occupy myself on such evening as these.