1.Where do you live?
I live on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, in a district called Tan Phu, about 15 km from the city centre.
2.Do you live in a house or a flat?
I live in a 3 bedroom flat on the 11th floor of a big apartment building.
3.Who do you live with?
I live there with my wife and little baby son.
4.Is it a big place?
It’s pretty big for a flat. It has 3 large bedrooms, one for my wife and I and one for my son when he gets older. It also has a smaller bedroom that I use as a study and to store things in. The kitchen is small but it is part of a big open plan living room, so there is lots of space for the family.
5.How is your apartment decorated?
I don’t like lots of over the top decoration, so I guess you would describe it as minimalist. The walls are all white and the furniture is also either white or black. There are very few ornaments or pictures because again, I like to keep things quite minimal and I hate clutter.
6.Is there anything you would like to change about your flat?
I would like to have a big balcony. We have a sort of balcony at the moment, but we mainly use it for washing and drying clothes. It would be really nice to have some tables and chairs on a proper balcony, with maybe a few plants, so we could sit there in the evenings and relax.
7. Do you live in a house or an apartment?
I live in a semi-detached house with three bedrooms and a small garden.
8. Which room do you like most in your house? Why?
My favourite room is the kitchen because it looks out onto the back garden, and it's on the side of the house that catches the afternoon sun.
9. Is there anything about your house that you would like to change?
Well, it would be nice if it were a detached house so that we could have windows on the wall that we currently share with our neighbours.
10. Tell me something else about your house.
The previous owners converted the loft into an extra bedroom; that's the quietest room in the house, and the best place to go to do some work.
1.Where is your hometown?
My hometown is on the south-east coast of Northern Ireland. It’s called Dundrum and it’s about 1 hour south of the capital city.
2.What do you like about it?
It’s an area of outstanding natural beauty and for me, one of the most beautiful places of earth. It has everything; fantastic beaches, rolling mountains, dense forests and picturesque countryside.
3.What do you not like about it?
It can be a little bit boring because it’s really tiny. There are only a few small shops and a couple of pubs and that’s it! In the summer, it’s OK because you can enjoy the outdoors but it would be nice to have a few more indoor facilities for the winter.
4.How often do you visit your hometown?
Not as much as I should. I only get to visit about once a year now to see my family because I’m really busy with work and it’s quite far away, but I hope to visit more in the future.
5.What’s the oldest part of your hometown?
There is an old Norman castle that sits on top of the highest hill of the town. It’s a ruin now, but there are some breathtaking views from it and it’s easy to see why they chose that site for a castle, because you can see for miles around.
6.Do many people visit your town?
Thousands of tourists visit every summer. They come from the capital city mostly to get away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy the peace and quiet. There are more and more international tourists visiting because lots of scenes from the TV show ‘Game of Thrones’ were shot just outside the village.
7.Is there any way your hometown could be made better?
As I said before, the best thing about the town is its rural beauty and you can’t really improve that. If I had to say something, it would be to improve the roads, they are in a terrible state and cause a few car accidents every year.
8.How has your hometown changed over the years?
Since I was a child the town has almost doubled in size and population. It used to consist of just one main street, but now there are many new housing developments and apartments next to the water. With all these new people moving in, it has changed the character of the town a little bit, people are not as friendly as before.
9.Are there good transportation links to your town?
The public transport system consists of just buses that pass through the town on an hourly basis. One bus goes north to the capital city which is really convenient if you need to do any shopping and the other bus goes south where you can switch buses and go across the border to the Republic of Ireland, so you could say we have international transport links which is not bad for a little town like ours.
10.Would you recommend the town to people with children?
Yes and no. It is obviously a great place to bring up kids because there are so many things for them to do like swim in the sea, play in the forest and run on the beach. However, the good schools are pretty far away and I remember having to get up really early every morning to catch a bus to school that was 20 miles away.
11.Is there much to do in your hometown?
Oh yes, there's certainly lots to do there as it's a fairly big city. If you like going out in the evening there are a lot of good restaurants and bars. If you prefer cultural activities there are museums and art galleries. But if you like nature there are lots of other things outside of the city which are easy to reach.
12.What are the people like in your hometown?
They are mostly quite friendly, but as with most big cities everyone is often busy so it may seem as if they are not interested in speaking or having a chat. But if you live there you know that most people are quite happy to have a chat if they have time and will help you if needed.
1.What is your job?
I currently work as an office manager at a large marketing company. I've been in the job for about five years now. I'm usually assigned to work with a specific business in order to improve their sales through various marketing strategies.
2.How did you get this job?
Well, I am done my Bachelors in technology in Information Technology. So, during the last year, lot of companies came in for campus recruitment and I got selected at Infosys.
3.Do you have to work with other people?
Oh yes, all the time. It's a big office and we all have to work as a team if we want to achieve results. I have colleagues I need to liaise with such as the graphic designers and I also have administration staff who work under me. And of course I also have to work alongside the companies that we provide marketing for. So yes, I definitely have to work with other people.
4.What do you dislike about your work?
The only think that I really don’t like about being a software engineer is that apart from being a great job, it is not something very close to my heart. At hear, I am a writer, traveler and a reader. And I would definitely would want to do something near to it.
5.Do you think you will change jobs in the future?
Well, that's not something I'm thinking about at the moment as I really enjoy what I do and it's a really good company to work for. The pay is good and they have other good benefits such as flexi-time and end of year bonuses. But that said, change is always a good thing, so I can't see me being there forever. I'm sure I will change one day.
1.What are you studying at the moment?
I'm studying history at university. It's a four year course, and I started it three years ago, so I have just one year left. I'm enjoying it a lot so it will be sad to finish.
2.Why did you choose that major?
I was fascinated by being an auditor when I was in high school. At that time I was inspired by my cousin, who is an excellent auditor. To be a good auditor, I have to be good at accounting so I made a decision to study it in Hanoi University.
3.Is it a popular subject at your university?
Very popular, in fact it’s one of the most sought after courses. I think there are about 350 people reading law at Queen’s. I think lots of student’s parents want them to study law so they can get a good job after they graduate.
4.If you could change to another subject, what would it be?
I planned to study medicine, but then when I went on work experience I fainted at the first sight of blood, so definitely not that. I’m a real history buff and read books about World War 2 all the time, so I suppose it would have to be Modern History.
5.What do you like most about your studies?
We learn about many things from the past such as politics and wars, but I like learning about how people lived in the past the most. It's amazing to see how our lives have changed so much from the past up until now. In some ways our lives have got much easier now, but in other ways the simplicity of life in the past made people much happier. Learning about all that is fascinating.
1 How did your parents choose your name?
To be truthful, I’m not sure how they chose it; I’ve never asked them. I suppose it was just a name that they both liked, and maybe they thought it suited me.
2 Does your name have any special meaning?
I think it might do, but I don’t know what that meaning is; I’ve never looked it up. Maybe I’ll google it later today; you’ve made me curious to find out!
3 Is your name common or unusual in your country?
Yes, it’s quite a common name. I remember that there were two other people with the same name as me in my class at school.
4 If you could change your name, would you?
Not at all, I definitely wouldn’t. My name is part of my identity now, and it would feel strange to suddenly change it. I don’t think my friends and family would like that either.
5 What is your (full) name? Does your name have any special meaning?
My full name is Nguyen Thi Hong. My parents gave me that name.
In English, Hong means “Pink” which is a very bright color. So I guess my parents wanted to have a cheerful and successful life.
6 Have you ever changed your name?
I have never changed my name and I will not, even in the future. I am fond of this name and it is really meaningful to me since my parents must have considered a lot to give me that name.
7 Why do so many people change their name?
I am not sure about other countries but in Vietnam, I think most people change their names because these names are not really appropriate nowadays.
• Do your prefer rainy days or sunny days
Well, I really like sunny days because they are warm and bright, which pushes me to spend time outdoors doing all sorts of activities and soaking up the sun really gives me a lot of energy and optimism.
• What do you do on rainy days
Well, as rainy days make me feel sluggish and lazy, all I do is stay in bed all day long or indulge in a massage. I can also get immersed in a good book or watch some romantic movies.
• What do you usually do when it rains and you are outside
Oh, I really hate getting soaked to the skin. That’s is why if I am outside when it starts raining and don’t have an umbrella with me, I either take a taxi and go straight to the destination or run as fast as I can to the nearest shelter.
• Do you think rain is good
I wouldn’t say it always is, as too much rain can cause flash floods, destroy crops and make rivers overflow so that homes get flooded or swept away completely.
• How does rain affect life in your country
I think the right amount of rain brings much needed relief to farmers because it leads to an increase in crop yields and as a result, boosts the income of all the people engaged in agriculture.
• Is there any part in your country where it doesn’t rain much?
Definitely there is. I guess that the place that receives the least amount of rainfall in China is the desert area of Xinjiang.
• What activities do teenagers in your country like to do?
Well, they do anything that lets them enjoy their time, I guess, for example, doing shopping and hanging out with friends, watching online videos and meeting new people.
• Do you often spend time with teenagers?
Oh yes. I am an adolescent myself, so the majority of my friends are teenagers and we spend quite a bit of time together.
• What is the best part of being a teenager in your country?
Oh, I think it is having many possibilities, unlimited potential, no time boundaries, and feeling mighty, as a result.
• Do you like going boating?
For sure I like it. as it is a beautiful and enjoyable way to see some city or area or just enjoy the scenery that passes by.
• Have you ever travelled by boat?
Oh, dozen times, I guess. Boating is perfect way for me to unwind and reconnect in the natural environment. So, yeah, I always try to go on a boat trip while traveling near the water.
• Would you like to have your own boat?
Oh yeah, I would do it with pleasure. I think it is an excellent investment and also a great fun and one of the best way to draw a family together.
• Is boat trip popular in your country?
No, not really, because China’s railway system is so advanced that most people under most circumstances will chose it over boat travel. but the sightseeing by boat on Changjiang river is a fun journey for many.
• How often do you take the bus?
Usually only for special occasions. Like 3 times a month or so. This is because I prefer traveling by subway if I have to go somewhere.
•What do you do when you are on a bus
Oh, I just listen to music in order not to listen to conversations between people as more often than not people speak so loudly that you can’t help hearing everything they say.
• How good is the bus service where you live?
I wouldn’t say the bus service in my city runs like clockwork, but it is efficient, at least, compared to that in other cities in my country. There is an extensive network of buses and there are both short bus lines and long ones.
1.What kinds of meals do you like?
Oh, I adore different meat plates… My mouth is watering whenever I see roast beef, grilled chicken or pork chops… However, I don’t like to cook… That's why I often eat ready meals and take-aways.
2.Do you often dinner with your family or friends?
Well, I try to dinner with my family as often as possible… Unfortunately, I don’t have enough time for such dinners due to my busy schedule...
3.When do you usually eat dinner?
I usually have main meal at about 4 p.m. … I'm starving hungry by then and sometimes overeat myself...
4.Are there any fruits or vegetables you don’t like? Why?
Yes, there are… I’m not a fussy eater, but I really hate onions and seafood… I try to avoid meals that might contain these products…
5.And what is your favourite cuisine?
Well, I love French cuisine for its versatility and flavorful ingredients.... French cuisine has a variety of dishes, starting from their famous onion soup and ending with cheese fondue... Also, it rarely uses artificial ingredients or flavors.
• Do you read news
Of course I do. I often buy a daily newspaper on my way to work and then read it while have morning coffee to find out what is new.
• How often do you read news
Well, quite often, actually. It’s important for me to get updated information in order to be well-informed about what is going on in the area and in the world.
• Do you usually read local news or international news?
Personally, I give my preference to reading local news because it lets me know what the situation is like in the area, which in turn helps me make right personal and business decisions.
• Do you read news from newspaper or internet?
Well, I generally read news online because it is really easy to view the news just with a few clicks of a mouse and it doesn’t cost me anything.
• Do you talk about news with your friends?
Oh yeah, we do. The news is vital for us because it lets us not be disconnected from life. It is much more than just facts or information, which have an impact on our everyday actions and decisions.
1. Do you use computers very much?
Not regularly, I think, just to browse websites for the news everyday, actually sitting in front of the computer for a long time is harmful for my eyesight and physical health. Also, I feel headache when I look at the monitor over 30 minutes.
2. Have computers changed your life in any way?
Yes, computers have made considerable changes in my life. In fact, it improves efficiency at work. I can type words, figures or data through the keyboard of my computer, which is more efficient compared with handwriting. Furthermore, computers enrich my recreation activities and I can play video games or go shopping online.
3. Do you think computers are useful in everyday life?
Yes, it makes considerable changes to my life, like for example, I use it to connect to the Internet to communicate with friends through some instant messaging programmes, browse the web, download music and save them to my removable hard drive.
4. Do you think there are any disadvantages to using computers?
Yes, sitting in front of the computer screen for a long time has a detrimental effect on people’s health. You know, a sedentary lifestyle can cause some chronic diseases, like backache or something like that.
5. Computers are now used a lot in education. What do you think of this?
Computers may reduce efficiency and distract students’ attention. Without the supervision of parents and teachers, students may focus on playing computer games and getting addicted to it.
1.How many people are there in your family?
There are four. There's myself of course. Then there's my younger brother, he's fifteen years old. And I have my mother and father who are both in their late 70s. I have two grand parents as well, but they don't live with us.
2.Can you Tell me something about your family?
Well, I've got two older sisters and one younger brother, so I'm right in the middle. My mum and Dad are divorced and they're remarried. So, actually I have quite a lot of stepbrothers and stepsisters, so there are quite a few of us.
3.What kind of things do you and your family do together?
There’s a lot of thing that we do together. My whole family always gather at dinner and discuss various types of stuff. I often take advice on important things from my parents, and sometime my little brother too.
4.Do you prefer to spend time with your family or with your friends?
If I were to choose between the two, I’ll go with my family because in many ways, my family are my friends and they are the ones who will stay with me all my life, whereas I don’t actually meet my friends very often, you know although yeah sometimes I have more fun with my friends because they are closer to my age.
5.How are you getting on with your parents?
If you asked me that question when I was at junior high, it would be totally different point of view. I mean, my parents, they had a list of things that they thought I need to become, and that I need to better myself and all, always compared me to another kids but it’s just like the story of the last decade.
6.Is family very important to you?
Of course it is. Family is the most important thing in the world to me. It’s the only thing that never turns back on me and it’s really all I have in the long run. Once I grew up and moved out and away, I more realized how important they are.
7.Would you prefer to have a larger or smaller family?
Actually, I prefer my family remains unchanged coz it’s the best now. Although I also wanna live in an extend family then family members can support and foster each other but I’m a bit worried about generation gaps which might lead to some unnecessary arguments, you know.
8.How many family members does your family have?
I have a lovely family and my family is the most important aspect of my life. I am very close to my family members and they are my best friends, mentors and supporters.
9. Do you like to talk with your parents?
I find it difficult to talk with them at least now. My parents just try to convince me to follow their footsteps, becoming a businessman and woman that could run in the family, but I dream of being an educator. So, this “serious” topic has become so hot every time we talk but I often get bored and find the way to leave it.
10. What don’t you like about your brother or sister?
What I don’t like about my sister is that she always let herself getting into trouble at school like staying out late or just being lazy. So that makes my poor mother and I have to try to turn a blind eye to some of her behavior, but it wasn’t easy.
11. Would you say that your family affects your life very much?
I’d like to say that no one could influence as strongly on my life as my father, an businessman. I followed his footsteps and joined him on the family company. He enjoys showing me the ropes that’ll helps a lot when I’m going to run my own business.
1.How old were you when you started school?
My school is in the vicinity of my house.I went there when I was 6 years old, because it is not allowed to start school before than 6.
2.How did you get to school each day?
My school was just located near my home, so every day I walked to school with myself, or sometimes with my neighbours.
3.Tell me something about the school？
My school is called the Haiyang Elementary School, which was established 50 years ago in my hometown. The school was quite spacious as it was large but there were no many students. Besides, the teachers there were always kind-hearted and responsible for their teaching.
4.What subjects did you study in secondary school (=high school)?
There were many subjects we had to learn at secondary school, such as maths, English, physics, chemistry, history, geography, and so on. So you can see we had a heavy burden at that time.
5.Have you ever returned to see your old school again?
Yes, every time I go back to my hometown, I’d like to visit my old school and I’ll be very delighted to see how my school developed. I was really proud of it.
6.Can you describe yourself as a good student?
Well, overall I think I am a good student. ... I am not an eager beaver, nor the teacher's pet... but I'm good at scientific subjects and, most importantly, I like studying.
7.Do you study English now?
Yes, of course. I've taken an intensive course this year, where I've attend classes three times a week... And I plan on pursuing my studies in the future, too...
8.Did you enjoy/Do you enjoy studying at school?
I've never really liked school... I'm not a bookworm and a lot of humanities subjects seemed too boring to me. However, the workload was not too big... The other good thing about school is being able to see your friends. And fortunately, I had wonderful classmates.
9.What kind of school did you go as a child?
I have always gone to co-ed schools, right from primary to intermediate and it has helped me to be more comfortable while interacting with opposite sex.
1.Do you like jewelry?
I'm fond of collecting jewelry, but I rarely wear most of the pieces I own.I purchase jewelry on every trip as sentimental souvenirs.
2.What kind of jewelry do you wear the most?
i have no peferrence for any kind of jewelry, but. i have a long gold chain with a diamond cross on it that belonged to my grandmother that ive only taken off about 5 times since it was given to me.
3.Why some people like to wear jewelry
Today, people wear jewelry to express themselves. These days, everything in fashion is about being oneself, or about projecting one's personality. Jewelry is not exempt from this trend / motto. This is why there are eye-catching statement rings; and why reputable jewelry retailers accept custom-made orders.
4.Have you bought any jewelry?
yes, I'm fond of collecting jewelry. I bought beautiful Venetian glass bead necklaces and bracelets on a trip to Italy when I was thirteen.I then began purchasing jewelry on every trip as sentimental souvenirs. I also buy jewelry as gifts rather than picking up tee shirts or other items from tacky tourist shops.
5.Do you wear many jewels?
I don't wear too much jewelry but I wear studs and small hoops in my ears everyday and sometimes I wear small necklace.
6.Have you ever sent someone jewels?
yes, but only once,it is a purity ring on a silver chain and the giftee is my girlfriend.i bought it for her first birthday since we met.
1.what is the busiest part of the day for you?
From about 10 o'clock to noon. That is when i have to take care of my work and tings are a bit hectic.
2.What part of your day do you like best?
My favourite part of the day is late afternoon, because the day's work is coming to an end, I can go home, and i have the evening to look forward to, and the weather is generally pleasant and cool.
3.Do you usually have the same routine every day
Almost. I start my day with coffee, then rush to the train station to go to work and back home. Not too much room for flexibility when you work 9 hours a day and you are 12 hours out of the house. I dream of becoming a freelancer especially for this reason.
4.What is your daily routine?
In a typical weekday I have to wake up a bit early and revise my university lessons and then I rush to the university campus to attend the lecture. At around 2.00 pm I eat my lunch in the cafeteria and spent the whole evening in the library. After I return home at around 7.00 pm I spent my time in my study room and have my dinner with my family members. I watch a news channel for an hour and then get back to my room.
5.Do you ever change your routine?
I always want some changes in my life, so my routines also are constantly changing. I do not like to have mundane or routine set of activities each day, that would be boring. Also, having different patterns can keep others guessing about your whereabouts, just adds to the security factor!
6.Do you think it is important to have a daily routine?
Not really. I try to make each of my day a little different to the previous one, to keep me motivated and to add to the fun.
7.What would you like to change in your day to day routine?
I would like to get up earlier in the morning than I do now. Next, I would like to take up regular exercises in a gymnasium. Apart from that, I would like to leave office/ university early to walk in the park for an hour. Apart from that, my current daily routine is all good.
8.Are all your days the same?
Not really. For me, a day-off is quite different than the busy working day in every perspective. Apart from that different circumstances and events make the days different from each other. While Sunday is a day to spend time with my family members and to meet friends and play with them in the evening.
9. when time do you get up?
Well, let's see. Some days I wake up early. Maybe about 6 o'clock. Yeah, sometimes I wake up at 6 o'clock.When I get up early, I like to get ready for the day, take a shower and have breakfast. But other days, I don't like getting up early. Maybe I'll sleep in until 10:00 or 11:00.
1. Do you usually eat fruit and vegetables every day?
Yes, I do. I usually have bananas with my cereal at breakfast time, an apple for lunch, and sometimes I have melon or some other types of fruit after the main meal. I eat lots of vegetables each day as well because they’re good for me.
2. What kind of fruit do you enjoy the most?
I really love bananas because I enjoy the flavour and the fact that they are convenient to take to school, and they fill us up easily. They’re also healthy.
3. Did you enjoy the same type of fruit when you were a child?
No, I don’t think so. I used to hate peeling the skin of bananas, so I never really enjoyed eating them. Then, when I got a bit older, I changed my mind.
4. Do you prefer to eat fruit or vegetables?
Sometimes, I think I prefer vegetables because they are always part of the meal, not separate, so it’s easier to get enough vegetables to stay healthy. But then, fruit is so sweet and delicious. I guess I enjoy both fruit and vegetables equally.
5.Are there any fruits or vegetables you don’t like? Why?
Yes, there are… I’m not a fussy eater, but I really hate onions and seafood… I try to avoid meals that might contain these products…
6.Do most people eat vegetables in your country?
Yes, they do. Almost every meal has either rice or potatoes and also another vegetable as well, such as cabbage, carrots, green beans or something like that. Quite a lot of people have a small proportion of vegetables to meat but at least they always have some kind of vegetable with their meal.
7.Are there many vegetarians in your country?
Yes, quite a lot. Many people choose to avoid eating meat and their diet consists of both vegetables and grains. There are quite a few restaurants in my city which cater to vegetarians and offer the most wonderful dishes such as fried aubergine, spinach and potato, onion cakes and things like that. They’re actually very delicious.
1.Do you write many letters or emails?
Yes, I usually write e-mails. It is really convenient to use. Especially,when you need to write a long content to specify some things. Besides,Unlike letters,it can be sent and received quickly.
2.How often do you write an e-mail or a letter?
actually ,it is uncommon for me to write letters.But I would also write some postcards to my friends when I travel to some tourist attractions.
3.What do you usually write about?
I would say yes coz I am the monitor of my class so，at work，I need to write various kinds of emails to convey the pubic affairs of our college.And，sometimes,I will write emails to some companies to look for a part-time job.
4.What kinds of letter/email do you think is the hardest to write?
Break up letter is the hardest to write. Face to face hurts but writing a break up letter is hard to get started also it is hard to end. Also, feeling is hard to express in logic. Moreover, waiting for a reply is miserable.
5.What kinds of e-mail(or letter) you received that make you feel happy?
I will be ecstatic when I receive a handwritten letter. Most people don't receive personal letters anymore due to technology, so I am sure the letter will lighten my day up.
6.Do you prefer to write letters by hand or to use a computer?
Well,it depends. If I was writing a letter for my sweetheart it would be hand written. I feel there is something more personal about it. I would send it and maybe put heart-shaped paper works. And I feel the time you wait for a response is very special, like sweet pain. But otherwise I use email. It's just faster. If you are far from home then you wouldn't want to wait for 2 weeks for a letter. If it hadn't been for the long wait I would write letters. Waiting for people other than sweethearts is not fun.
7.Which do you more often write, emails or letters?
I send emails everyday but I only use a pen and paper to write letters to my grandparents who don't have a computer. Other than that, I e-mail everyone.
8.What are the differences between emails or letters?
It is just more personal and intimate for a handwritten letter but it takes more time to deliver and waiting for a letter is miserable. Emails are fast and effective, not sentimental but normal, so they are suitable for work.
9.Who do you usually write to?
I often write to catch up with my friends to talk about my life, in particular some interesting news. As well as that, I write to my teachers to talk about some problems of my study.
10.Is it hard to think of what to write?
Yes. I have no problem with having ideas and contents for writing but I am a terrible organizer. It is hard for me to write it in logic and clear. Also, it is hard to end a letter and email.
11.Do you think people will still write letters in the future?
No. Most people won't write letters due to technology. Emails are effective and convenient. Snail mails take a lot of time and no one likes to waiting. It seems sending email is more suitable in modern society.
1. Do you like history?
Yes. I love history very much. According to my first history teacher, there are many branches in history including war history, political history, economic, social, international and ancient. My favorite is the Chinese ancient history.
2. Do you think history is important?
Yes, of course. From history we can use knowledge of past events to study things that aren't currently happening. for example, we sometimes need to learn about war while we are still in peacetime. Also history helps us know how our culture is developed so that we get a better understanding of our present.
3. Does china have a long history?
Yes, definitely. China is one of the four great ancient civilizations. It has five thousand years of history during the Chinese ancient myth. Calculated from Qin Dynasty, the first united empire, it still has two thousand and two hundred years of history.
4. Do you think you can learn history from films or TV programs?
By some means yes. But I can’t agree with it completely. There’re many documentaries and forums dedicated to tell us about real history, meanwhile some films and TV series that tell stories in the past actually don’t have anything to do with history. Some audience might get confused or even misled by them.
5. Do you think the internet is a good way to learn about history?
Yes, I think so. We can get lots of information from the internet, including old photos and films, articles and books written by famous people and so on. All these are good ways to learn about history. And we can get them free instantly. With that we no longer need to buy tons of books or go to the library.
1.What is politeness in your opinion?
Mmmm… for me politeness is treating other people like you would want to be treated, and remembering to say please and thank you, that was something my grandmother always reminded me about.
2.When you were child who taught you to be polite?
My parents, and especially my grandmother, she was always telling me to say please when I asked for something and to remember to say thank you when somebody gave me something or did something for me.
3.Why is it important to be polite to people?
It’s one of those things that just makes life nicer, isn’t it? When people are polite, or courteous, it’s just nicer than if they’re not. It makes everyday activities better… if people weren’t polite then maybe we wouldn’t speak to so many different people every day or help people… or ask for help either.
4.Do you think people became more or less polite in your country compared to when you were a child?
I believe, people have become more of open minded, less formal and more bold in making statements. So, they tend to just say as it is. But, this does not necessarily mean that they don’t respect their parents or elders. I think the problem is that people are not able to express what they feel in a better way.
5. In your country’s culture, how do you show that you are being polite?
To start with, a simple but convincing indicator of good manners, in my opinion, is saying “thank you” to those who help us, “sorry” when we’ve done something wrong and “please” when we ask someone for a favor. What’s more, as you probably know, Vietnam is a hierarchical society, which means it’s crucial for the people here to be respectful of their seniors, by using honorifics for instance.
6.Are we less polite with members of our families than with people we don’t know?
I suppose it's normal to be a bit more relaxed about politeness with family members. Most people tend to speak in a more informal way at home; in the UK, we still say "please" and "thanks", but it's fine to use colloquial language and things like nicknames that you would never use with someone you didn't know.
7. Do you think we should be polite to those who are not being polite to us?
I remember reading somewhere that we should be pleasant to everyone, not because they’re nice, but because we are, and that “manners maketh man”. Just because someone is misbehaving doesn’t necessarily mean we should act as badly in return. There’s no point of downgrading our manners! This only makes other people look down on us.
1.Are there many advertisements in your country
Yep,advertisements in my country are prevalent. Specifically, in the crowded place such as the bus or on the business streets, you can always contact advertisements.
2.Why do you think there are so many advertisements now?
Whether you do like them or not, whenever and wherever it's possible that you can meet them. For biz sellers, ad could be very helpful to promote their products. For audience, ads might show some latest information. To buy or not to buy, to be fond of or not, all depend on your decisions.
3.What are the various places where we see advertisements?
Today, media is so blatantly filled with advertising: TV, radio, magazine, newspaper, billboards. Even more pathetic when I recently watched a 16 second clip with a two-minute commercial without the option to skip. I think many advertisements are brain-washing us.
4.How do you feel about advertisements?
I would say I enjoy some of them coz they are creative and stimulating.But it‟s true that When we watch TV, most of them always disturb the fun of enjoying the programs. Besides the information they bring us always are misleading.
5.Have you ever bought anything because of the advertisement ?
Yes, some advertisements have attracted me to buy the products. When the products they introduce are really attractive and I do need this goods, I usually choose to buy it.
6.Do you like advertisements?
I would say I enjoy some of them coz they are creative and stimulating.But it‟s true that When we watch TV, most of them always disturb the fun of enjoying the programs. Besides the information they bring us always are misleading.
1.Do you like sunny days?
Yes，well，It depends,I sweat a lot in sunny days ,but in winter ,it gives me a warm feeling and put me in a good mood for the whole day .I really like the feeling when seeing the sunshine through the window in winter .It is fantastic!
2.What do you like to do when it' s a sunny day?
Well, on sunny day. I can do some outdoor activities such as swimming, camping, hiking or have a bbq with my friend in the park or even flying kite with my little cousin.
3.Would you like to stay at home or go outside when the weather is great?
Personally, I prefer going outside. Especially in summer, I like to go to the beach and I can swimming in the sea and lie down on the soft sand ,enjoying a wonderful sunbath and the nice view of the sea and sky.
4.Are there many sunny days in your hometown?
The weather is quite extreme in my hometown, actually. I mean in spring and summer, there are many sunny days, and it’s scorching. While in autumn and winter, it's always rainy and freezing cold.
1.What transport are there in your city ?
People in my city go to work or travel by bus. taxi or city train. The most popular one is motorcycles. People cannot ride bikes as my city is hilly and the roads are bumpy.
2.Why do so many people in China ride bikes ?
People in China like to ride bikes because bikes are cheap to buy easy,easy to ride and convenient to use.People always ride bikes to some places which are not far away,and they think it is the best way to reduce traffic congestion.Most people,even the young and the old,can freely ride bikes to go where they want.
3.How do you think the traffic condition could be improved?
I thunk most people are trying to find the answer as the traffic conditions are getting worse and worse in many cities. In my opinion,to develop public transportation, encourage bike riding and improve road construction are very important to relieve traffic congestion.
4.Do you think transportation costs(gasoline, subway, bus and taxi fares,etc.) are expensive in your hometown?
I think the transportation costs in my hometown are very cheap the bus fare. To relieve traffic congestion,the local government has perfected the public transportation system ， and has made the prices acceptable to all. At about one or two yuan every time,you can travel around most of the city. So many people get around by bus.
5.Describe the advantages and disadvantage of saloon cars.
Saloon cars provide people with an easy and convenient way to travel at a low cost. With the development of the public transport system, it is possible to get to most places in the city by saloon cars. However, during rush hours saloon cars can be very crowded-and sometimes, because of the traffic congestion.
6.What do you think of walking? What kind people do you think like walking?
I find walking a very easy and effective exercise to keep the body healthy.According to a report,proper amount of walking exercise can be beneficial to our heart and lungs. About what kind of people like walking. I guess they're the people like me who find doing sports too hard.
7.What do you think about public transportation?
Public transportation is the main part of the city transportation. It is beneficial for the environment and can even offer quicker and cheaper option. People can get the destination by spending only very little money and without worrying about the scarce parking space which are required when they drive their own cars.
1.Are your friends mostly your age or different age? Why?
Most of my friends are my age and I have a few friends who are senior to me. The reason I have friends of my age is because they were mostly my classmates initially and then became my good friends. Majority of my friends are from my high school and college and that naturally make them to be my age.
2.Do you prefer one or two close friends or many friends?
When I was in my early teenage, I preferred many friends but nowadays I have few friends but they are very close to me. So I would say, I prefer having few close friends than having too many ordinary friends.
3.Do you usually see your friends during week or at weekends? Why?
I usually see my friends during weekends. Week days are busy days and after I get back home in the evening, I prefer to stay at home with my family members.
4.Do you prefer to stay alone or with your friends?
I usually prefer to be with my friends. However there are times when I need my personal time and in this case I prefer solitude rather than companies.
5.The last time you saw your friends, what did you do together?
Well, we played badminton together and had our dinner in a nearby restaurant. That’s the last thing I can recall doing with my friends and that would about a week ago.
6.What do you prefer: going out with your friends or spending your spare time staying at home?
That depends. Sometimes I prefer being with my friends and sometimes I prefer staying at home with my family members. I try to maintain a balance in terms of spending time with my friends and with my family. For example, while playing any outdoor sports, I prefer going out with friends.
7.Do you have many friends? Why? Why not?
As I've already said, I had many friends when I was in my high school. But these days I have comparatively fewer close friends.
8.Are friends as important to you as family?
To me my family is more important. However, this does not make my friends less important to me. Naturally family comes first for almost everybody and then the friendship. I am no exception.
9.What do you expect from a good friend?
Well, that’s a tough question! Not that I have not thought about it, but I have never drawn a solid conclusion about it! Umm, my expectation from a good friend is that he would be a good companion, good listener, would criticize me whenever needed, would be supportive and positive. He must be honest and would have a sense of humour.
1.Which do you prefer, reading newspapers or magazines?
I would say I prefer newspapers. Newspapers in just ten or eight pages give you a glimpse of the entire world, including all the sections. From fashion to the general news to comics to sports to almost everything. In just one newspaper, you have access to the entire world.
2.What type of stories do you like to read about?
I love reading autobiographies and non-fiction. Autobiographies because they give a glimpse of lifestyle of a very successful person. You get to know them when they were the mango people and what they did to become what they became.
3.Have you ever read a newspaper or magazine in a foreign language? [When/Why?]
Yes, all the time. I lived in another country for several years, so reading in a foreign language was a normal activity for me, not just newspapers and magazines, but all kinds of documents and literature. I still do it to maintain my reading skills.
4.Do you think reading a newspaper and magazine can help you learn a language?
Yes, but it depends on your language level. If you are just beginning to learn a language then it can be very difficult and frustrating – certainly not the best way to try and learn a foreign language .
5.Why do you think some people prefer magazines to newspapers?
I think the reason might be that magazines are more specific. So, for example if I am interested in reading about like sports, then a magazine will offer me better articles and more specific, to be concise. It also de clutters all the things that one does not wants to read.
6.Which magazines and newspapers do you read (why)?
Answer A) I prefer reading magazines on travel. Being a travel host, it is very important for me to know about more places and understand them theoretically, before taking on my camera and team along side. Travel magazine also help me to understand the perspective of the other person for a same place that I have also visited. Apart from it, I like fashion magazines as well. Not for the reasons of fashion, I find them good entertainer when one wants to just spend time idly.
Answer B) I only read magazines and newspapers if I’m waiting someplace and they are there, and there is no other alternative. Most of the time, I prefer doing something on my phone. But, either ways, I like to read sports magazine. Cars and their engines excite me for the most part. I mean, there are fantastic cars out there and in magazines, a perfect description is given. Newspapers, I rarely read. I prefer getting the news on either phone or television.
1.How do children celebrate birthdays in your country?
Children are fond of parties and lovely gifts. Also they like celebrate it with friends like getting together and have a great meal.
2.How did you celebrate your last birthday?
My last birthday was held in a restaurant. I invites my best friends and We had birthday cake, sang and danced together. My parents and my friends gave me some nice and beautiful presents.
3.What kinds of birthday gifts do you like to receive?
I'd like to receive some intellectual gifts, such as electronic dictionary, notebook computer and so on.
4.Is there a difference between the way you celebrated your birthday in the past and in the present?
Sure, I think there's a big difference. When I was a child, my parents always prepared a birthday party for me, and we sang birthday song and ate birthday cake together. But now I seldom celebrate my birthday and sometimes I even forget it, because I'm so busy and I have no time to celebrate it.
1. Do you usually do any housework?
Well, I live alone, so I need to do all the chores by myself to keep my room clean and tidy. I sweep the floor every night, no matter how tired I am on that day. Also, I often do the laundry on Saturday and do some grocery shopping on Sunday.
2. Do you like to do housework?
Sure, I’m a tidy person and I love to keep everything in apple-pie order, so I have a rigid routine to do my household chores. Actually, I usually spend my Saturday afternoon finishing all the cleanings, including mopping the floor and cleaning the windows to keep my home in the best shape.
3. What housework do you least like doing?
Actually, I hate wiping the tub, it takes plenty of time for me to finish washing it. It takes up all my energy to clean the tap, tub mat, and water pipes. Sometimes I really don’t know why my parents always want to take a bath instead of a shower!
4. Do you think it’s important for children to do some housework?
I guess, yes, doing household chores, like make their own bed, keep their toys in order can help kids learn to be a responsible person. It’s really a good start for them to do a task, and then change to be a habit of a lifetime.
5. Have there been any changes in the housework people do?
Well, thanks for the advancement of technology, there’re more household gadgets, like the vacuum cleaner, micro-oven and so on to make housework become an easier task than it used to be decades ago.
1.Do you think you could be a teacher?
I don’t think I am suitable to be a teacher, I am not a patient man and cannot bear to repeat the same things frequently. Teachers’ job is really boring to me, you have to make your explanations as easy as possible for students to fully understand. It is a challenging job, I am afraid I cannot do it.
2. Do you have a favourite teacher?
My favourite teacher was my physics teacher whose name was Mr. Zhang in my middle school. He was the most influential teacher I had ever had. He told us a lot of physical background knowledge to encourage and motivate us because physics was quite complicated for us. I still remembered that he frequently gave us articulate speeches that the physics was the gymnastics for the brain, which inspired my enthusiasm to learn it well.
3.What are the qualities of a good teacher?
I should say a good teacher is one who always is well prepared for the class. And I guess if the person has a good sense of humour that would help because, you know, boring, ah, session, nobody would sit in the class, you know, hours after hours.
4.Should teachers use discipline in the classroom?
Coming from where I, um, am, I think yes, teachers should discipline students. In Korea, students would respect the teachers. My mum’s generation was more so, and my mum had to say one day, she thought teachers don’t eat, don’t go to the toilet, they are demi-Gods and wouldn’t even step on the shadow of the teacher, because you respect the teacher so much. But I don’t think same kind of respect is here and students sometimes misbehave during class hours and I just find it hard to understand.
5.Do you want to be a teacher someday?
Umm! not really. I have not given it that much thought. But among my many career plans, entering in the teaching profession is not the one that ever attracted me.
6. Why people choose to become teachers?
People mostly choose to be teachers because this is the profession which is praised across the world. People always pay proper respect to a teacher regardless of geographical location. Moreover, when the knowledge is spread among the students, the teachers receive an unimaginable pleasure.
7.What kind of person makes a good teacher?
Teaching is considered as the best profession in the world. The teachers help the students to grow. So, to be a good teacher, one needs to be sincere and punctual. Moreover, vast subject knowledge is also required or you cannot share knowledge with your students. Behaving gently with the students is also a standard to be a good teacher.
1.How much do you know your neighbours?
To be honest,my neighbours and I only have a nodding acquaintance We don't really communicate that often because there are not many common activities to do together in my neghbourhood.
2.Do you think neighbours should help each other?
Absolutely, neighbours are the people who live just next door to you.If you have any kind of emergency,they are the people that actually will jump up and give a hand to you. In this regard,neighbours should help each other.
3.Do you see your neighbours often?
Not really. My neighbours are all busy businessmen.I don't see them too often.I probably only see them twice a week in the corridor.
4.Do you get along with your neighbours?
Yes, I really respect my neighbours. There are not any problems between us. In China,we have an old saying that goes like this,"a far-off relative is not as helpful as a near neighbour". From that old proverb you can see people really respect their nelghbours in Chinese culture.
5.What would be the problem between you and your neighbours?
There is not really a problem between my neighbours and me. If I had to mention one,I would say it would be the amount of noise I hear from them. One of my neighbours always likes to play music really loud.Sometimes, it can be disturbing. Apart from that,everything else is fine .
1.How do you manage (or, organize, or plan) your time?
版本1：I normally use an app on my iPhone which allows me to program all the events I have for the week and their duration and then I know roughly how much time I have ans when I have to be someplace at a certain time on a certain day and so on.
版本2：As I said, I don't have any specific system in place to manage my time. For example, if I am at work and I have a lot of cases, I just go through them each day and decide which I need to tackle first. At work we do have an online diary which I guess I use, so in that sense I do manage my time to an extent.
2.Would you say you manage (or, organize) your time well?
版本1：Generally speaking, yes. I'm usually quite busy during the week so I need to be well organised, but on weekends I'm normally a bit more relaxed about how I use my time.
版本2：Actually I'd say I'm not too good! I don't really have a system in place to organize things. I know some people have an electronic organizer or use some device to plan what they are doing but I don't do that. But I always make sure I am on time for appointments and things like that, and I meet deadlines and get things done.
3.When is it most important for you to manage your time?
I think it is probably when you are at work. When out of work, it's not really going to affect things too much, or at least only yourself, if you are late to meet friends or for an appointment, or if you are getting things done in your house. But at work, it will cause problems if you don't manage your time effectively because you could miss deadlines or miss appointments. You could lose your job. So at work is when it is most important to manage your time.
4.Do you find it hard to manage your time?
I used to, a few years ago, and in fact I didn't do much planning, but as I got busier it became more important to be better organised, so I really made an effort to learn about time management and that's when I started using the app I told you about - that's what made the difference for me, and since then it's just become a habit, so now it's easy.
5.Where did you learn how to organize your time?
I taught myself really, just by reading some articles about time management and trying to find a way of doing it that suited me. It took a bit of time to get used to being disciplined about it, but eventually it became normal for me.
6.How do you think you could better manage your time?
At the moment, I really don't think I could. I mean, I organise all the things I have to do and try to optimise my time between work and studying and it works well for me - so I can't really think how I could improve on what I'm doing just now...but if I had some extra hours in the day, I'd probably plan those as well in the same way.
7.Do you think it's useful to plan your time?
Generally, yes, because you can get more done in the same time. But it's important to have some time free when everything's not planned, that's usually how I treat my weekends as long as there's nothing particular I need to do. I tend to be more relaxed about what I do or when I do it. I don't think it's a good idea to be clock watching all the time - you need some periods of time when you don't have things organised and can just go with the flow.
8.Are you ever late for anything?
Very rarely, it almost never happens nowadays.
9.If you had more time, what would you do with the extra time?
I'd probably use it to relax more and maybe do some kind of activity, maybe a sport or something like that to do something different, or learn something new.
1. Do you like travelling?
You bet! I am a big fan of travelling around. I spend months all together each year to go somewhere else. I feel that it’s not only an indispensable part of my life, but also can culture my mental development.
2. In which seasons do you prefer to travel?
I guess the autumn is the best time to travel, as it is neither too hot nor too cold, people will feel comfortable to go out. Besides, as the foliage of trees will turn yellow or red, you will find the picturesque views all around you. Wherever you go, you will experience a memorable trip.
3. Would you say your country is a good place for travellers to visit?
Yes, Chinese people are renowned for their hospitality to visitors. And there are also numerous tourist attractions around the country. For instance, you can visit the natural landscape to see the picturesque views, or you can go to the historical relics to know the events through the long Chinese history, or you can just stay at the metropolises to experience the local people’s lifestyle.
1.Do you play any indoor activity ?
I like to play badminton, which is usually played indoors.
2.Do you prefer to play indoor activity or outdoor activity ?
I actually prefer outdoor activity, as I love to be in the fresh air, but the weather is not always appropriate for playing outside, so I do quite a few indoor activities, such as badminton and I go to a gym.
3.What indoor activity did you play when you were a child?
When I was a child, I liked to play basketball, I was not very good, but I used to enjoy playing with my friends
4.Is there any particular indoor activity that you liked (when you were a child)?
Yes, I liked basketball, and table tennis. We had a table in our house, and my brother and I liked to play together.
5.What sorts of indoor games do children play now?
Nowadays, children do not play as much sport as in the past, and many like to sit at home and play computer games.
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