CAM 20 SPEAKING TEST 1
PART 1
🔷 Topic: Fruits
1. What’s your favourite fruit?
Well, I’m a big fan of ripe mangoes. They’re not too sweet and not too sour, which makes them perfect in my book. And when they’re just right, they melt in your mouth — honestly, it’s amazing. Growing up, I didn’t always have fancy snacks, so mangoes were like a small treat that reminded me of my childhood.
🔹 Từ vựng hay & nghĩa tiếng Việt:
- ripe mangoes – xoài chín
- not too sweet and not too sour – vị vừa phải
- melt in your mouth – tan ngay trong miệng
- a small treat that reminded me of my childhood – món ăn vặt gợi nhớ tuổi thơ
2. Are there any kinds of fruit that you don’t like eating?
Yes, I really don’t like durian. I know it’s popular in Southeast Asia, but to me, it tastes like old socks mixed with garlic. Some people love it, but I just can’t stand the smell. So yeah, durian is probably my least favourite fruit.
🔹 Từ vựng hay & nghĩa tiếng Việt:
- durian – sầu riêng
- tastes like old socks mixed with garlic – mùi vị kinh khủng (nói hài hước)
- my least favourite fruit – trái cây tôi ghét nhất
3. Do you like eating cooked food that has fruit in it?
Sometimes, yes. I love sticky rice with mango, which is super popular in Thailand. But I’m still not sure how I feel about pineapple on pizza. It’s strange but kind of okay. I’ve also tried hotpot with apples, and even putting a lemon inside a chicken before baking. It actually makes the food taste much better.
🔹 Từ vựng hay & nghĩa tiếng Việt:
- sticky rice with mango – xôi xoài
- pineapple on pizza – dứa trên pizza (gây tranh cãi)
- hotpot with apples – lẩu với táo
- lemon inside a chicken – nhét chanh vào bụng gà
- taste much better – ngon hơn nhiều
4. Where’s the best place to buy fruit where you live?
I usually go to local markets — you can get really fresh fruit at a good price. Sometimes I see bananas wrapped in leaves or even grapes wrapped in tree leaves, which is kind of cool. And if I want something special like lychee or watermelon, I go to the supermarket and buy in bulk. These days, thanks to greenhouse technology, we can eat tropical fruit all year round. So seasonal fruit is not a problem anymore.
🔹 Từ vựng hay & nghĩa tiếng Việt:
- local markets – chợ địa phương
- fresh fruit – trái cây tươi
- bananas wrapped in leaves – chuối gói trong lá
- buy in bulk – mua số lượng lớn
- greenhouse technology – công nghệ nhà kính
- tropical fruit all year round – trái cây nhiệt đới quanh năm
- seasonal fruit is not a problem anymore – không còn bị giới hạn mùa vụ
PART 2
Describe a time when you changed a plan you had made
You should say:
- what your original plan was
- why you changed it
- what new plan you made
- and explain how you felt about changing your plan
Answer
Alright, so this happened last year, and it was honestly one of those moments where you feel like the universe is testing your patience — and your wallet.
My original plan was to travel with a close friend of mine to Phu Quoc Island for a quick summer getaway. I’d spent months on end planning the trip, comparing prices, crafting the itinerary, booking flights and accommodations — it was a full-blown personal endeavour, filled with time, effort, and a fair bit of excitement.
But then — disaster. Just a day before the flight, my friend called and said she was feeling under the weather. Turned out, she had tested positive for COVID. And that’s when everything just… collapsed. I went from cloud nine to the bottom of my emotions — never in my life had I felt sadder. I was heartbroken and panicked at the same time because I knew I had to put an end to the very plan I’d crafted so carefully.
I had about 2 hours to make up my mind and cancel the whole thing — otherwise, VietJet Air would’ve happily charged me extra for no-show tickets. I made a few calls to see if there was any chance I could rectify the situation, maybe reschedule or get a refund. No luck — it was a fruitless endeavour, even though I tried pulling every string I could.
I even tried to prescribe her some anti-COVID meds from a friend of mine who’s a doctor — just to boost her immunity, or maybe quarantine her in a separate room, but no dice. She was hospitalised and isolated immediately.
So I had to wing it. In one night, I came up with a new plan: no beach, no island, just me wandering alone around Vinhomes Central Park. Yeah — not exactly the dream trip, but it was better than nothing, and at least it complied with Vietnam’s social distancing regulations.
Looking back, I felt a bit down, but I also learned to play it by ear when life throws curveballs. Sometimes, your best plans fall apart — but hey, that just opens the door for unexpected memories.
🔹 Từ vựng hay & nghĩa tiếng Việt:
- months on end – suốt nhiều tháng liền
- personal endeavour – hành trình cá nhân (tốn thời gian, công sức)
- bottom of my emotions – tụt mood, chạm đáy cảm xúc
- never in my life had I felt sadder – chưa bao giờ tôi buồn như vậy
- put an end to the very plan I’d crafted – hủy bỏ kế hoạch mình đã chuẩn bị kỹ càng
- make up my mind – đưa ra quyết định
- VietJet Air… charged me extra – hãng hàng không tính phí cao
- rectify the situation – sửa sai, cứu vãn tình thế
- fruitless endeavour – nỗ lực vô ích
- pulling every string I could – dùng mọi mối quan hệ, cố gắng hết cách
- prescribe her anti-COVID meds / boost immunity – cho thuốc tăng đề kháng
- wing it – tự chế, tự xoay
- came up with a new plan – nghĩ ra kế hoạch mới
- not exactly the dream trip – không như mình mong đợi
- comply with regulations – tuân thủ quy định
- play it by ear – tùy cơ ứng biến
PART 3
1. What kinds of plans do friends make together?
Well, anything from planning a wild summer trip to starting a business from scratch. Friends tend to test your limits — they push you to be bold, take risks, even if that means pouring oil into the fire. I mean, you’re more likely to wing it with friends than with your parents. That said, the plan’s success? That’s a whole other story.
🔹 Từ vựng hay & nghĩa tiếng Việt:
- starting a business from scratch – bắt đầu kinh doanh từ con số 0
- test your limits – thử thách giới hạn của bạn
- pouring oil into the fire – thêm dầu vào lửa, khiến bạn càng liều lĩnh hơn
- wing it – làm mà không có kế hoạch rõ ràng
2. Do you think it’s better to discuss future plans with friends or with family?
Honestly, go for the middle ground. Friends will give you bold advice that could change your life, but family gives you wise words and the safety net you need. Your buddies might tell you to quit your job and mine Bitcoin full time, while your parents say, “Maybe just send out a few CVs first.” It’s about striking a balance, because life is a juggling act.
🔹 Từ vựng hay & nghĩa tiếng Việt:
- go for the middle ground – chọn phương án trung hòa
- wise words – lời khuyên khôn ngoan
- safety net – mạng lưới an toàn (gia đình hỗ trợ khi bạn thất bại)
- striking a balance / juggling act – cân bằng nhiều yếu tố trong cuộc sống
3. When making plans for the future, is it important not to copy friends?
Absolutely. At the end of the day, plans are made to be changed — end of story! Just because your best buddy wants to become a lawyer doesn’t mean you’re well-cut to deal with courtroom drama. Everyone has their own path — shaped by personal inclination, character traits, and situational factors. Copy-pasting someone’s dream is a recipe for disaster.
🔹 Từ vựng hay & nghĩa tiếng Việt:
- plans are made to be changed — end of story! – kế hoạch sinh ra là để thay đổi
- well-cut to deal with courtroom drama – phù hợp với nghề luật hay không
- personal inclination – xu hướng cá nhân
- situational factors – yếu tố hoàn cảnh
- copy-pasting someone’s dream – sao chép giấc mơ của người khác
4. When people are choosing what to study, how important is it that their course should lead directly to a career?
It’s important — but context-dependent. If you want to be a doctor, sure, follow the straight path. But for others, maybe you study philosophy and end up working in finance. The point is, plans vary from one person to the next, and not every major needs to lead to a job. Sometimes, the detour makes the journey more interesting.
🔹 Từ vựng hay & nghĩa tiếng Việt:
- context-dependent – tùy tình huống cụ thể
- vary from one person to the next – khác nhau tùy người
- the detour makes the journey more interesting – đường vòng đôi khi lại thú vị hơn
5. Why is it a good idea to get some work experience before deciding on a future career?
Because the brochure never tells the whole story. You might dream of being a lawyer, and then find yourself photocopying case files for 6 months. Or you idolise some property magnate without knowing they inherited intergenerational wealth. Real-life experience shows you what’s going on behind the scenes — and whether you’re actually cut out for it.
🔹 Từ vựng hay & nghĩa tiếng Việt:
- photocopying case files – công việc nhàm chán, lặp đi lặp lại
- property magnate – ông trùm bất động sản
- inherited intergenerational wealth – thừa kế tài sản từ đời trước
- what’s going on behind the scenes – những gì thực sự diễn ra
6. How easy do you think it is for people to change from one career to another?
It’s not easy, but it’s possible — especially if you’re willing to take calculated risks. I mean, your plan might get completely wrecked, but if you’re smart about it, you can bounce back. I always say, I want my name on the map, and sometimes, that means leaving a dent in the universe — even if it starts with a career pivot.
🔹 Từ vựng hay & nghĩa tiếng Việt:
- take calculated risks – mạo hiểm có tính toán
- your plan might get completely wrecked – kế hoạch có thể tan tành
- I want my name on the map – tôi muốn có tiếng, được công nhận
- leave a dent in the universe – để lại dấu ấn trong cuộc đời
