IELTS Fluent · Đầu vào · Speaking: Skills and Daily Life

Do you work or are you a student?

I'm a third-year student at a university in Hanoi, majoring in marketing. It's quite a demanding course, but I really enjoy it because we do a lot of group projects with real companies, so it feels quite practical.

What do you like most about the area where you live?

I'd say the thing I like most is the convenience. There's a market, a park and a couple of nice coffee shops within walking distance, so I hardly ever need to use my motorbike. The only downside is that it gets pretty noisy in the evenings.

Has your neighbourhood changed much in recent years?

Yes, quite a lot actually. When I was a kid, there were mostly small houses and rice fields nearby, but now there are several high-rise apartment buildings and a shopping centre. It's more modern, but I do miss the green space a bit.

Do you prefer to spend your free time at home or outside? Why?

It depends on my mood, but generally I prefer going out. After spending the whole day studying indoors, I feel the need to get some fresh air, so I usually go jogging in the park or meet my friends for a drink.

I'd like to talk about cooking, which is a skill I picked up about two years ago, when I moved out of my parents' house to live closer to my university. Before that, to be honest, I couldn't even fry an egg properly, because my mum always did all the cooking at home.

At first, I mainly ate instant noodles or ordered food online, but I soon realised it was expensive and not very healthy. So I started watching cooking videos online and trying out simple recipes, like stir-fried vegetables and tomato egg soup. Whenever I went home at the weekend, I also asked my mum to show me how she makes some traditional dishes, such as braised pork with eggs.

It was harder than I expected. In the beginning, I burnt quite a few meals, and I often added too much salt or fish sauce. I think the trickiest part was timing – getting the rice, the meat and the vegetables ready at the same time. But after a few months of practice, it became much more natural, and now I can cook a decent meal in about thirty minutes.

The reason this skill is so useful to me is that it saves me a lot of money, and I feel much healthier than before because I know exactly what goes into my food. On top of that, cooking has become a way to relax after a long day, and I really enjoy inviting my friends over for dinner. So I'd say it's probably one of the most practical things I've ever learned.

What practical skills should children learn at school?

I think schools should teach basic life skills, such as managing money and cooking simple meals. A lot of young people leave school knowing how to solve complicated maths problems, but they have no idea how to make a budget or pay a bill. Skills like first aid would also be valuable, because they could actually save someone's life.

Is it better to learn a new skill from a teacher or by yourself, for example from online videos?

In my view, it depends on the skill. For something simple, like editing photos, online videos are perfectly fine, and they're free and flexible. But for more complex or risky skills, such as driving or playing a musical instrument, a teacher is much better because they can spot your mistakes immediately and stop you from developing bad habits.

Why do some adults find it difficult to learn new skills?

One main reason is lack of time. Most adults have full-time jobs and family responsibilities, so it's hard for them to practise regularly. Another reason is confidence. Adults are often afraid of looking silly or making mistakes in front of others, whereas children don't really care, which is why kids usually pick things up faster.

How might the skills people need for work change in the future?

I expect that digital skills will become even more essential, as more and more jobs involve working with technology and artificial intelligence. At the same time, I think so-called soft skills, like communication and teamwork, will be highly valued, because these are things that machines can't easily replace. So workers will probably need to keep learning throughout their careers.