Hôm nay diễn đàn sẽ mang đến cho bạn một chủ đề speaking là về "Tuổi thơ - Childhood" và các từ vựng có thể áp dụng cho chủ đề này nhé.

CUE CARD: CHILDHOOD

Đề: Describe a happy childhood memory.

You should say:

• when and where the incident you remember happened

• who you were with

• what happened exactly

and explain why it is a happy memory.

Model answer

I grew up very far from most of my family so I only saw them once a year. Every summer I would go to stay with them, while my parents continued working. Although I missed my parents, I used to really enjoy spending time with my grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles. I spent all summer there, nearly two whole months, so from time to time my cousins and I would get bored. We would ask my grandparents if they had any ideas for interesting things we could do. Sometimes they suggested going for a bike ride, sometimes into town to do some shopping. At other times, they showed us a new game to play. Then we were happy again.

One day - it must be about 30 years ago (doesn't time fly!) - all of us got really, really bored and we kept complaining to my grandparents. They were tearing their hair out, trying to think up ideas of where we could go and what we could do. Suddenly, my granddad came up with the idea of going to a new water park that had opened that summer. I hadn't heard about it but my cousins had, and they told me all about it. It was a park with vast numbers of different pools, some inside, some outside. There were water slides as well. And, on top of it there was not one, but two playgrounds with swings, a merry-go-round, see-saws. We were so excited.

We set off and on the way we were all singing songs and laughing. We couldn't wait to get there. When we arrived, my cousins and I ran into the park and changed into our swimming costumes. Then we went looking for the most exciting-looking pool, and we found it, one with brightly coloured tiles and slides, we jumped straight in. We played all day in the park and had a lovely lunch, sat on some benches in the sunshine.

My granddad loved a pool that was filled with spa water. It was dark brown and stank of rotten eggs. I didn't want to go in but he eventually convinced me. I'm pleased he did because the water was really warm. I'd never swam in water that warm. I didn't want to get out, despite the terrible smell.

I consider it such a happy memory because we enjoyed ourselves so much and I remember so vividly how I felt that day. But there's more to it than just that. When I look back now, I understand how caring my grandparents were and how much they wanted us all to be happy. They would have done anything to help us have a good time. I appreciate that more now that I'm older and have children of my own. I hope we thanked them; I can't remember. But, anyway, they were content, I'm sure, to just watch us have an amazing time, playing and laughing in the water. So, as you can see, it was a wonderful day and is one of my favourite childhood memories.

TỪ VỰNG CHO CHỦ ĐỀ “CHILDHOOD”

• Upbringing  /ˈʌpˌbrɪŋ.ɪŋ/ (n): sự nuôi dạy (the way a child is raised)

Example: Is it right to say all the crimes he committed were simply the result of his upbringing?

• Bring up someone (phrasal verb): nuôi lớn một người (to care for a child until it is an adult)

Example: An aunt brought him up.

• Flood back : ký ức ùa về (to suddenly remember in great detail)

• Nurture  /ˈnɝː.tʃɚ/ (v): nuôi dưỡng (to take care of, feed, and protect someone or something, especially young children or plants, and help him, her, or it to develop)

Example: She wants to stay at home and nurture her children.

• Tear your hair out: lo lắng về điều gì đó (if you tear your hair out over a problem, you are worrying a lot about it)

Example: She's been tearing her hair out over the final chapter of her novel for the last month.

• Come up with something: nảy ra, nghĩ ra (to suggest or think of an idea or plan)

Example: She's come up with some amazing scheme to double her income.

• Nuclear family: gia đình cơ bản, chỉ bao gồm ba mẹ và con cái (the smallest family unit: mother, father and children)

Example: We average fewer than two children per nuclear family.

• Red-letter day /ˌredˈlet̬.ɚ ˌdeɪ/ (n): ngày quan trọng khiến bạn không thể quên (a special, happy, and important day that you will always remember)

           Example: It was a red-letter day when my son finally learnt how to tie his shoelaces.

Nguồn: IELTS Exam