Everyday English

Giving and responding to compliments

Listen and complete the conversation with the expressions in the box. Then practise it in pairs (Nghe và hoàn thành cuộc hội thoại với các biểu thức trong hộp. Sau đó thực hành nó theo cặp)

Bài nghe:

Work in pairs. Use the model in 1 to make similar conversations for these situations. One of you is Student A, the other is Student B. Use the expressions below to help you. (Làm việc theo cặp. Sử dụng mô hình trong phần 1 để tạo các hội thoại tương tự cho các tình huống này. Một trong số các bạn là Học sinh A, người kia là Học sinh B. Sử dụng các biểu thức dưới đây để giúp bạn)

1. Student A has completed an excellent report on ASEAN. Student B gives compliments and Student A responds. (Học sinh A đã hoàn thành xuất sắc bài báo cáo về ASEAN. Học sinh B khen ngợi và Học sinh A đáp lại.)

2. Student B has organised a workshop on skills for future leaders in ASEAN. Student A gives compliments and Student B responds. (Học sinh B đã tổ chức một hội thảo về kỹ năng cho các nhà lãnh đạo tương lai trong ASEAN. Học sinh A khen ngợi và Học sinh B đáp lại.)

Work in pairs. Discuss the similarities and differences between the New Year Festivals in Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries (Thảo luận về những điểm tương đồng và khác biệt giữa Tết Nguyên Đán ở Việt Nam và các nước ASEAN khác)

Gợi ý:

The New Year Festivals in Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries have some similarities and differences, which are outlined below.

Similarities:

- Both Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries celebrate their New Year Festivals to honour their ancestors and wish for good luck, prosperity, and health for the year to come.

- The New Year Festivals in both Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries involve family gathering, big family meals, decorations, and art performances.

Differences:

- The time of the New Year Festivals in Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries is different. Viet Nam, Singapore, Indonesia, and parts of Malaysia celebrate their New Year Festivals in January or February according to the lunar calendar, while Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar celebrate theirs in April according to the Buddhist calendar.

- The way of offering respect to ancestors and receiving wishes for good luck and health is different between Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries. In Viet Nam, people burn incense and offer food and drinks to their ancestors at home altars or temples, while in Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar, people offer rice to Buddhist monks and receive wishes from them.

The New Year Festivals in Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries have different traditional dishes. For example, in Viet Nam, people usually eat sticky rice cakes and boiled chicken, while in Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar, people eat various traditional dishes such as papaya salad, fish soup, or sticky rice balls.

In summary, while there are some similarities between the New Year Festivals in Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries, the differences in timing, customs, and traditional dishes reflect the unique cultural identities of each country.