Idioms & Expressions:
photographic memory (noun; this is a perfect memory)
He doesn’t need to study because he has a photographic memory.
memory of a goldfish / elephant (expressions that refer to how short/long your memory is)
I forget everything. I have the memory of a goldfish.
forgetful / scatterbrained (adjectives; these are used to describe people who frequently forget things)
I’m scatterbrained and often forget my keys at home.
slip my mind / space it / blank it (verb phrases; they mean you forgot something)
Sorry I didn’t text you last night. It slipped my mind.
good look (noun; refers to clothing or a hairstyle that looks good on a certain person)
That dress is a good look on you. You should wear it more often.
in style / out of style (phrases that state whether certain clothing is fashionable or not)
Cargo pants have gone out of style.
fashion sense (noun; if you have good fashion sense, then you always dress very well)
She always looks really good. She has great fashion sense.
do laps (verb; this means to swim back and forth in a pool or run around a track)
We did a lot of laps last night in the pool, and I’m very tired today.
break a sweat (verb, another term for sweating/beginning to sweat)
We were walking so quickly that I was breaking a sweat.
the ball is in (someone’s) court (phrase meaning it’s your turn to take action/respond to communication)
I texted her, so the ball is in her court.
long shot (noun; something with a low possibility of success)
It’s a long shot, but I’m going to try to get into Harvard anyway.
Part I:
Memory
What kind of things do you always remind yourself to do?
I generally have a pretty good memory. I remember to go to the gym, prepare for my work, and do important chores. I only forget things that don’t really matter that much.
What kind of things are easily forgotten?
The more forgetful you are, the more you’ll forget. So some people forget only minor things and responsibilities, while some people forget hugely important things.
How can you help yourself remember something?
You can just make a to-do list, make a note in your phone, or ask someone to remind you not to forget to do something.
House / Apartment
Which room in your house do you like best?
Since I like to eat, the kitchen is my favorite place in the house. My second favorite place is the bathroom, since I like to shower off to recover from the heat.
Do you like the place you live in now?
It’s a neighborhood of very tall houses where families live, as well as a few apartment buildings. But I don’t have too much to complain about; I like living there. I just wish that my house had an elevator inside it, since I live up on the 5th floor.
Part II: Individual Presentations
Describe a wild animal that you have seen. You should say:
what it looked like where you saw it
how often you see it
what you were doing when you saw it
and explain how you feel about this animal.
I was in Thailand about six years ago with some friends and we were staying in a hostel in the jungle out on this island. Once I was out for a little run on the paths in the woods and I came across an elephant walking across the path. It scared me, because it was so big. Later on, we found an area where a bunch of elephants were chained up. I think the locals used them as tourist attractions, and kept them chained up when they weren’t being shown off to the tourists. I thought this was pretty sad, but there was nothing to be done about it.
Part III: Class Discussion
Sports
What kind of sports are Vietnamese students interested in?
It seems to me they’re most interested in basketball and football (soccer). Also, I see kids playing badminton a lot.
Did you learn any sports while you were at school?
I played tennis, and I also ran cross-country. I did sports throughout most seasons in school. I’ve always thought it was important to be on a team.
Would you like to take part in some sports competitions in the future?
No. I have done a few marathons and other events, and those were enough for me. I’d rather just stick to my program now, which includes sprinting and lifting weights.
Clothes
What type of clothes do you like to wear?
I like to dress formally. I enjoy wearing suits and ties. But wearing those clothes aren’t practical. So I have to wear other clothes most of the time, including shorts and T-shirts, since it’s so hot.
What kind of clothes do people in your country usually wear?
America is so big and has so many people that you can find someone wearing anything and any given time. There are many immigrants too, so you can find someone wearing literally anything in the US at any given time.
What kind of clothes do you dislike?
There are no clothes that I don’t really like to wear. But I like wearing more formal clothes than anything else.
