Unit 5

Minh: Dad, what was your worst experience at school?

Dad: A classmate bullied me.

Minh: Really? What happened, Dad?

Dad: A big boy in my class was always taking my things. I could never get
anything back. Once he and his friends waited for me outside the school and
snatched my backpack. They got all my money.

Minh: What did you do then?

Dad: I was so angry that I fought back.

Minh: Wow. What happened next?

Dad: He was totally surprised. But then he returned my money and went away…
What about you?

Minh: Well, it was just last week. My biology teacher checked our understanding
of the previous lesson. My mind suddenly went blank. I stood there and couldn’t
say anything. I felt so embarrassed!

Dad: So what happened then?

Minh: I got a zero.

Dad: Sorry about that.

Minh: It was such a terrible experience.

Dad: Didn’t you revise the lesson?

Minh: I did. But I actually learnt it by rote without really understanding the lesson.

1. What was Dad’s worst experience at school?

A. He failed an important exam. B. He was bullied by a classmate.
C. He forgot to bring his homework. D. He lost his backpack by accident.

2. What did the bully often do to Dad?

A. Took his things away. B. Broke his school bag.
C. Told lies about him. D. Pushed him during class.

3. How did Dad react when the bully and his friends took his backpack?
A. He ran away to call a teacher. B. He started crying.
C. He got angry and fought back. D. He ignored them and went home.

4. What was Minh’s terrible experience at school?

A. He forgot to bring his homework. B. He couldn’t answer a question in biology
class.
C. He lost his notes before the test. D. He was laughed at by his friends.
5. Why did Minh get a zero?
A. He hadn’t studied at all. B. He didn’t understand the lesson
deeply.
C. He refused to answer the teacher’s questions. D. He was too nervous to
attend class.

Unit 5 Extra 1

Two years ago, Minh had one of the most unforgettable experiences of his life. He
decided to take part in a cultural exchange programme in Thailand. It was the
first time he had travelled abroad alone, so he was both nervous and excited.

During the first week, everything felt overwhelming. Minh had trouble
understanding the local accent and even got lost on his way to school once.
However, his host family was very kind. They showed him around, explained
customs, and encouraged him to try new dishes. Minh was surprised by the spicy
food but gradually got used to it.

The highlight of the trip came during a weekend trip to Chiang Mai, where he
joined a group of international students to visit an elephant sanctuary. Minh was
amazed to learn how the elephants had been rescued from hard labour. He even
helped feed and wash them in the river. At first, he was scared, but the elephants
were gentle and friendly.

Looking back, Minh says the exchange programme changed him. He became
more independent, confident, and open-minded. “It wasn’t always easy,” he said,
“but overcoming those difficulties made the experience meaningful. I’ll treasure
those memories forever.”

Task A. Multiple Choice

1. Where did Minh go for his cultural exchange programme?

A. Malaysia B. Thailand C. Singapore D. Cambodia

2. How did Minh feel before the trip?

A. Relaxed and confident C. Tired and bored
B. Nervous and excited D. Calm and happy

3. What problem did Minh face at first?

A. He didn’t like the food C. He struggled with the accent
and got lost
B. He couldn’t make friends D. He had health problems

4. What surprised Minh about the food?

A. It was very sweet C. It was not fresh
B. It was too spicy D. It was always cold

5. Why were the elephants at the sanctuary special?

A. They had been rescued from hard work
 B. They could paint pictures
C. They were used for tourist rides
D. They were trained to perform tricks

Task B. True or False

6. Minh travelled abroad with his classmates. F

7. His host family supported him and helped him adapt. T

8. Minh was immediately comfortable with the elephants. F

9. The trip helped Minh become more independent. T

Task C. Short-answer questions

10. What activity did Minh do with the elephants?

11. What did Minh say about the overall meaning of the trip?

Answer Key

He helped feed and wash them in the river.

It made him more independent, confident, and open-minded; overcoming

difficulties made the experience meaningful.

Unit 5 Extra 2

Task 1. Listen to an interview with Jackie Smith, a windsurfing champion.

Answer the questions.

1. Who were her role models when she started windsurfing?

___________________________________________________________________

2. What other water sports has she tried?

___________________________________________________________________

3. Who are her role models now?

___________________________________________________________________

Task 2. Listen again and complete the sentences with a word or short
phrase.

1. Jackie was _________________ when she won the international windsurfing

championship.

2. When Jackie's mum was _________________, she took part in windsurfing events
herself.

3. Jackie learnt to swim when she was about _________________.

4. Although Jackie is _________________ younger, she has always admired Rachel.

5. Jackie and Rachel both became members of a ______________________ when they
were young.

6. Jackie's mum encouraged her when she took up _________________.

7. In Jackie's first windsurfing competition, she finished in _________________ place.

8. Jackie thinks that she is very much like her _________________.

Task 1.

1. Her mum and cousin Rachel.

2. Sailing, swimming, rowing

3. Mum and Rachel.

Task 2.

1. sixteen 2. a teenager 3. seven 4. Two years

5. Children’s sailing club 6. rowing 7. fifth 8. mum

Unit 6 Extra 1

Mr Nam, grandfather, a 70-year-old farmer

I was one of the few children in my village who was still at school at the age of 15.
Every day, I got up early and walked to school. Learning then depended mostly on
our teachers and textbooks. We had no library or lab. The nearest bookshop was
six kilometres away. I learned simply by taking notes during class, memorising
them, and doing the homework. Life then was simple. We rarely travelled outside
our village, so we didn't know much about the world around us.

Mai, granddaughter, a 15-year-old student

Learning today is very different from my grandfather's time. It is easier and more
convenient. Besides learning from teachers and textbooks, we use the Internet. It
provides us with various online sources such as documents, clips, and
programmes. Google helps us find the answers to almost any questions we have.
The Internet also allows us to pursue our own interests. Learning has become
more independent. Although most children in my village have fewer private
learning facilities than the students in the city, we are still luckier than my
grandfather's generation. We have TVs to watch at home and a library and
computers at school.

1. When Mr Nam was 15, what was special about him?

A. He was one of the few children still going to school.
B. He was the best student in his class.
C. He studied in the city far from his village.
D. He already worked as a farmer while his friends went to school.
2. What did Mr Nam say about learning in his time?
A. Students had many online sources.
B. They relied mainly on their teachers and textbooks.
C. There were many libraries and labs at school.
D. They could easily buy textbooks nearby or from their teachers.

3. What did Mr Nam say about life in the past?

A. People didn’t travel often but they knew a lot about the world.
B. Children often studied abroad.
C. People hardly travelled outside the village.
D. Villagers knew a lot about the world around them.

4. According to Mai, what makes learning today easier and more

convenient?
A. Having more teachers and less homework.
B. Watching more TV programmes to gain background knowledge.
C. Using the Internet to access different learning sources.
D. Having fewer school subjects.

5. How does Mai feel about her generation compared with her
grandfather’s?
A. They are luckier with better learning facilities.
B. They have to work harder to find information.
C. They have fewer private learning facilities than before.
D. They still study in an easier and more dependent way.

Unit 6 Extra 2

Phong: Grandpa, do you mind telling me how our lives are different from yours in
the past?

Grandpa: Well, there are many differences. In my day, we mostly played

outdoors. The games were simple and cost little. We made our own toys from
natural materials.

Phong: That sounds interesting. Nowadays, most leisure games depend on

electronic devices.

Grandpa: Right, but that is mostly true in the city only. Many children in the
countryside still play traditional games.

Phong: I know.

Grandpa: Another thing is that children nowadays have more freedom of choice.
They wear short dresses and jeans with holes. They also dye their hair purple and
green.

Phong: Ha ha... Not many, Grandpa.

Grandpa: Hm... And many children of my generation left school early to support
their families. Moreover, there were not many schools then.

Phong: You mean we have more opportunities to learn now?

Grandpa: That's right.

Phong: Do you think these changes are for the better?

Grandpa: Yes, they mostly are. They have improved our living conditions.

Phong: Thank you, Grandpa.

1. What did Grandpa say about the games in the past?

A. They were mostly electronic. B. They were made from natural
materials.
C. They were simple and inexpensive. D. They were played indoors with
friends.

2. According to Phong, what do most children do in their free time

nowadays?
A. Play outdoors. B. Depend on electronic devices.
C. Make their own toys. D. Play traditional games.

3. What does Grandpa say about the way children dress today?
A. They all wear school uniforms. B. They prefer short dresses and jeans
with holes.
C. They don’t care about fashion. D. They dress exactly like children in the
past.

4. Why did many children in Grandpa’s generation leave school early?

A. They didn’t like studying. B. They wanted to travel to the city.
C. They had to work to help their families. D. They were not allowed to study.

5. What does Grandpa think about the changes over time?

A. They are mostly for the better. B. They make life more difficult.
C. They can cause many problems. D. They reduce family happiness.