Topic Newspapers – IELTS Speaking part 1, 2, 3

1. Vocabulary for the Newspapers topic

• Electronic/ online newspapers: Báo điện tử
• Keep myself updated: Cập nhật tin tức cho bản thân
• Attractive visuals: Hình ảnh minh họa thu hút
• Buy/ get/ take newspapers: Mua báo
• Analysis: Bài phân tích
• Breaking news: Tin nóng
• Business news: Tin tức doanh nghiệp
• Current affairs: Vấn đề hiện thời
• Ggossip: Tin tầm phào
• International news: Tin thế giới
• Local news: Tin địa phương
• Sensational news: Tin giật gân
• The story went viral: Câu chuyện được lan truyền rộng rãi
• World events: Sự kiện quốc tế
• Follow a story: Theo dõi một câu chuyện, vụ việc
• Subscribe to a publication: Đăng ký theo dõi một ấn phẩm nào đó
• Track the news: Theo dòng tin tức
• Invasion of privacy: Xâm phạm đời tư (unjustifiable intrusion into the personal life of another without consent)
• Yellow journalism: Loại hình báo chuyên đưa những thông tin ít hoặc không chính thống, không được tìm hiểu kỹ càng mà sử dụng những tiêu đề bắt mắt để câu khách. Nội dung thường bao gồm việc phóng đại các tin tức sự kiện, bán các tin bê bối, bêu xấu hoặc tin kích động, nhạy cảm.

2. Sample topic Newspapers – IELTS Speaking part 1

2.1. How frequently do you read newspapers?

To be honest, I don’t usually buy newspapers because I prefer online news. I keep myself updated by subscribing to some publications such as Tuoi Tre or Thanh Nien and track the news in my free time.

• Online news (n): Tin tức trên mạng
• Keep oneself updated (v): Cập nhật tin tức
• Subscribing to some publications: Đăng ký một số ấn phẩm
• Track the news (v): Theo dõi tin tức

2.2. Do you prefer to read local news or international news?

Well it depends. As long as they are business news and not from yellow journalism, I would go for it. I am not keen on gossip or sensational news which often invade someone’s privacy.

• Business news (n): Tin tức kinh doanh
• Yellow journalism (n): Báo chí màu vàng – báo chí và các tờ báo liên quan đưa ra ít hoặc không có tin tức hợp pháp hay được nghiên cứu kỹ lưỡng mà chỉ giật tít bằng các tiêu đề gây sốc.
• Gossip (n): Chuyện phiếm
• Sensational news (n): Tin giật gân
• Invade someone’s privacy (v): Xâm phạm quyền riêng tư của ai đó

2.3. Do you prefer to read news online or in print?

I’d rather read online news because it’s convenient for me. I mean I can get access to the Internet every time or anywhere and read the articles on my phone or my tablet.

• Get access to (v): Truy cập vào
• Tablet (n): Máy tính bảng

2.4. What type of news do you typically follow?

Mostly political news, but I also enjoy reading about crime and science. The only news I don’t like is entertainment news. It seems like a waste of my time to me.

• Political news (n): Tin tức chính trị
• Crime news (n): Tin tức tội phạm

2.5. How do you usually obtain your news?

I typically read online newspapers to stay current. There are many websites on the Internet that provide a ton of free stuff to read and are often updated. Because of this, I vastly prefer reading news online to reading newspapers.

• Stay current: Cập nhật tin tức
• Vastly (adv): Nhiều hơn

2.6. In your area, which is more popular, newspapers or magazines?

These two are equally popular in Vietnam, in my opinion. Even though it may be a little outdated, newspapers are still the primary daily news source for adults, particularly among elderly individuals. However, due to their enticing imagery and engaging sections, magazines are drawing more and more young people.

• Equally (adv): Bằng nhau
• Outdated (adj): Lỗi thời
• Enticing imagery (n): Hình ảnh hấp dẫn
• Engaging sections (n): Phần hấp dẫn

2.7. Do you believe newspapers or magazines will be very important to you in the future?

I believe it depends. I firmly believe that I will pick electronic newspapers over print editions given that technological advancement never appears to stop. Aside from the obvious convenience that electronic news may provide, I’m drawn to how much cheaper and more dependable it is.

• Print edition (n) = newspaper: Báo truyền thống
• Dependable (adj): Đáng tin cậy

3. Sample topic: Newspapers – IELTS Speaking Part 2

Describe a newspaper or magazine that you like to (or, often) read

You should say:

• What newspaper/ magazine it is
• What the newspaper/ magazine is about
• How often you read it
• What kinds of people generally read this newspaper/ magazine
• And explain why you like to read it.

Sample

Since I’m the type of boy who prefers to read comic books and fantasy novels, I must admit that I’m not a huge lover of newspapers and periodicals. However, “Medicine and Health” is the only publication that I find interesting.

The Ministry of Medicine releases a new issue of this magazine every week. As far as I can recall, I unintentionally read this one when I randomly selected one newspaper from my mother’s desk to read out of boredom. I was only seeking something to do to pass the time, but because I am so interested in medicine, I was unable to tear myself away from the magazine at that particular time.

It was all about medicine and medicinal plants, particularly Vietnamese plants, and it informs readers about their uses as well as potential negative effects. Additionally, there are numerous pieces of knowledge regarding how to care for the sick, which was a valuable source of information for me to delve deeper into. All of these things would benefit us greatly if we put them into practice; the effects would become apparent quickly.

When I was traveling away from home for the first time, I recall getting a headache from jet lag. I was unable to call my mother since the phone was unable to connect to the network. Maintaining my composure, I looked through my memory for strategies to lessen my suffering and discovered some that I had learned from reading the magazine. Finally, my suffering subsided, and I felt grateful for the knowledge I had gained.

I have continued to read this magazine religiously up to this point, and when I offered it to some of my friends, they were really receptive.

Vocabulary Highlights

• Periodicals (n): Tạp chí định kỳ
• As far as I can recall: Theo như tôi có thể nhớ lại
• Unintentionally (adv): Vô tình
• Read out of boredom: Đọc cho đỡ chán
• Pass the time (v): Giết thời gian
• Tear myself away from (v): Rời mắt khỏi
• Medicinal plants (n): Cây thuốc
• Delve (v): Đào sâu
• Jet lag (n): Rối loạn giờ giấc do lệch múi giờ
• Composure (n): Điềm tĩnh
• Lessen my suffering (v): Giảm bớt sự đau đớn
• Subside (v): Lắng xuống

4. Sample topic: Newspapers – IELTS Speaking Part 3

4.1. How do most people receive news in your country?

Depending on the age group we’re discussing. Because elderly people are so accustomed to reading the news by physical newspapers, they choose to stick with this way. Younger people, on the other hand, are more likely to read news online because they frequently utilize the Internet.

• Stick with (v) = Like: Thích

4.2. Do you consider international news important?

I’d concur. This is just a result of the fact that we now live in a globe that is so interconnected that any choice made by one country can affect another. For instance, we must stay informed in case other nations are preparing an assault on us.

• Concur (v): Đồng tình
• Interconnected (adj): Kết nối quốc tế
• Informed (adj): Cập nhật
• Assault (n): Tấn công

4.3. What impact does reading have on people?

I can come up with the two most significant influences or advantages of reading. First, reading proficiency provides access to all facets of schooling. Reading can help us expand our horizons and keep up with the most recent global news. A well-written book or interesting article can also help us decompress while we are dealing with the numerous problems we confront on a daily basis.

• Come up with (v): Nghĩ ra
• Proficiency (n): Thành thạo
• Facets of schooling (n): Các khía cạnh giáo dục
• Expand our horizons (v): Mở rộng kiến thức
• Keep up with (v): Bắt kịp
• Decompress (v): Xả hơi
• Confront (v): Đối đầu

4.4. What are the distinctions between newspapers and magazines?

Well, these two sources of information differ primarily in two ways. The publishing comes first. A newspaper typically comes out more frequently than a magazine. While magazines are typically published weekly, monthly, or quarterly, newspapers are typically published daily.

In addition, a newspaper typically covers a variety of topics, such as sports, food, politics, and weather, but a magazine focuses on a particular target audience, such as readers who are interested in a healthy lifestyle, and such like.

• Publishing (n): Xuất bản
• Quarterly (adv): Theo quý
• Target audience (n): Đối tượng khách hàng, đối tượng người xem
• Such like: Tương tự như thế

4.5. How do newspapers promote themselves to boost sales?

Different tactics are employed by newspapers to increase marketing. They run television commercials and put up banners on billboards. In addition, they promote themselves on websites. They have catchy slogans to draw large crowds of people. While newspapers that are more established in the market aim to maintain their readers through various plans and offers, those that are still relatively new to the market try to offer discounts to the public on the purchase of newspaper packages.

• Tactics (n): Chiến thuật
• Employ (v): Sử dụng
• Commercials (n): Quảng cáo
• Catchy slogans (n): Những khẩu hiệu hấp dẫn, thu hút
• Purchase (n/v): Sự mua hàng/ mua

4.6. What kinds of marketing strategies do these newspapers employ?

Visiting customers in their homes is one of the best marketing strategies. The sales crew sells and promotes their newspapers door to door. This is ideal for a recently established publication. When they first launched, many newspapers, like Amar Ujala and Dainik Bhaskar, followed these procedures; as a result, they are now widely read publications in the nation. Offering gifts in addition to monthly newspaper subscriptions is another effective marketing tactic employed by newspapers. Utensils, appliances, and other items are frequently offered to draw in additional customers.

• Sales crew (n): Đội ngũ bán hàng
• Door to door: Tận cửa
• Procedures (n): Thủ tục
• Subscriptions (n): Đăng ký
• Utensils (n): Đồ dùng
• Appliances (n): Thiết bị

4.7. Do you believe people will increasingly use the internet to read news?

• Without a doubt: Không nghi ngờ gì
• Extensive (adj): Rộng rãi