Từ vựng – Topic 12: Personality

Một trong những chủ đề phổ biến nhất trong bài IELTS Speaking chính là về tính cách hoặc cá tính của một người nào đó. Hãy đọc và chú ý những từ in đậm dưới đây để biết được những cụm từ quan trọng mà bạn nên sử dụng. Sẽ có phần tổng hợp lại định nghĩa các từ tại cuối bài nên bạn không cần phải lo lắng đi tra từ điển nhé.

Part 1

Giám khảo: How would you describe yourself?
Paula: Everyone tells me I take after my mum as I’m quite laid-back … I think I’m good company but you should ask my friends if they agree …

Giám khảo: In which ways are you similar to your friends?
Manuel: I seem to be attracted to introverts … not people who are painfully shy but most of my friends are a little reserved … and I think that’s what I’m like …

Giám khảo: Are you similar or different to your brother(s)/sister(s)?
Mira: I think my brother and I are very similar … I’d say we’re fun-loving and tend to be a bit extroverted … my brother is certainly the life and soul of the party … I’m not sure that applies to me

Part 2

Describe a teacher you once had who you enjoyed being taught by.

You should say

• who this person was
• when they were your teacher
• which subject they taught you
• what it was about their character that you liked.

Sample:

I’d like to describe my English teacher from school … Miss Thomas … this was a few years ago now and she was my teacher at a time when I was getting a little bored with being at school … unlike some of the other teachers Miss Thomas never lost her temper … she was very calm and easy-going … she was also very broad-minded … we were able to ask her questions about lots of subjects that some other teachers would refuse to discuss which made us respect her even more … she had a great sense of humour too … she’d laugh at our jokes as well as making us laugh … and she would also bend over backwards to help us with our work … she always put us first and often stayed around at the end of class to talk with anyone who needed help … apparently she was highly respected within her field but you would never know as she was the type that hid her light under a bushel … she was very modest and self-effacing … so yes … Miss Thomas was a teacher I have fond memories of …

Part 3

Giám khảo:  Which personal qualities do you think we most want to pass on to our children?
Martin: I certainly would want my children to be self-confident and self-assured … I really believe that people who feel good about themselves are in a good position to face what life has to offer them … and I’d hope they wouldn’t be self-centred … but remembered to think about others …

Giám khảo: Which characteristics do you think are the least appealing in a person?
Marianne: Well … people who are very narrow-minded are difficult to get on with … it’s nice when someone is open to other people’s opinion and willing to think about their own views … and people who are two-faced can be a little irritating … relationships are built on trust and without honesty there’s not much left …

Giám khảo: Which personality types do you think are less likely to suffer from stress or anxiety?
Sol: Probably people who are thick-skinned … who don’t let people or problems affect them too much … and if you are fair-minded you’ ll be less likely to overreact to situations or be quick-tempered …

Glossary

• to be the life and soul of the party: người vui vẻ hòa đồng, là tâm điểm của bữa tiệc.
• to bend over backwards: cố gắng rất nhiều để giúp đỡ ai đó.
• broad-minded: sẵn sàng đón nhận ý kiến và quan điểm từ người khác
• easy-going: dễ tính, không lo nghĩ.
• extrovert: người hướng ngoại
• fair-minded: công bằng
• fun-loving: vui nhộn, thích được vui chơi
• to hide one’s light under a bushel: giấu đi tài năng của ai đó
• good company: người thích giao luu
• good sense of humour: khiếu hài hước thâm thúy
• introvert: người hướng nội
• laid-back: đồng nghĩa với ‘easy-going’
• to lose one’s temper: trở nên tức giận
• narrow minded: trái ngược với ‘broad-minded’
• painfully shy: cực kỳ ngại ngùng
• to put others first: nghĩ đến người khác trước khi nghĩ đến bản thân
• quick-tempered: hay dễ tức giận
• reserved: kín đáo
• self-assured: tự tin
• self-centred: có cái tôi lớn
• self-confident: tin vào bản thân
• self-effacing: khiêm tốn, nhún nhường
• to take after: giống (thường dung cho thành viên trong gia đình)
• thick-skinned:  không dễ bị ảnh hưởng bới chỉ trích
• trustworthy: có thể tin tưởng
• two-faced: hai mặt, không trung thực và chân thành.

(Nguồn: ieltsspeaking.co.uk)