TOPIC 14- Talk about a gift that you have given someone recently.
BAND 8.0+
PART 2
Alice (English US)
George (English US)
What is this gift?
Where did you get it?
When and why did you give this gift?
How was the gift received, and do you expect a gift in return?
ANSWER
I believe that the culture of exchanging gifts is meaningful because it provides an opportunity to connect people with each other. And I understand that almost all of us want to give and receive gifts.
Three years ago, I surprised my mom on her recent birthday with a gold bracelet. I had been planning to get her a special gift, as this was her 55th birthday. And I wanted her to feel very happy and satisfied.
I remember vividly that before her birthday about 5 months ago, we went by a jeweler called Kim in HN district, which is my hometown, and she said that the bracelet caught her eye as it was so nice and exquisite, and she wished she could have a bracelet like that.
So I accumulated as much money as I could, and I went to that shop to buy exactly the bracelet she said. This is a jewelry weighing 50 grams with a two-tone polish and a wave pattern on it. It cost $2000. I got it and asked the employee to put it in a nice box, and I included a birthday card to let her know how grateful I am to be her daughter.
I gave it to her on her birthday and wished her all the best. You know, she’s really thrifty, so when I received my present, she was taken aback and smiled a lot. She considers it a treasure, and it’s so priceless to her. She keeps it in a drawer and wears it only on special occasions like wedding ceremonies or birthday parties, which makes me feel so content.
I gave that present to her from my heart; don’t expect a gift in return, because my mother is definitely my special gift.
PART 3
Alice (English US)
George (English US)
- Do you think parents give too many gifts nowadays?
Yes, I think so. Many parents buy a lot of presents for their children. Kids get tons of toys these days, but they don’t even play with many of them. Like my uncle, he bought a lot of dolls for his daughter, but she only plays with several of them.
- Why might this be a negative?
When kids have too many toys, they can develop a lack of appreciation for their belongings. They will naturally take less care of them.
They will consume and destroy more, which can damage the environment, not to mention that it’s really expensive.
Fewer toys cause children to become resourceful by solving problems with only the materials at hand.
- Should parents reward their children too often?
Rewards can encourage them to have good behaviors. They can do more of the things we want them to do, like studying harder or doing household or domestic chores.
But there are some dangers to rewarding children. Children can become less motivated if they become dependent on receiving rewards, expect more rewards for any effort, lose their motivation, or only do it for their own sake.
- Should parents give their children everything they want?
Giving our kids everything that they ask for can have detrimental effects on them. Indulging children can lead them to become spoiled and ill-mannered.
Parents are also likely to find that gifting choices put financial pressure on themselves.
- What is the most important thing a parent can give a child?
In my opinion, what can we do for our children that will give them confidence, enable them to feel empathy for others, and help them succeed as best they can in their lives?
Perhaps the most essential thing a parent can give a child is the belief that his or her presence brings joy and delight.
- Why is rewarding a child important?
From my point of view, using praise and rewards helps your child feel happier about himself or herself and also makes them more confident, making them feel more valued and appreciated by us.
- Is it important for parents to give presents to their children?
Oh yes, of course. Giving presents is an effective way to teach young children about gratitude and appreciation. Children learn to express thanks for all gifts, whether they are big or small. They learn to appreciate the thought behind the gift.
- Do people respond better to rewards or punishment?
When it comes to motivating action (for example, getting people to work longer hours or producing star reports), rewards may be more effective than punishments, as rewards can encourage them to have good behaviors.
- Is gift-giving important for the economy of a country?
Buying gifts can stimulate the economy of a nation. Billions of dollars are spent on gifts each year, like at some celebrations, various occasions, or Valentine’s Day, to name a few.
- How does giving gifts affect the environment?
Nature suffers from gift-giving culture, not only because of overconsumption but also because of the packaging used for gifts and the wrapping papers, which contribute to increases in solid waste production.
- Why is it sometimes difficult to buy a gift for someone?
I reckon that when people have so many belongings, it’s hard to buy a gift to meet their expectations.
My cousin is really wealthy, and he has almost everything, so on his birthday, it’s so difficult for me to buy him a gift.
- What are good ways to overcome such challenges?
Personally, I think we should have deep knowledge about their personalities and tastes so we can choose a gift that meets their needs.
- What are some practical gifts to buy for others?
Giving some instruments, tools, jewelry, clothes, shoes, or money is quite practical.
Like the last time on my mother’s birthday, I gave my mother a bracelet so she could use it every day or on special occasions.
- When is it a good time to buy a person a practical gift?
If a person is short on cash or missing out on some essential items, like buying a shirt for a person when it’s worn out,
- How have the practices of gift-giving changed compared to a generation prior?
In the past, people had much more time; they made a lot of gifts manually. I remember 10 years ago, I used to make a beautiful picture with rice; it took me nearly 1 month to complete it.
But now, we are so tied up with our work, so we usually buy gifts instead of making them by hand.
- Is this good or bad?
It depends on the situation that we are talking about.
If they have sufficient time to make gifts, it’s absolutely a special gift because they make it with their heart and dedication, so it’s really meaningful.
But if they don’t have time to make it by hand, it will be a waste of time.
- What is the symbolic meaning of a gift?
I think that giving gifts is a way of expressing love, gratitude, appreciation, and affection. When we give gifts, it brings joy or pleasure to the receiver. In addition, giving gifts also makes us feel good.
- Which kinds of presents have become popular over the last decade that weren’t such a fad in the past?
Gift vouchers and digital devices like smartphones, smartwatches, etc. are trendy these days and more popular than in the past because they weren’t available a couple of decades ago.
- Why is this?
I think that is because they are now more available. More importantly, it is much more convenient and useful.
VOCAB
- The culture of exchanging gifts / gift-giving culture (/ðə ˈkʌltʃər ʌv ɪksˈtʃeɪnʤɪŋ gɪfts/): văn hóa trao đổi quà tặng.
Example: In many cultures, the gift-giving culture plays an important role in building relationships and expressing gratitude. - Jeweller –n- (/ˈʤuːələr/): thợ làm đồ trang sức.
Example: She visited the local jeweller to have her necklace repaired. - catch sb’s eye –idiom- (/kætʃ sʌmbədiz aɪ/): thu hút sự chú ý của ai.
Example: The sparkling diamond ring caught her eye as she walked by the jewelry store. - Exquisite –adj- (/ɪkˈskwɪzɪt/): tuyệt đẹp, tinh xảo.
Example: She admired the exquisite craftsmanship of the hand-carved wooden sculpture. - Accumulate –v- (/əˈkjumjəleɪt/): tích lũy.
Example: Over the years, he has accumulated a vast collection of rare stamps. - a jewelry -n-(/ə ˈʤuːəlri/): một món trang sức.
Example: She received a beautiful necklace as a jewelry for her birthday. - a wave pattern (/ə weɪv ˈpætərn/): một hoa văn sóng.
Example: The fabric of the dress had a stunning wave pattern. - Thrifty –adj- (/ˈθrɪfti/): tiết kiệm.
Example: She was known for her thrifty habits, always finding ways to save money. - be taken aback (/biː ˈteɪkən əˈbæk/): bị ngạc nhiên, bị shock.
Example: He was taken aback by the unexpected announcement. - a lack of (/ə læk ʌv/): sự thiếu hụt.
Example: The project failed due to a lack of proper planning. - Resourceful –adj- (/rɪˈsɔːrsfʊl/): thông minh, có khả năng tìm kiếm giải pháp.
Example: In challenging situations, she always showed her resourceful nature by finding creative solutions. - doing household or domestic chores (/ˈduːɪŋ ˈhaʊshoʊld ɔːr dəˈmɛstɪk tʃɔrz/): làm việc nhà hoặc công việc gia đình.
Example: She spends her weekends doing household chores such as cleaning and cooking. - for sb’s own sake –idiom- (/fɔːr sʌmbədiz əʊn seɪk/): vì lợi ích của ai đó.
Example: He decided to join a fitness class for his own sake, to improve his health. - have detrimental effects on (/hæv ˌdɛtrɪˈmɛntl ɪˈfɛkts ɒn/): có tác động có hại đến.
Example: Excessive screen time can have detrimental effects on children’s eyesight. - indulge – v- (/ɪnˈdʌldʒ/): nuông chiều, làm thoả mãn.
Example: Sometimes, it’s nice to indulge in a decadent dessert as a treat. - spoiled and ill-mannered (/spɔɪld ænd ɪl ˈmænərd/): bị làm hỏng và thiếu văn hóa.
Example: The spoiled and ill-mannered child threw a tantrum in the store. - feel empathy (/fiːl ˈɛmpəθi/): cảm nhận được lòng thông cảm.
Example: She felt empathy towards her friend who was going through a difficult time. - be short on cash –idiom- (/biː ʃɔːrt ɒn kæʃ/): thiếu tiền mặt.
Example: I can’t go out for dinner tonight; I’m short on cash at the moment. - manually -adv- (/ˈmænjuəli/): thủ công/ bằng tay.
Example: The task required manual labor, so they had to assemble the furniture manually.
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