IELTS Speaking Part 2: Topic Christmas

Model Answer:

The national holiday I feel like telling you about the most is Christmas. Basically, it is a religious festival celebrated by Christians to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ on the 24^th and 25^th of December every year.

Even though there has never been a recognized national celebration for it in Vietnam, people can freely go to churches and cathedrals either in the morning or the early evening on Christmas. No one is supposed to take a day off from work. Even students of all ages are expected to go to school those two days.

Nonetheless, many opinions have been heard saying that the week of Christmas should be the most enjoyable time of the year. First of all, it has the nicest weather condition. Secondly, streets that run through the Christian neighborhoods around the city I live in are seen in full of gripping colorful decorations including Christmas trees, Santa Claus, fake snow, snowmen, fairy lights, tinsels, and wreaths. Moreover, cheerful melodies of familiar  Christmas songs spread across those communities.

For me personally, Christmas may not be a national holiday in our home country, but it has long become an excellent occasion to spend some precious time hanging around our beloved family members and close friends, exchanging gifts with them, and taking lots of memorable photos.

Vocabulary

=> Christian (as a noun) /ˈkrɪsʧən/: người theo Thiên Chúa giáo

E.g: My younger half-sisters are Christians.

=> commemorate /kəˈmɛməˌreɪt/: kỷ niệm, tưởng nhớ

E.g: We commemorate the founding of our nation with a public holiday.

=> recognize /ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪz/: nhận biết, nhận ra, công nhận

E.g: We fully recognize the need to improve communications.

=> cathedral /kəˈθidrəl/: thánh đường

E.g: The baby was christened in St. Paul’s Cathedral.

=> take a day/days off from work /teɪk ə deɪ ɔf frʌm wɜrk/: nghỉ làm một/vài ngày

E.g: She refuses to take a few days off from work.

=> decoration /ˌdɛkəˈreɪʃən/: nội dung/chi tiết trang trí

E.g: They are suitable to install in public construction and house decoration, specially for commercial fitment.

=> fairy lights /ˈfɛri laɪts/: dây đèn trang trí

E.g: Don’t leave fairy lights unattended for long periods of time whilst switched on.

=> tinsel /ˈtɪnsəl/: dây kim tuyến sặc sỡ

E.g: Tinsel can be dangerous for dogs.

=> wreath /riθ/: vòng hoa

E.g: The President ended his visit by laying a wreath at the war memorial.

=> cheerful /ˈʧɪrfəl/: hớn hở, vui mừng, hân hoan

E.g: His cheerful joke made us forget our weariness.