Trong bài giải mẫu lần này, cô Hồng Linh của The IELTS Workshop sẽ hướng dẫn bạn trả lời topic “Describe a time when you told your friend an important truth” trong IELTS Speaking Part 2. Cùng tham khảo sample, từ vựng và một vài cách diễn đạt ghi điểm trong phần thi IELTS Speaking nhé.
Part 2: Describe a time when you told your friend an important truth
Đề bài: Describe a time when you told your friend an important truth | IELTS Speaking Part 2+3
You should say:
- Who your friend is
- What the truth was
- What your friend’s reaction was
- And explain why you think it was important to tell your friend the truth
1. Bài mẫu (Sample)
I’d like to talk about a painful experience when I had to tell my best friend an important truth that seriously tested our friendship.
The friend I’m talking about is my best friend from university, someone I usually confide in whenever I face emotional difficulties. At that time, she was in a long-term relationship and truly believed her boyfriend was loyal to her.
The truth was that her boyfriend was cheating on her with another girl who turned out to be a mutual friend of ours, a terrible one, again, from uni. I found out by accident when I saw them together in public, and it was obvious that their relationship went far beyond normal friendship. I hesitated for days because I knew that telling her the truth might jeopardise not only her relationship but also the harmony within our shared group of friends.
When I could finally make up my mind and tell her, she was completely shocked. At first, she refused to believe me and needed some time alone to process everything. However, after pulling herself together, she thanked me for being honest and said she appreciated that I had chosen to confide in her rather than protect a lie. Although it took her a long time to reconcile herself to being betrayed, she eventually ended the relationship and started to heal emotionally.
I believe it was important to tell her the truth because real friendship is built on honesty, not comfort. Even though the truth disrupted the harmony of our group and caused a lot of pain, it helped her face reality and regain her self-respect, which, in my opinion, mattered far more in the long run.
Sample by Hong Linh– IELTS Teacher at The IELTS Workshop
2. Từ vựng (Vocabulary)
- confide in sb: tâm sự những bí mật cho ai
- cheating on sb: phản bội ai
- mutual friend: bạn chung
- by accident: tình cờ
- jeopardise: hủy hoại
- harmony: sự hài hoà hòa hợp
- reconcile yourself to st: khiến bản thân chấp nhận một tình huống không dễ chịu lắm vì không thể thay đổi được
- disrupt: làm gián đoạn cản trở cái gì
- matter: quan trọng
Part 3:
1. Do you think we should tell the truth at all times?
I don’t think that is realistic or even kind in some situations. While honesty is essential in matters involving trust, such as romantic relationships or professional issues, there are moments when being completely blunt can cause unnecessary emotional harm. For example, telling a harmless white lie to protect someone’s feelings is very different from hiding serious wrongdoing, like when we always tell our friends that their new haircut looks great to please and not irritate them as after all, they can immediately change the hairstyle, so what’s the point in telling the truth?. So, I believe honesty should be guided by empathy and intention, not just by facts.
- blunt: nói trực tiếp nói thẳng ra không vòng vo
- white lie: nói dối thiện chí vì mục đích tốt
2. How do you know when others are telling lies?
I’m not an expert in psychology so I guess it’s often difficult to be certain, but there are some common signs. Based on my observation, people who lie may avoid eye contact, hesitate before answering, or give inconsistent details when asked the same question again. Their facial expressions can also appear tense or unnatural. That said, sometimes we might make mistakes when jumping to conclusions just based on these details. It’s important to use our instinct and use our heart to really see the truth.
- hesitate: ngập ngừng
- inconsistent: không thống nhất
- jumping to conclusions: đưa ra kết luận quá nhanh
- instinct: bản năng
- That said: tuy thế
3. Sometimes people should tell lies. Do you agree?
Yes, I agree to a certain extent. As I have said, white lies can help maintain social harmony or prevent unnecessary conflict. For instance, praising someone’s effort rather than criticising their mistakes can be more encouraging, and this is especially true in the work place where we don’t want to offend or displease anyone. However, lies become harmful when they are used to manipulate others or avoid responsibility. So in short, it all comes down to whether the lie protects someone or benefits the liar.
- displease: làm mất lòng khiến không vui
- manipulate: thao túng
- comes down to: tùy thuộc vào điều quan trọng là gì
4. Do you think it’s more important to win a game or follow the rules in sports?
I am not so sure actually as I don’t know much about sports but in general, I believe respecting the rules is the spirit of sports, not winning. These activities are not only about competition but also about fairness. If athletes focus solely on winning, they may be tempted to cheat, which undermines the spirit of the game. Winning feels meaningful only when it is achieved honestly, and by abiding by the rules, we can learn valuable lessons about discipline and integrity that go beyond sports.
- tempted: bị hấp dẫn bị lôi cuốn làm gì sai
- abiding by: tuân theo
- integrity: trung thực có phẩm giá
Tạm kết
Hy vọng bài mẫu trên đã giúp bạn hình dung rõ cách triển khai ý tưởng và sử dụng ngôn ngữ phù hợp khi gặp chủ đề Describe a time when you told your friend an important truth trong IELTS Speaking Part 2 & 3. Tham khảo các nguồn tài liệu hữu ích như KHO BÀI MẪU IELTS SPEAKING và Bộ đề dự đoán IELTS Speaking cập nhật mới nhất.
HỌC IELTS MIỄN PHÍ – lớp học độc quyền chỉ có trên website của The IELTS Workshop. Đăng ký để bắt đầu lộ trình học bài bản cùng thầy cô tại TIW ngay nhé!
