TAPESCRIPTS 10

* UNIT 1: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF …
Hello everyone, my name is Lam. I’m a cyclo driver in HCM City. I usually have a busy working
day. I get up at five thirty in the morning. I start work at six. My first passenger is usually an old
man. I take him from District 1 to District 5. After I drop him at a cafe near HCM City College of
Education, I pedal to Thai Binh Market. My next passenger is a lady who does shopping there
every two days. I help her put all her purchases into the cyclo and then take her to her shop in
THDao Street. At about ten thirty I ride off toward NTMKhai School. There I park my cyclo,
chat with some of my fellows and wait for my third passengers. They are two school pupils, a girl
and a boy. I take them home. At twelve I have lunch at a food stall near BT Market. After lunch, I
park my cyclo under a tree, take a short rest and then continue my afternoon’s work.
* UNIT 2: SCHOOL TALKS
* Conversation 1:
A : So, what are you taking this
semester, Lan?
B : Well, I’m taking English.
A : Me too. Whose class are you in?
B : Miss Lan Phuong’s.
A : How do you like the class ?
B : I really enjoy it.
* Conversation 2:
A : Are you enjoying yourself, Nam?
B : Yes, I am
A : Would you like to get something to
drink?
B : Not right now, thanks.
* Conversation 3:
A: Son, how do you like the weather in Nha Trang?
B: Oh, it is great.
A: So, when did you get here ?

B: I arrived yesterday.
A: How long are you going to stay ?
B: For a week.
A: Do you want to go for a swim ?
B : Sure.
* Conversation 4:
A : Hoa, How do you like it here ?
B : It’s very nice. The hotel is big and my room is
comfortable.
A : Are you travelling with your friends?
B : No. I’m travelling alone.
A : Would you like to go somewhere for a drink?
B : That’s great.
* UNIT 3: PEOPLE’S BACKGROUND
Bob: Congratulations! You are now the Olympic Champion.
Sally: Thanks. Yes, I’m very happy.
B: Our readers want to know all about you.
S: That’s nice! Well, ask me your questions.
B: First of all, tell me something about yourself.
S: Well, I was born in 1980. I got a general education at local schools and when I was 15, I joined
the Star Sports Club near my home.
B: Where is your home?
S: In Manchester.
B: I see. And do you live alone?
S: No, I live with my family, my parents and two brothers.
B: What do you like to do in your free time?
S: Well, I don’t have much free time, but I like different sports-basketball and swimming, for
example- and just sitting at home and reading.
B: What sorts of books do you like?
S: Oh, love stories-romantic books.

B: And what do you want to be in the future?
S: I want to be a sports teacher. I’m a student at college. I want to get my teacher’s diploma.
B: I see. Now tell me…
* UNIT 4 : SPECIAL EDUCATION
If you ask any member of the VTK Club which time of day they enjoy most, and they will all agree:
their photography lesson.
The VTK Club’s members come from the Nhan Chinh School for Deaf Children, Xa Dan Secondary
School for Deaf and Mute Children, and the Hanoi Literature and Art Club for for Mentally
Retarded Children.
“Whenever we hold a camera, wandering around and taking in our surroundings through a lens,
we can forget the sorrow of our disabilities,” says club member Nguyen Minh Tam.
The six-month-old photography club, which comprises 19 deaf, mute or mentally retarded
children, is now having its first exhibition in Hanoi.
More than 50 colour photos are on display at the exhibition room featuring the beauty of daily life
through the eyes of these disabled children. The subjects are simple and peaceful: old men
reading books on the sides of Hoan Kiem Lake, labourers hard at work, or chickens looking for
food.
The children’s passion for taking pictures has stimulated them and helped them escape their
sorrow.
* UNIT 5: TECHNOLOGY AND YOU
Well, I wasn’t worried when my son bought a computer. After all lots of children have parents
who don’t understand computers. But when my secretary asked me for a computer in the office, I
really became worried. So I decided to take some lessons in computing and my son became my
teacher. He was very helpful. He invited me to sit down in front of the computer screen. I did not
know what it was called. When asked him what it was, he said that it was a VDU. I still didn’t
know what a VDU was, but I was too shy to ask him any more. From that moment my memory
refused to learn because he told me a lot of things that I really didn’t understand at all. After a
few lessons I began to feel tired. I made an excuse, saying that I had a headache. I suggested we
should leave the lesson for another day. Since then I haven’t said anything about the computer to
my son and my secretary.

* UNIT 6: AN EXCURSION
The weekend picnic I enjoyed most was just a few weeks ago. My class decided to pay a visit to
the Botanical Garden. It was a glorious Sunday. We met at the school gate on time and travelled
to the Botanical Garden by bus. It was a long way to destination and we sang merrily all the way.
The Botanical Garden was a very beautiful place. We make a short tour round the garden and
took some pictures of the whole class. Then we played a lot of games on a spacious piece of
grassland. One of the boys brought along his guitar and we sang our favourite songs. We laughed,
talked and danced, too. After a delicious meal with various kinds of food that we brought, we all
took a rest. Some of us slept very soundly because it was so peaceful and quite there. In the
afternoon, we went on playing some more games. Then we packed up the left-overs and returned
home. We all felt happy.
* UNIT 7: THE MASS MEDIA
The time is 7 o’clock and here is the news summary.
Heavy rain during the night has caused floods all over the country today. Many people have left
their homes because rivers have risen. Some roads in the north-west are under two metres of
water. The rain has stopped at the moment, but it’s sill cloudy and there is a strong wind. Because
of the bad weather people can’t go out to work.
A ninety – year-old woman has climbed Mount Whitney in California for the twenty – third times.
At 4,418 metres, Mount Whitney is the highest mountain in California. The woman says the view
from the top is wonderful. She also says that the mountain has kept her young and healthy. In
spite of her old age, the woman tries to climb the mountain very often.
* UNIT 8: THE STORY OF MY VILLAGE
Popffero used to be a small quiet town on the sound coast of England. But it has become a crowded
and busy tourist resort now. They’ve completely destroyed its old atmosphere. The small old
houses have been pulled down, and tall buildings have been put there instead. They’ve also built
a big hotel in the middle of the town. The narrow streets have been widened and resurfaced, so
the big trees on the two sides of the streets have been cut down. The large area of grass land in
the suburbs of the town has been turned into an ugly car park. Even the old corner shop isn’t there
anymore. It has been replaced by a big department store. And there is an expensive restaurant
where there used to be an old tea shop. Many people in Popffero are happy with the changes as

there are more jobs for them. But some people don’t like the changes, they miss the quiet and
peaceful life of the old town.
UNIT 9: UNDERSEA WORLD
Whales are mammals that live their entire lives in the water. Some whales are huge. The blue whale,
for example, grows to 30 meters in length and over 200 tons in weight. It is the largest animal that
has ever lived on earth. Whales may also be the most intelligent animals in the ocean.
Whales like to feed in the cold oceans where there is a lot of krill - their favorite food. Cold water in
the North and South Atlantic Ocean and the North and South Pacific are good feeding grounds
for whales. Some whales are known to migrate into warm waters to bear their calves.
Whale populations decrease quickly due to heavy hunting pressure. Conservation groups asked the
International Whaling Commission to stop whaling. However, Native American hunters, such as
the Eskimo, are still allowed to hunt a limited number of whales to feed their communities. If no
effective measures were taken to protect whales, these wonderful animals would disappear
forever.
UNIT 10: CONSERVATION
Have you ever seen a forest destroyed by fire? A great forest fire is an awful thing to see. Once a fire
started, it spreads quickly. Foresters say that late summer is the season when the fire is the
greatest danger to woods and forests. They are very dry then. Sometimes when the danger of fire
is very great, foresters will not allow anyone to go into the forests.
If people leave a camp-fire burning near a heap of leaves, this often causes a forest fire. Campers
must always remember to put out the camp-fire and cover the place with earth. It is the duty of
every camper to take the greatest care not to start a forest fire.
Anyone careless enough to start a forest fire has done something, which make life more difficult for
all of us. Every fire destroys valuable wood, wildlife and good soil. Everyone of us must know
how important it is to care for out great forest and save them from fire.
UNIT 11: NATIONAL PARKS
Cuc Phuong, the first national park in Vietnam, was officially opened in 1960. it is located 160 km
south west of Hanoi spanning Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa provinces. The 200 square
kilometre park attracts tourists and scientists alike. In 2002, nearly 100,000 visitors made their
way to Cuc Phuong. Many come to see the work being done to protect endangered species.

According to scientists, there are about 2,000 different species of flora and 450 species of fauna.
Cuc Phuong National Park has many caves. Quen Voi, also part of the park, is where Nguyen Hue’s
army was stationed before it made its surprise attack on Thang Long and defeated the Quing
invaders in the spring of 1789.
Cuc Phuong is also home to the Muong ethnic minority, who live mainly on bee keeping and
farming.
UNIT 12: MUSIC
Lan Huong: Hello, I’m Lan Huong. Our programme is “My Favourite Musician”. Now our guest
tonight is Quang Hung, a well-known actor. Welcome to the programme, Quang Hung.
Quang Hung: Thanks. Lan Huong.
Lan Huong: Now Quang Hung, can you tell us about the Vietnamese musician you like best,
please?
Quang Hung: Sure. Recently, there have been quite a few good musicians. Their songs are very
popular and easy to listen to.
Lan Huong: Do you like them?
Quang Hung: Well, I do like some of them. But I think the best Vietnamese musician of all times is
Van Cao. He’s really my favourite musician.
Lan Huong: Van cao, the author of Tien Quan Ca? Well, can you tell us why you like him?
Quang Hung: He’s a great musician. Just listen to Tien Quan Ca. whenever I hear it, I want to stand
up and sing out as loud as possible. It’s hard and solemn. And I always feel great, feel proud of
my country when I hear it.
Lan Huong: That’s true. It’s very rousing. Do you know when he wrote it?
Quang Hung: In 1944.
Lan Huong: Do you like any other songs by Van Cao?
Quang Hung: Oh, yes, lots of them. Especially the songs about rural life in Vietnam. They are sweet
and gentle, and very lyrical.
Lan Huong: Well, let me see if we can play one of the songs for you.
UNIT 13: FILMS AND CINEMA
Lan : Hi, Huong, Titanic is on at Thang Tam Cinema next week. Can you go with me on
Wednesday?

Huong: Wednesday? Sorry Lan. I have lots of work to do during the day and I’m going to the
singing Club at night. Can we go on Thursday instead.
Lan: I don’t think so. I’m going to visit my grandparents on Thursday.
Huong: Well, what about Monday? I suppose you are free on Monday.
Lan: No, sorry. I’m going to see a play with Tuyet on Monday. What about Friday?
Huong: Sorry Lan. Friday is not a good time for me. I’m taking Chinese classes on Fridays. How
does your weekend look like, Lan?
Lan: Um …, I’m busy on Saturday. But I’m free the whole day Sunday.
Huong: I’m going on a picnic to Hoa Lu with some of my friends on Sunday. I’ll be back late at night
Lan: Well, I guess that we just leave …. Uh, wait a second, what day are we both free, Huong?
UNIT 14: THE WORLD CUP
Pele’ is considered one of the greatest football players of all time. He was born in 1940 in Brazil. As
a football player, Pele’ was famous for his powerful kicking and cotrolling the ball. He joined a
Brazilian football club in 1956, and in 1962 he led the team to its first world club championship.
Pele’ became the only player to participate in three World Cups in 1958, 1962, and 1970. By
1974, Pele’ had scored 1,200 goals and became a Brazilian national hero. He played for an
American football club for two years before he retired in 1977. Later Pele’ became an
international ambassador for the sport, working to promote peace and understanding through
friendly sport activities.
UNIT 15: CITIES
The Statue of Liberty, one of America’s most familiar image, is on island in New York Harbour. It is
a symbol of freedom. Its formal name is Liberty Enlightening the world. It was a gift to America
people from the French to show the friendship between the two nations. This is the statue of a
woman who is wearing a loose robe and a crown on her head. Her right hand holds a burning
torch, and her left hand holds a tablet with the date July 4, 1776 on it. The statue weighs 205 tons
and is 46 m high, it stands on a stone and concrete base. The base and pedestal increase the height
of the monument to 93m. The outside is made of copper. Inside, it has an iron frame. The statue
was completed in 1884 in France, and then transported to America in 1886. Tourists can visit the
statue from 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Christmas Day.
UNIT 16: HISTORICAL PLACES

The ancient town of Hoi An lies on the Thu Bon River, 30 km south of Da Nang. It was formerly a
major trading centre in Southeast Asia between the 16
th
and 17
th
centuries. Hoi An was also an
important port for Dutch, Portugese, Italian, Chinese, Japanese and other merchant vessels from
the Far East.
Hoi An is famous for its temples, pagodas, small tile-roofed houses and narrow streets. All the houses
were made of wood and their pillars were carved with ornamental designs.
One of the main attractions of Hoi An is the Japanese Covered Bridge, which was built in the 16
th
century and is still well-preserved. All visitors to Hoi An are recommended a visit to the
Assembly Hall of Cantonese Chinese Congregation. This house was built in 1855 and still keeps
many precious objects that belonged to the Chinese community of Hoi An. Another attractive
address to tourists is Tan Ky House, which was constructed nearly two centuries ago as a house
for the Vietnamese merchant. The house now looks almost exactly as it did in the early 19
th
century.
TAPESCRIPTS 11
Unit 1: FRIENDSHIP
Lan’s Talk:
My best friend is Ha. We’ve been friends for a long time. We used to live in Nguyen Cong Tru
Residential in Hanoi. Her family moved to Haiphong in 1985. It is said that Haiphong people are
cold, but Ha is really, really friendly. I started to get to know her when I was going on a two-day
trip to Do Son last year and I didn’t know anybody there. I gave Ha a ring and she was so
friendly, she said, “Oh, I’ll come to visit you.” So she rode on her motorbike to Do Son and
twenty minutes later she was there. She stayed with me for two days. She happened to know a lot
of people there, so she introduced me around, and we’ve been best friends ever since.
Long’s Talk:

My best friend is Minh. We met in college. I was there singing and Minh was a guitarist. So we
worked together a lot. Minh has a great sense of humour, he’s very, very funny, and that’s one of
my favourite things about him. And over the years, we have been through good times and bad
times with each other, and that’s one of the things I like best about him. And we have a lot of the
same interests. We like to go to plays and movies together. But when we’re going through a
rough time, he’s really a good friend, and he’s a very good listener, and he always helped me
through.
Unit 2: PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
Unforgettable Experiences
Interviewer: This is Radio 3. In our “Unforgettable Experiences” programme tonight we talk to
Christina, a successful businesswoman. Hello Christina, welcome to our programme.
Christina: Hello and thank you! It’s nice being with you tonight.
Interviewer: Christina, could you tell our audience about the most memorable experience in your life?
Christina: Well, my most unforgettable experience happened thirteen years ago, when my house
burned down.
Interviewer: Really? How did it happen?
Christina: The fire started in the kitchen where I forgot to turn off the gas stove.
Interviewer: What were you doing at that time?
Christina: I was sleeping when I was suddenly woken up by terrible heat. I opened my eyes to
find myself surrounded by walls of fire.
Interviewer: That’s terrible! How did you escape?
Christina: I was terrified. Then I heard my mother’s voice calling my name. I rushed to her. She
carried me out. Luckily, I got away without even a minor burn.
Interviewer: Not many people are so lucky. Did the fire affect you in any way?
Christina: Oh, yes. Yes, very much, in fact. Although I lost many things in the fire, the experience
helped me grow up.
Interviewer: What do you mean?
Christina: Well, before the fire, I was selfish. I always complained to my mother about how
small my room was, or how few clothes I had. Then the fire came and destroyed
everything we owned. But I slowly began to realize that I didn’t really need my

odd things. I just needed my family. After all, you can get new clothes anytime, but a
family can never be replaced.
Interviewer: I see, so the fire took many things from you, but it gave you some thing, too.
Christina: Exactly. It taught me to appreciate my family more than things.
Unit 3: A PARTY
Mai is my neighbor. She turned 16 recently and her parents held a birthday party for her. I was one of
those invited.
The party began at about three in the afternoon. There were about twenty of us gathering in Mai’s
house. She didn’t like having the party at a restaurant because it is noisy and expensive.
We gave presents to Mai and she happily opened them. It must really be exciting to receive all those
presents. After that Mai’s mother served us soft drinks and biscuits. We then listened to music
and played cards. The winners were given prizes. At about four thirty Mai’s mother brought out
the birthday cake. It was beautifully decorated with pink and white icing. Sixteen colourful
candles sat in the middles of the cake. We all clapped our hands eagerly and sang “Happy
Birthday” as she blew out the candles and cut the cake. We helped ourselves to slices of the
delicious cake and sang all the songs that we knew.
Finally at about six in the evening the party came to an end. We were all tired but happy. The parents
of other children came to collect them by motorbikes. I helped Mai and her mother clean up the
mess we had made. After that I walked home, which was only three doors away.
Unit 4: VOLUNTEER WORK
Spring School is an informal school. It provides classes to disadvantaged children in HCM City.
Around 30 street children live and study at the school and about 250 children with special
difficulties from District 1 regularly attend classes.
The Organisation for educational development co-operated with Spring School to set up English
classes in 1998. Dance, theatre, singing and folk music classes were set up a year later. Children
from these classes participate in fundraising performances. They raise money to continue their
English and Performance Arts classes.
Spring School requires volunteers to help organise their fundraising dinner held annually in June.
This is an exciting night in which children dance, sing and play music at one of the largest hotels
in HCM City. They also need foreign volunteers to contact sponsors and help to expand the

school activities. Volunteers are required from February until July to help organise these events.
It is hoped that more schools like Spring School will soon be found in other cities in Vietnam.
Unit 5: ILLITARACY
In an informal survey carried out in Perth, western of Australia, students were asked to give their
views on what makes an effective school. 80 per cent of the students felt that mutual respect in
the classroom was essential learning to take place. This implied that students should be treated as
individuals with both their strengths and their weaknesses. 60 per cent of the students felt they
should be encouraged to set realistic goals for their learning, and to have positive attitudes
towards themselves and others.
About 55 per cent of the students expected their teachers to be motivated and interested in what they
were doing; this would then reflect in their performance of the students. Nearly all the students
believed that learning should be centered on important life skills such as communication, building
self-respect and self-confidence, the ability to learn from failure, and time management, suited to
the maturity of the students concerned.
One hundred per cent of the students felt that the social side of school was as important as academic
activities. The older students felt that they should be allowed to give some input school decision
making a direct effect on students.
Unit 6: COMPETITIONS
Trang: What are you reading, Paul?
Paul: The history of Boston Marathon.
Trang: It sounds interesting! How often is it held?
Paul: Every year, in the USA.
Trang: When did it begin?
Paul: In 1897. And the same year, John McDermott won the first Boston Athletic Association
Marathon.
Trang: Who was John McDermott? Where did he come from?
Paul: He was the first man who won the first Boston Marathon in the USA. Ha came from New
York.
Trang: How long did it take him to reach the finish?
Paul: He clocked 2 hours 50 minutes and 10 seconds.

Trang: Did women have right to participate in long distance running?
Paul: Yes But not until 1967, women were formally accepted to take part in the Boston races A
few years later, Kuscsik became the first official female champion.
Trang: When did she win the race?
Paul: In 2972. There were 8 women starting the race and all 8 finished.
Trang: Is the race held for only American people?
Paul: No. Each year, more runners from every part of the world join it. In 1984, 6164 runners from
34 countries ran in the marathon.
Trang: What are the rules of the Boston Marathon?
Paul: The Boston race is about 42 km. Runners have to go through 13 towns during the race. It ends
in the centre of Boston.
Trang: Oh, that’s great. Thanks a lot, Paul.
Unit 7: WORLD POPULATION
Interviewer: Good evening ladies and gentlemen. In our program tonight, we are honoured to have Dr.
Brown, a world famous population expert. Dr. Brown, could you tell us something about the world
population?
Dr. Brown: Well, there are over 6,700 million people in the world today, and the total is increasing at the
rate of about 76 million a year. Experts say that the population of the world could be over 7 billion by
the year 2015.
Interviewer: Do all parts of the world have the same rate of population growth?
Dr. Brown: No, they don’t. The population is growing more quickly in some parts of the world than
others. Latin America ranks first, Africa second, and Asia third.
Interviewer: What is the main reason for the population explosion?
Dr. Brown: Well, I think the main reason is a fall in death rates. This is due to the improvement of
the living conditions and medical care.
Interviewer: I believe the explosion of population has caused many problems. Is it right?
Dr. Brown: Yes, it is. It caused a lot of problems such as shortage of food, lack of hospitals and
schools, illiteracy, and low living standards.
Interviewer: Can you make some suggestions on how to solve these problems?
Dr. Brown: I think, there are a number of solutions to the problems. The first is to educate people

and make them aware of the danger of having more children. The second is to provide safe,
inexpensive birth-control methods. The third is to strictly implement a family planning policy.
And the fourth is to exercise strict and fair reward and punishment policies.
Interviewer: Thank you very much for being with us tonight, Dr. Brown.
Dr. Brown: You’re welcome.
Unit 8: CELEBRATIONS
LAN: You lived in Japan for more than two years, could you tell me something about
Japanese New year, Mai? When is the New Year observed?
MAI: It’s on 1
st
January, and it lasts three days through 3
rd
January.
LAN: Do people do the same things as we do in Vietnam?
MAI: Well, there are some similarities and also some differences.
LAN: Please, tell me about them.
MAI: The preparations begin a few days before the New Year when housewives start cooking
special food for New Year’s Day.
LAN: Do they clean and decorate their houses?
MAI: Sure, they do. On the New Year’s Eve every household do a big cleaning up. The idea
is to get rid of the dirt of the past year and welcome the new one.
LAN: Yes, they usually decorate their houses with some small pine trees on both sides of the
door, which represent longevity and constancy. People also exchange cards and gifts.
MAI: I see. And what do they usually do on the New Year’s Eve?
LAN: Family members sit around and start watching the national singing contest on television. But
the last notes must be sung before midnight. Then television and radio will broadcast 108
bells. As soon as the 108
th
bell is rung, people all say “Happy New Year”.
MAI: What do they usually do next?

LAN: Some families put on special kimonos or dress to go to visit their shrine.
Then they come home and eat their special New Year Day’s food and drink a lot of rice
wine. New Year’s Day is mostly celebrated among family only.
Unit 9: THE POST OFFICE
Over the past few years, Vietnam has quickly developed its telephone system.
Vietnam ranks second only to China for growth in the number of telephone subscribers. It is among
the 30 countries in the world that have more than two million telephone subscribers.
In the early 1990s, there were only 140,000 telephones across Vietnam. At present, we have more
than six million subscribers.
In 1996, Vietnam began upgrading its fixed telephone networks and changing numbers from six to
seven digits in Hanoi and Ho Chi Ming City as well as five to six digits in other provinces.
Five years later the mobile phone system was upgraded to meet the growth in customer demand. Since
2000, Vietnam has reduced the price of several services, especially in the monthly fees for fixed and
mobile telephones.
In the future, more attention will be paid to the rural areas. At present, 93 percent of communes across
Vietnam have telephone services. A network of 6,014 communal post offices have been set up
across the country.
Unit 10: NATURE IN DANGER
In many parts of the United States, large areas of land have been made into national parks to protect
and preserve the natural beauty of the land. National parks usually contain a variety of scenic
features, such as mountains, caves, lakes, rare animals and plants. Today, there are 52 national
parks in the United States, covering approximately 3 per cent of the total land area of the country.
National parks are open to the public and have million of visitors every year.
Many national parks, however, are in danger of being destroyed. Rare animals in national parks are
killed or hunted for fur, skin or other parts. Trees are cut down for wood. Large areas of national
parks also experience devastating fires caused by careless people. The increasing number of
visitors is harming the parks due to the pollution from their vehicles.
If these problems are not solved immediately, and if there is not enough money for the parks’ staff
and maintenance of their resources, many national parks will be completely destroyed.
Unit 11: SOURCES OF ENERGY

The natural environment includes all natural resources that are necessary for li8fe: the air, the ocean,
the sun, and the land. Because they are vital for life, these resources must be protected from
pollution and conserved. Ecologists study their importance and how to use them carefully.
According to ecologists, resources are divided into two groups: renewable and nonrenewable. When a
resource is used, it takes some time to replace it. If the resource can be replaced quickly, it is
called renewable. For example, grass for animals is a renewable resource. When cows eat the
grass, the resource is used. If the soil is fertilized and protected, more grass will grow. Coal,
however, is nonrenewable because it takes millions of years to make coal. All fossil fuels are
nonrenewable resources.
Solar energy, air, and water are renewable resources because there is unlimited supply. However, this
definition may change if people are not careful with these resources. The amount of solar energy
that reaches the earth depends on the atmosphere. If the atmosphere is polluted, the solar energy
that reaches the earth may be dangerous. If life is going to continue, the air must contain the
correct amount of nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), carbon dioxide (CO
2
), and other gases. If humans
continue to pollute the air, it will not contain the correct amounts of these gases.
Unit 12: THE ASIAN GAMES
Good evening. It’s 10.15 and it’s time for “The Asian Games Report”. It’s the 3
rd
day of the Games.
Well, today’s most important event was the women’s 200-metre freestyle. The Japanese, Yuko
was the first and got the gold medal. She made a new record time of 1 minute 58 seconds. The
Japanese athletes won two gold medals yesterday, and three the day before, so in the first three
days they’ve won six gold medals.
Here we’re in the Gymnasium. Lily, the Chinese gymnast, has just finished her display. She’s got
an average of 9.5 points. That’s the best score today! Lily’s won the gold medal!
And this is Lee Bong-ju coming from Korea. This is the second time he completed in the long
jump- at the Asian Games. Last time he jumped 8.5 metres. Today he’s won a gold medal for
men’s long jump. He jumped 8.9 metres.

Now we’re waiting for the last high jumper, Vichai coming from Thailand. The bar is at 2.30
metres and it seems too high for him. Vichai has just jumped! Ooh! He’s crashed into the bar!
He’s landing. The bar has fallen too. He’s getting up and walking away. But he’s very
disappointed.
Unit 13: HOBBIES My Hobby
My hobby is reading. I read story books, magazines, newspapers and any kind of material that I find
interesting.
My hobby got started when I was a little boy. I had always wanted my parents to read fairy tales and
other stories to me. Soon they got fed up with having to read to me continually. So as soon as I
could, I learned to read. I started with simple ADC books. Soon I could read fairy tales and
stories. Now I read just about anything that is available.
Reading enables me to learn about so many things. I learned about how people lived in bygone days.
I learned about the wonders of the world, space travel, human achievements, gigantic whales, tiny
viruses and other fascinating things.
The wonderful thing about reading is that I do not have to learn things the very hard way. For
example, I do not have to catch a disease to know that it can kill me. I know the danger so I can
avoid it. Also I do not have to deep into the jungle to find out about tigers. I can read all about it
in a book.
Books provide the reader with so many facts and so much information. They have certainly helped
me in my daily life. I am better equipped to cope with living. Otherwise I would go about
ignorantly learning things the hard way.
So I continue to read. Reading is indeed a good hobby.
Unit 14: RECREATION
Three American students are talking about how they would like to spend their summer vacation.
ANNA: It’s hot and humid in New York City in the summer and I often feel depressed then. So in
July and August I often go out of the city to the west where there are some beautiful national
parks and forests. I often go with my friends, and I spend two weeks in a national park every
year. We might stay at campgrounds in the park, but wilderness areas are more fun. What we
enjoy most is to ride our dirt bike in the desert, take showers in waterfalls and swim in the lakes
and rivers. And at night we sleep in our sleeping bags or tents and cook on our gas stove. It’s

wonderful that we can live in nature and enjoy it.
TERRY: I used to go to the mountains, the desert, and other places with spectacular scenery in
summer. I don’t any more, although I’m attracted to the beauty of nature. But I do think these
natural places aren’t as beautiful as they used to be. Now more and more people are going to
these places. They leave trash in the forests, and take rocks and plants with them. They don’t care
about nature. I believe not only people are important to the world - nature is important, too.
MARY: Like most other people I’m very fond of natural spectacular scenery, but when I travel, I
spend most of my time in cities. Why I don’t want to live in nature and enjoy it? It’s the solitude
of the wilderness. It’s for animals and plants, not for me. I hate camping, too. I can’t put up an
umbrella tent in the wind. I can’t make a fire in the rain, and a backpack is usually too heavy for
me. So I’d better stay in the cities and enjoy the comfort they offer.
Unit 15: SPACE CONQUEST
In a speech to the Congress in 1961, the US President Kennedy challenged the nation to put a man in
the moon before the end of the decade. After the president’s speech, NASA’s Apollo program
was developed to meet the challenge.
On July 16, 1969, the Apollo 11 was launched. The astronauts on board of the spacecraft were Neil
Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man on the moon. He was followed by Aldrin 40
minutes later. TO walk on the moon surface, the astronauts need to wear a spacesuit with a
portable life support system. This controlled the oxygen, temperature and pressure inside the
spacesuit.
Armstrong and Aldrin spent a total of two and a half hours on the moon’s surface. They performed a
variety of experiments and collected soil and rock samples to return to the Earth. An American
flag was left on the moon’s surface as a reminder of the achievement.
The crew of Apollo 11 returned to the Earth on July 24, 1969. They successfully completed their
historic mission. It is regarded as the greatest human efforts in the history of man kind.
Unit 16: THE WONDERS OF THE WORLD
THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA
The Great Wall of China, which is said to be visible from the moon, winds up and down across
deserts, grasslands and mountains of 5 provinces. It is considered one of the greatest man-made

wonders in the world thanks to its magnificence and significance. In 1987, the Great Wall was
listed as a World Heritage by UNESCO.
The Great Wall as we see today was mostly built during the Ming Dynasty for defence purposes. It
started in 1368 and took 200 years to complete. Some parts of the wall are much older and go
back to around 200 B.C. It stretches for about 6,000 km from east to west. The wall is about 11
meters high and a stone roadway runs along the top of it.
The Great Wall is a symbol of the Chinese nation through out history. If you prefer to see the wall in
a relatively natural state, you’d better go to northwest of Beijing. This part of the wall is the best
choice for it is still in its original state. A visit to the Great Wall will certainly bring tourists great
excitement in each step of the wall.
TAPESCRIPTS 11
Unit 1: HOME LIFE
PAUL: So, Andrea, you’re going home for the holiday?
ANDREA: I am sure. I’ve booked a flight for tomorrow afternoon and I can’t wait.
PAUL: That sounds great.
ANDREA: What about you? Going home too?
PAUL: I haven’t decided yet. I’m still considering …
ANDREA: Haven’t decided yet? Oh, you are never going to get a flight out of here. All
the seats have been reserved by now I’m sure. It’s the holiday season, after all.
PAUL: Well, it’s not very important to me. My family lives about 180 kilometres from
here. I usually take the train or the coach.
ANDREA: You don’t sound excited about it.
PAUL: Well, we are not really a very close-knit family. I have three brothers, and
they’ve spread out all over the place. We rarely get together as a family any more.
ANDREA: Well, I try to get home as soon as possible. We’re a big family – there are six
of us – children – so it’s always a lot of fun.
PAUL: Six kids?
ANDREA: Yes. And we’re all really close. My brothers are married, so it makes for a very
crowded home over the holiday. And there are too many people to cook for, so
we end up going out to dinner a lot. That’s also fun.

PAUL: Well, at my home, my mother loves to cook, so when we get home she often
cooks big meals. We have leftovers for days.
Unit 2: CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Wedding in Vietnam
TOURIST: Can you tell me something about wedding ceremonies in Vietnam?
T. GUIDE: Well, wedding is very important to the Vietnamese, not only to the couple
involved, but also for both families. The wedding day is usually chosen
carefully by the groom’s parents.
TOURIST: What does the groom’s family usually do on the wedding day?
T. GUIDE: On the wedding day, the groom’s family and relatives go to the bride’s house
bringing gifts wrapped in red paper. The people who hold the trays of gifts are also
carefully chosen.
TOURIST: Do you have someone in charge of the ceremony? And what does he do during the
wedding ceremony?
T. GUIDE: Yes, we have a Master of Ceremonies who introduces the groom, the bride, the
parents, the relatives and guests of the two families. The wedding ceremony starts in
front of the altar. The bride and the groom would pray, asking their ancestors’ permission
to get married. The Master of Ceremonies gives the wedding couple advice on
starting a new family. The groom and the bride then exchange their wedding rings.
TOURIST: Where is the wedding banquet held?
T. GUIDE: Well, it depends. Often the wedding banquet is held at the groom and bride’s
home or at a hotel or a restaurant and all close relatives, friends, and
neighbours are invited.
TOURIST: What kind of food and drinks are served?
T. GUIDE: Traditional food and beer or wine are served. During the reception, the groom,
bride, and their parents stop by each table to thank their guests. The guests in return,
will give envelopes containing wedding cards and money to the newly wedded
couples along with their blessing.
TOURIST: Oh. That’s very interesting. Thank you.
T. GUIDE: You’re welcome!

Unit 3: WAYS OF SOCIALISING
The Telephone – Potential Family Battleground
Hello, everyone. In today’s talk I’m going to give you some pieces of advice on how to use the
telephone in the most decent way so as to avoid unnecessary disagreements between you and
members of your family.
The telephone, as you know, is a marvelous instrument, but it may cause arguments between you and
your parents – arguments that could be easily avoided if you would sit down, talk it over, and
agree to a few simple regulations.
The most obvious problem, of course, is what everyone considers a reasonable length of time for a
call. The exact duration must be worked out with your parents, but ten minutes should be an
absolute maximum. That’s certainly long enough to say almost anything in five different ways,
and yet it isn’t so long that other members of the family will become angry. Even when your
parents are out, the length of your call should be limited, because they, or someone else, may be
trying to reach your home for a very important reason.
Calling hours should be agreed upon. If your parents object to your leaving the dinner table to take
calls, tell your friends to avoid calling at that hour; if someone does phone, ask him to call back,
or offer to call him when dinner’s over.
A serious calling problem is calling very late at night, or very early in the morning. This particular
mistake is made mostly by young people who consider 10 or 11 p.m., when a lot of tired adults
are happily sleeping, the shank of the evening. So please tell your friends not to call after ten
o’clock. The shock of waking out of a sound sleep and the fright of that instant thought –
“There’s an accident” - are enough to give your parents a heart attack. Weekend morning calls
aren’t startling, but it’s the one time your parents can sleep late.
If your mother and father, out of kindness, have installed a separate phone for you, remember that
you’re still a member of a family. So try to stick to your family’s regulations.
That’s all for my talk today. Thank you for listening.
Unit 4: SCHOOL EDUCATION SYSTEM
JENNY: Look, these are questions about how you got on at school. Shall we just go
through them?
GAVIN: Yes, let’s.

JENNY: OK, so, did you always work very hard?
GAVIN: Well I certainly worked pretty hard at the subjects I enjoyed. Yes, I did. What
about you?
JENNY: Yes, I did actually, I think I worked very hard, yeah. Now let’s come to the
next question.
GAVIN: Did, yeah, did you always listen carefully to your teachers?
JENNY: No I don’t think I did. No, I think I was quite disruptive, actually. What about
you?
GAVIN: Well I think I did listen to the teachers certainly when I got to the level where I
was doing the subjects that I enjoyed.
JENNY: Yeah, OK, the next question is, did you always behave well?
GAVIN: I don’t think I always behaved well. I was, a bit, er, a bit of a tearaway.
JENNY: Um. Well, I think I was pretty well-behaved on the whole, so I’d say yes, yeah.
GAVIN: Good for you! Did you pass your exams easily?
JENNY: No I can’t say I did, no, I, I found them quite a struggle, actually. What about
you?
GAVIN: I didn’t pass them that easily, though I worked hard I found it very difficult to
answer all that long questions in a short time.
JENNY: Yeah, yeah, exactly. What about this one, then? Did you always write slowly
and carefully?
GAVIN: Quite slowly. Essays took a long time to write and I suppose I took a bit of
care, yes.
JENNY: Yes, I agree. I was also, I was very careful and erm, yeah, yeah I was quite
methodical.
GAVIN: And did you think your school days were the best days of your life?
JENNY: Um, no, no I can’t say they were. What about you?
GAVIN: No, I went away to boarding school when I was quite young and I didn’t like
that. No, they weren’t the best days of my life.
Unit 5: HIGHER EDUCATION
JOHN:Now, David, can I get this right: You’ve just completed a Msc course on which a large

proportion of the students were international students? Is that right?
DAVID: That’s it. Yes, I was in AERD – that’s the department of Agricultural Extension and Rural
Development.
JOHN:And how do you think the students from the other countries got along on that course?
DAVID: Pretty well.
JOHN: What advice would you give to students, particularly international students, based on your
experience as a student here?
DAVID: I think the most basic thing is to make use, full use, of the tutors and lecturers. Maybe some
of the overseas students are a bit too shy to take questions or problems to tutors.
JOHN:What do you think they should do?
DAVID: I think they should find out at the beginning of the course the times at which the tutor is
going to be available for tutorial appointments, and then make full use of them.
JOHN:So, any problems, they should tell the tutor as soon as possible? Let’s move on, what about
the amount of reading that you have to do as a university student?
DAVID: Yes! It looks pretty daunting at first, with those long reading lists. Don’t think that the
students have to read everything that’s listed. Try to find out which are the most important items
on the list – ask the lecturer or tutor if necessary, and then, if your time is limited, spend it
reading those books thoroughly.
JOHN: OK, that’s very helpful, David. Thank you very much.
DAVID: No, not at all.
Unit 6: FUTURE JOBS
Let’s look at some of the recent changes in the US job market and see if we can make some
predictions for future jobs.
A good way to begin is to look at the American workforce and how it is changing. The most
important change has been the shift from manufacturing jobs to service jobs.
Manufacturing jobs are jobs in which people make something or produce things. For example,
people produce cars. Service jobs are those in which workers provide services, or we may say,
they do something, like washing people’s cars. Generally, service jobs are grouped into five
categories:
One: Transportation companies

Two: Wholesale companies
Three: Retail companies
Four: Finance companies
Five: Personal services, such as hotels, cars repair, accounting, education and medicine
Now the point here is that people have changed from manufacturing jobs to service jobs. For
example, one hundred years ago, 80% of workers produced goods, today only 30% do.
Economists predict by the year 2020, nine out of every ten workers will work in service jobs.
Unit 7: ECONOMIC REFORMS
The inhabitants of Tango, a small island in the Atlantic Ocean, discovered a plant which contained a
powerful drug. They grew the plant all over the island and they took the drug every day. This
made it more difficult for them to think rationally - it stopped them worrying about the future and
enabled them to forget all their problems. At the same time, it made it much easier for them to
relax and enjoy themselves. And because of the drug, the whole population of the island stopped
working and spent all their time singing and dancing and looking at the sea.
Unfortunately this had very bad effects on the country's economy. The workers and farmers became
lazy, the children didn't want to go to school and the whole population began to run short of food.
This, however, didn't discourage people from taking the drug. The Prime Minister made speeches
on the TV warning them about the drug, but nobody took any notice, and before long the
economy of the country was in ruins. This forced the Government to take measures. They
introduced a law to make the drug illegal. But that only made the situation worse. The law
couldn't prevent the people from taking the drug. On the contrary, the fact that the drug was
illegal encouraged people to take it more. They put the drug-takers into prison. But this did not
have any effect, there were not enough prisons for them. Eventually, the Government found a
solution: they exported the drug to other countries. This saved the islanders from having to work
more than one day a week, and allowed them to spend the rest of their time sitting in the sun
without any care in the world.
Unit 8: LIFE IN THE FUTURE
Dr. Davis, a Dutch biologist is being interviewed about people’s life expectancy in the future.
Interviewer: Many scientists predict that in the 21
st

century people will be living into the incredible
age of 130. What do you think about this?
Dr. Davis: Well, I quite agree with them. They have reasons to be confident about that.
Interviewer: What are the reasons?
Dr. Davis: In fact, their prediction is based on research and on the fact that the centenarian population
is mushrooming as our general health improves.
Interviewer: Can you explain this further?
Dr. Davis: A century ago average life expectancy in Europe was 45. Today, providing we look after
ourselves, eat more healthily, cut down on things like butter, alcohol and cigarettes, we can add
nearly 35 years to that figure.
Interviewer: So these are the factors that help people live longer?
Dr. Davis: Yes. But the most important factor is the development in medical science.
Interviewer: What do you mean?
Dr. Davis: Nobody dies from old age, just from diseases that affect people when they get older.
Interviewer: So scientists are trying to find cures for fatal diseases like cancer and Aids?
Dr. Davis: Right. Nowadays, about 50% of cancers are curable, and I really believe that within 30
years this will increase to 80%. And in ten years' time Aids will also be brought under control,
too.
Interviewer: That sounds interesting. What about living forever?
Dr. Davis: So far, eternal life is just science fiction. But with the advance of science, it's not
impossible.
Unit 9: DESERTS
Hello everyone. In today's talk, I'm going to tell you something about deserts, what they are and how
they are formed.
A desert is a hot, dry, sandy place. A desert is also a beautiful land of silence and space. The sun
shines, the wind blows, and time and space seem endless. Nothing is soft. The sand and the rocks
are hard, and many of the plants, such as the cactus, have hard needles instead of leaves.
The size and location of the world's deserts are always changing. Over millions of years, as climates
change and mountains rise, new dry and wet areas develop. But within the last 100 years, deserts
have been growing at a frightening speed. This is partly because of natural changes, but the

greatest desert makers are humans.
In the 19
th
century some people living in English colonies in Australia got rabbits from England.
Today there are millions of rabbits in Australia, and they eat every plant they can find. The great
desert that covers the centre of Australia is growing.
Farming first began in the Tigris-Euphrates, but today the land there is a desert. In dry areas, people
can plant crops on dry and poor land. When there are one or two very dry years, the plants die,
and the land becomes desert.
In developing countries, 90 percent of the people use wood for cooking and heat. They cut down trees
for firewood. But trees are important. They cool the land under them and keep the sun off smaller
plants. When leaves fall from a tree, they make the land richer. When the trees are gone, the
smaller plants die, and the land becomes desert.
Humans can make deserts, but humans can also prevent their growth. Algeria planted a green
wall of trees across the edge of the Sahara to stop the desert sand from spreading. Mauritania
planted a similar wall around its capital. Iran puts a thin covering of petroleum on sandy areas
and plant trees. Other countries build long canals to bring water to the desert areas.
Well, that's all for my talk. Thank you for listening.
Unit 10: ENDANGERED SPECIES
For a long time the image most people had of a gorilla was a dangerous-looking animal with big,
bared teeth. But researchers studying gorillas show a very different picture of mountain gorillas.
The animals are peaceful, gentle, sociable, and mainly plant-eating creatures.
Gorillas live in family groups. A typical group is led by the biggest and strongest grown-up male
gorilla. He is called a silverback because the hair on a male's back turns from black to silvery
grey as he grows up. A silverback's group usually includes one or two sub-adult males and a few
females and their young.
Mountain gorillas spend much of their time eating. Their food includes a variety of plants, along with
a few kinds of insects and worms. At night the animals make a nest to sleep in. Many lightweight
gorillas nest in trees. The heavier ones may nest in grasses on the ground. Babies sleep with their
mothers at night.

Life for mountain gorillas is not always peaceful. They are endangered and threatened by civil wars
in the smaller parts of Africa. Hunters kill them for food. Their forests are cut down for farmland,
fuel, and housing. But many scientists, forest rangers and other concerned people are working
hard to protect mountain gorillas and their habitats.
Unit 11: BOOKS
I recently read The Incredible Journey by Sheila Bumford, a book about three animal friends
who travel across the Canadian wilderness looking for their owners. It is a fascinating story that
describes some of the incredible things animals can do.
When a Canadian family goes to England for a long trip, they leave their three pets with a friend
who lives 300 miles away. Though well treated by the friend, the pets miss their family. One day,
they are able to leave the friend's house unnoticed and begin the long journey to find their
owners. The central theme of the book, a problem the animals must resolve, is how to survive life
in the wilderness in order to arrive home. They never could have completed the journey alone,
but they take care of one another, and all the three make it and are reunited with their owners.
Each animal has a distinct personality, but they care for one another almost as if they were a family.
The most impressive of them is the old dog. The journey was the most difficult for him, but
amazingly he found the strength to make it.
The author didn't try to turn the animals into people, speaking and acting like humans. Instead,
she was faithful to her characters as animals and showed us their journey through animal eyes.
That made the book interesting and unbelievable.
I would recommend the book to anyone who likes animals. I think that anyone who has ever had
a pet or wanted one would enjoy it.
Unit 12: WATER SPORTS
SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING
The great Australian swimmer, Annette Kellerman, student at the University of Wisconsin, planted
the first seed of what was to become synchronized swimming when she performed a water ballet
in a glass tank in New York in 1907.
Katherine Curtis, an American woman, was very inspired by the new water sport. So she tried to
get synchronized swimming added to the physical education programme for female students. In
1923 she founded a water ballet club at the University of Chicago and sixty swimmers of the club

attracted national and international publicity.
The sport quickly became popular among young women in Chicago. Curtis developed the
competition rules, based essentially on the scoring methods used in gymnastics and diving.
The first recorded competition was held on May 27, 1939, between Chicago Teacher's College
coached by Curtis and Wright Junior College of Illinois.
Shortly afterwards, the Central Association of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) staged the first
multi-team competition on March 1, 1940. The following year, the AAU officially accepted
synchronized swimming as a competitive sport for team events. In 1946 the first formal national
championships were conducted by the AAU.
Synchronized swimming became an Olympic event at the Los Angeles Games in 1984.
Unit 13: THE 22
nd
SEA GAMES
The first newspaper article:
Only Amnat won a gold in the Southeast Asian Games Pole Vaulting yesterday. Nobody else could
clear the bar. While he was the only one who stood alone on the podium, Amnat was among the
Thai athletes who won 10 gold medals in early events yesterday. He won the gold in the Pole
Vaulting Final after clearing 4.80 m. Meanwhile four other pole-vaulters missed their attempts at
the heights ranging from 4.40m to 4.80m. Amnat has proved a lonely winner in this event, but his
points were still below the SEA Games record of 5.05m.
The second newspaper article:
The Vietnamese Milk Company (Vinamilk) has offered jobs to the 27 members of Vietnam's
Women's Football Team after they won the Games' second title. Perhaps they are going to be
milkmaids when they retire. It is not an odd proposal because the majority of the footballers will
become unemployed when the Games are over. And they now have to struggle to make ends
meet. Vinamilk has promised to train their new employees as soon as the deal is signed. The
goalkeeper of Vietnam's Women's Football Team is dreaming to run a café after doctors have
said her injuries would stop her from playing ever again. At the moment, she is short of money,
so the Vinamilk offer looks tempting to her.
Unit 14: INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

In 1945 leaders from 51 countries met in San Francisco, California and organised the United Nations
(often called the UN). World War II had just ended. Millions of people had died and there was
destruction everywhere.
People hoped they could build a future of world peace through this new organisation.
The United Nations has four main goals and purposes:
1. To work together for international peace and to solve international problems;
2. To develop friendly relations among nations;
3. To work together for human rights for everyone of all races, religions, languages and of both
sexes.
4. To build a centre where nations can work together for these goals.
Today almost every country in the world is a member of the UN. Each country has signed an
agreement that says:
• All members are equal.
• All members promise to solve international problems in a peaceful way.
• No member will use force against another member.
• All members will help the UN in its actions.
• The UN will not try to solve problems within countries except to enforce international peace.
Obviously, the United Nations has not been completely successful in its goals. There have been
several wars since 1945. However, the organization has helped bring peace to some countries that
were at war. It has helped people who left their countries because of wars. It has helped bring
independence to colonies.
Unit 15: WOMEN IN SOCIETY
Women hold up half the sky. This is an old Chinese saying. However, research shows that perhaps
women do more than their share of “holding up the sky".
Fifty percent of the world's population are women, but nearly two-thirds of all working hours are
done by women. They do most of the domestic work like cooking and washing clothes. Millions
also work outside the home. Women hold forty percent of all the world's jobs. For this work they
earn only 40 to 60 percent as much as men, and of course they earn nothing for their domestic
work.
In developing countries, where three-fourths of the world's population lives, women produce

more than half of the food. In Africa, 80 percent of all agricultural work is done by women.
In parts of Africa, this is a typical day for a village woman. At 4.45 am, she gets up, washes, and
eats. It takes her half an hour to walk to the fields, and she works there until 3.00 pm. She collects
firewood until 4.00 pm then comes back home. She spends the next hour and a half preparing
food to cook, then she collects water for another hour. From 6.30 to 8.30 she cooks. After dinner,
she spends an hour washing the dishes. She then goes to bed at 9.30 pm.
Unit 16: THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
Mr. Hung: What are you doing? It’s so late. Why don’t you go to bed?
Nga: I’m trying to finish my essay about the culture and religions of the ASEAN countries. I’ll have
to submit it to my teacher tomorrow. May I ask you something, Dad?
Mr. Hung: Yes? What’s that?
Nga: Do you know how many people in Southeast Asia speak English?
Mr. Hung: I'm not sure. But the ASEAN region has the third largest number of English speakers -just
after the US and UK.
Nga: Really? Exactly how many people speak English?
Mr. Hung: Around 50 million, I think, … mostly in the Philippines.
Nga: Do you know anything about religions?
Mr. Hung: The ASEAN countries include three main religions. They are Islam, Buddhism and
Catholicism.
Nga: What is Islam?
Mr. Hung: A religion based on a belief in one god and the teaching of Muhammad. It's the religion of
the Muslims.
Nga: Can you tell me something more about the Muslims?
Mr. Hung: It's an interesting question. The ASEAN countries have more Muslims than any other geo-
political entity.
Nga: But how many Muslims, Dad?
Mr. Hung: Oh, let me try to remember about a quarter of a billion, mostly in Indonesia and
Malaysia.
Nga: And what about the other religions?
Mr. Hung: Other main religions of the various countries in the region include large numbers of

Buddhists, and Catholics in the Philippines.
Nga: What is the main religion in Vietnam?
Mr. Hung: It's Buddhism. Many people go to pagodas.
Nga: Well, and now I think I've got all the information I need for my essay. Thank you very much,
Dad.
Mr. Hung: That's all right. Finish your writing and go to bed. I'm afraid you'll get up late tomorrow
morning.