MATERIALS FOR THE GCSE PREPARATION – WRITING SKILLS - 2016

1
PHẦN TỰ LUẬN: (2 điểm)
I. Rewrite the following sentences using the words given so that it means exactly the same as the first
sentence.
65. It’s a pity I can’t go to the game next Saturday. (wish)
 I _________________________________________
66. Do I have to fill in any forms? (necessary)
 Is _________________________________________
67. I only found out the truth because I heard the two of them talking. (found)
 If I _________________________________________
68. It is necessary that I post this letter tonight. (need)
 I _________________________________________
69. This food is so good that I’m going to have some more. (such)
 This _________________________________________
II. Topic: Do we really need to have a good boss?
Even though job situations can be very different, there are several qualities that all good supervisors
have in common. A good boss treats all her employees fairly. She doesn't single out one employee for better
(or worse) treatment than the others. A poor supervisor has favorites.
Sometimes she'll even use her favorites to spy on other employees. She expects them to tell her what
the others are saying about her. This can cause a lot of bad feelings among employees. A good supervisor
gives clear and understandable directions, She doesn't constantly change her mind about what she wants
employees to do. She also doesn't get angry with an employee who is confused and needs her to explain the
directions again or more fully. Delegating authority well is another quality of a good supervisor. She knows
how to use the skills of her employees to best advantage. A poor supervisor insists on doing everything
herself. She is unwilling to give any authority to others.
A good boss evaluates her employees on a reasonable set of criteria, not on how she feels about them
personally. And she lets the employees know what those criteria are, so they have a fair chance of meeting
them. She gives both praise and criticism in a straightforward manner. She also offers guidance when needed.
A poor supervisor will criticize without giving any suggestions on how to improve. Most importantly, a good

schools as you. In the city, the people you meet are all different. There are different races and different
cultures. You get a more interesting mix.
City people tend to come from a lot of different places and move around a lot. So, there isn't the sense
of community in the city that you have in the country. People in the city can live in the same apartment
building for twenty years and never get to know their neighbors. In the country, everybody knows everybody.
For a child, this means the country is more secure. A child can get lost or hurt in the city and have no one to
turn to. In the country, everyone's a neighbor. People in the country feel connected to each other.
A child growing up in the city has the advantage of a lot of interesting and exciting places to visit. He
or she can go to the zoo, museums, art galleries and concerts. There are a lot of restaurants with different
kinds of food. It's easy to see every new movie that comes out. Children in the country don't have a lot of these
activities nearby.
All in all, I think a childhood in the city is better because it prepares you more for what real life is
like.
3
PHẦN TỰ LUẬN: (2 điểm)
I. Rewrite the following sentences using the words given so that it means exactly the same as the first
sentence.
65. People all over the country have helped the poor people in the flood region.
→ The poor people_________________________________________________
66. It’s cold in the morning, so the children go to school in heavy clothes.
→ Because of_________________________________________________
67. David has read a lot of books, however, he cannot find a good solution.
→ Although_________________________________________________
68. It isn't necessary to finish the work today.
→ You don't _____________________________________________________
69. Hai finally managed to get a job
→ Hai finally succeeded____________________________________________
II. Topic: What are the factors to enable a longer life?
With the development of human society, people are living longer now. Many factors interacting
together enable the longer life. There are three most important causes: the quality of food has been greatly

66. I'm sorry that I didn't finish my homework last night.
→ I wish_________________________________________________
67. Reading scientific books is one of my interests.
→ I'm_______________________________________________________
68. I’ve never seen a girl as beautiful as that girl.
→ That is_________________________________________________
69. I don’t have any hats as cheap as this hat.
→ This hat is_________________________________________________
II. Topic: Do we really need to be good at team-working?
We all work with many different kinds of people. Different co-workers have different personality. To
me, my co-workers should have some important characteristics such as independence, optimism, and
teamwork spirit.
I think a good co-worker must have his own opinions. A co-worker should dare to propose his own
opinions. He should not say the same as others and hide his opinions. Only everyone tries his best to analyze
every aspect of a thing, it can be done best. So independence of thinking is important for a co-worker.
Another important characteristic is optimism. If we have some difficult problems, he must be brave
and should not fear them. He should encourage others to find methods to solve problems. This point is very
important because one’s mood can influence others easily. Once a co-worker shows a little fear of difficulties,
others may become discouraged soon. So a good co-worker should be optimistic.
In addition, teamwork spirit is an important characteristic of a co-worker. Although a co-worker
should be independent to analyze a thing, he should be tolerant to the different people and their ways of
working. He should be willing to dedicate his energy, time and knowledge to reach the goal of whole team.
Independence, optimism and teamwork spirit are important characteristics of a co-worker. If everyone
in a work group has these characteristics, the group can overcome difficulties and reach its goals.
5
PHẦN TỰ LUẬN: (2 điểm)
I. Rewrite the following sentences using the words given so that it means exactly the same as the first
sentence.
65. She never seems to succeed, even though she works hard.
→However _________________________________________________

all their money. Even if it doesn't come to that, they may find their career ruined.
When are we, the public, going to make it clear to the media that we're tired of having to watch this
kind of thing on the news? Wouldn't it be better if they would concentrate on more important issues?
6
PHẦN TỰ LUẬN: (2 điểm)
I. Rewrite the following sentences using the words given so that it means exactly the same as the first
sentence.
65. These young men became doctors after six years training.
→After these young men _________________________________________________
66. People believe that the Chinese invented paper in 105 A.D.
→Paper _________________________________________________
67. A man I don’t know told me about that.
→I was _________________________________________________
68. It takes six hours to drive from here to London.
→It is _________________________________________________
69. It was the goalkeeper that saved the match for us.
→Had _________________________________________________
II. Topic: Man is the main factor to worsen the Earth.
People have been living on the Earth for thousands of years. Human activity influences the Earth.
Some people believe that the Earth is being harmed by human activity. Others feel that human activity makes
the Earth a better place to live. In my opinion, the earth is being damaged by human activity. There are many
statements supporting my opinion.
Human activity has damaged natural environment and almost exhausted natural resources. Modern
industry needs more and more resources, including minerals, fuels and water. So we confront of the serious
problems such as the lack of fuels and water. Ecological balance is damaged because factories occupy many
places where animals and plants live. More and more buildings are constructed and forests become less and
less. If we cannot recognize these problems and solve them soon, we would finally lose the environment
suitable for our living.
Another serious problem is "the green-house effect." Human activity decreases forests and increases
the usage of fuels so that the gas of carbon dioxide is output more and more and there are not enough plants

69. “Why didn’t you go to the club last night?” the girl said to Jim.
→ The girl asked _________________________________________
II. Topic: Human are said to greatly benefit from destroying their environment. Do you really think so?
The quality of human life has improved greatly over the past few centuries, but Earth is being harmed
more and more by human activity. As we develop our technology, we demand more from our planet.
Eventually, this will harm people as well.
Our planet gives us everything we need, but natural resources are not endless. Strip mining devastates
whole regions, leaving bare and useless ground. Deforestation removes old growth trees that can't be
replaced. Too much fishing may harm fish populations to the point where they can't recover. We are too
careless in taking what we want without giving anything back.
There are more people than ever, living longer than ever. So is it any surprise that many areas suffer
from too much development? Anyone living in or near a city has experienced "urban sprawl." There is a new
shopping area on every corner and new houses, townhouses and apartments everywhere. Traffic gets worse
and worse because planners can't keep up with growth.
Keeping up with human demand is hard enough. Environmental concerns come in last. With growth
comes pollution. Companies and communities dump waste into water. Landfills are full of trash. Emissions
from factories pollute the air. Barrels of industrial waste and worse, radioactive waste, have no safe place to
go. If we're not careful, we can harm our planet beyond repair.
People need to respect the Earth and try to preserve it. If we don't, what kind of future will we have?
8
PHẦN TỰ LUẬN: (2 điểm)
I. Rewrite the following sentences using the words given so that it means exactly the same as the first
sentence.
65. He drove so badly that he kept having accidents. (A)
 He was _________________________________________
66. Jim does not intend to give up his hobby.(INTENTION)
 Jim has _________________________________________
67. You didn’t come home early so the house was broken into and things were stolen. (WOULD)
 Had you _________________________________________
68. How much are your shoes? (PRICE)

I. Rewrite the following sentences using the words given so that it means exactly the same as the first
sentence.
65. Mary is so young that she can’t join our club. (TOO)
 Mary is _________________________________________
66. The owners of the restaurants are usually very rich.(WHO)
 The people _________________________________________
67. It was easy for us to get tickets for the concert. (NO)
 We had _________________________________________
68. They think the burglar got in through the bathroom. (THOUGHT)
 The burglar _________________________________________
69. George failed the final exam because he was lazy.(BECAUSE OF)
 Because of _________________________________________
II. Topic: Your thing to do in free time. Watching TV.
Do you like watching TV? Do you watch it regularly? If a living performance is available what, do
you think, will you choose, watching TV or attending the performance? But if I were you I will prefer the
latter.
Watching TV is boring and exhaustive. Just sitting before the grey box will make you sleepy. You
cannot feel the atmosphere in the auditorium which makes the audiences feel refreshed and excited. You can
appreciate all the programs through your own eyes not though the square glass screen.
There are many other audiences as well as you sitting there and watching the performance which
makes you feel accompanied. And you can communicate with others about what you have just seen or
thought. This gives you an opportunity to express your opinion. And you know you are not alone then.
Going to see the performance out of your house is also good to your body. For you may have a walk
after the activity even go to a good bar and find something to drink. You can also see some friends after the
show. Though I am not very sure about others I will commonly do such things after a concert. It makes me
feel great.
So, to take part in a living show is my favorite choice. Instead of watching TV I would like to have
some performance publically. It is better than the program in TV I think.

PREPARED BY ĐỖ BÌNH – THPT LIỄN SƠN, HUYỆN LẬP THẠCH, TỈNH VĨNH PHÚC

totally different.
Nothing can beat the convenience of a plane. In the old days, it might take you days to do what the
plane can do it an hour. Boats, for example, only leave on certain days of the week and take a long time to get
to their destination. Planes give you the option to leave several times a day and get you to your destination
quickly.
Although other forms of transportation may be more comfortable, none has changed the way we do
business and live our lives more than the plane. Thanks to the speed, excitement, and convenience of the
planes, our lives are richer.
11
PHẦN TỰ LUẬN: (2 điểm)
I. Rewrite each of the following sentences in such a way that the original meaning is exactly the same as
the provided one.
65. Mr. Holton only operated because he knew the rumour was malignant
→ Mr. Holton wouldn't_________________________________________
66. All that stood between John and a gold medal was Jim's greater speed
→ But for _________________________________________
67. Immediately after their arrival, things went wrong.
→ No sooner_________________________________________
68. He was so tired that he fell asleep before the end of the film
→ He was too_________________________________________
69. Hearing that an earthquake had occurred was a great shock to us.
→ We were _________________________________________
PREPARED BY ĐỖ BÌNH – THPT LIỄN SƠN, HUYỆN LẬP THẠCH, TỈNH VĨNH PHÚC

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MATERIALS FOR THE GCSE PREPARATION – WRITING SKILLS - 2016

II. Topic: Discuss the role of teachers in one’s life

69. It was a mistake of mine to park outside the police station.
→ I shouldn’t_________________________________________
II. Topic: Good neighbors are as good as relatives. What do you think about this?
Neighbors are the people who live near us, and their behavior influence our daily life. Good
neighbors can make us feel comfortable and give us many help, and everyone will benefit from a good
relationship among neighbors. In my point of view, these are three conspicuous aspects of the qualities of a
good neighbors.
One of the most important characteristic of good neighbors is that they have a good living habit and
are friendly to others. A person with bad habit will affect your daily life. For example, children are most
likely to be influenced by bad neighbors and carry on bad habits. On the other hand, being friendly is also an
important nature of good neighbors. If neighbors are unfriendly, they are hard to approach and difficult to
get along with.
Another important aspect of good neighbors is that they should be willing to help others. In our daily
life, emergency situations may happen, and we may encounter difficulties which cannot be resolved by
ourselves. At this time, the quickest help we can get is probably from our neighbors. To some degree,
neighbors are as important as relatives to us, because they could provide the immediate help. In the same
PREPARED BY ĐỖ BÌNH – THPT LIỄN SƠN, HUYỆN LẬP THẠCH, TỈNH VĨNH PHÚC

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MATERIALS FOR THE GCSE PREPARATION – WRITING SKILLS - 2016

way, a neighbor who likes to help others will get help in return. Help each others can form a friendly and
harmonious relationship among the neighbors.
All in all, a good neighbor is someone who have a good living habit, is friendly and is willing to help
others. Taking into account of all these factors, we may reach the conclusion that a good relationship among
neighbors need the maintenance from us.
13
PHẦN TỰ LUẬN: (2 điểm)

Admittedly, being required to attend classes has advantages of disciplining the student, however,
considering most university students can discipline themselves on their own, I believe it is sagacious to agree
with that going to classes should be optional for college or university students.
14
PHẦN TỰ LUẬN: (2 điểm)
I. Rewrite each of the following sentences in such a way that the original meaning is exactly the same as
the provided one.
65. They regret ever doing business with him.
→ They wish _________________________________________
66. We didn’t finish the work because of his carelessness.
→ If _________________________________________
PREPARED BY ĐỖ BÌNH – THPT LIỄN SƠN, HUYỆN LẬP THẠCH, TỈNH VĨNH PHÚC

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MATERIALS FOR THE GCSE PREPARATION – WRITING SKILLS - 2016

67. If you followed my advice, you’d be successful.
→ Were _________________________________________
68. He left without saying a single word, which is very impolite.
→ . It was impolite _________________________________________
69. Working for this travel agency will not be possible without a good command of English.
→ Unless _________________________________________
II. Topic: Cooking for yourself is not only good for your health but also your pleasure. Do you agree with
this?
In the modern life now, more and more people prefer to eat at food stands or restaurants. They think
that will save time so that they can have enough time to do their jobs. But I still prefer to prepare and eat food
at home.
There several reasons. First of all, you can save money if you eat at home. In general, to get profit, the

have to own a car to ensure a comfortable living. You can't get around without one because there isn't any
kind of public transportation. Big cities generally have heavy traffic and expensive parking, but there you
have a choice of taking public transportation. It's not free, but it's often cheaper than driving when you
consider gas and time. Especially if you don't have a car, you're better off in the city.
I love the excitement of big cities. Small towns have a slow pace. Large cities mean you have to adapt
to a variety of situations, like finding a new route to work or trying a new restaurant. I enjoy that challenge
very much. Another pan of the excitement of city living is the variety of cultural activities available. There is a
PREPARED BY ĐỖ BÌNH – THPT LIỄN SƠN, HUYỆN LẬP THẠCH, TỈNH VĨNH PHÚC

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MATERIALS FOR THE GCSE PREPARATION – WRITING SKILLS - 2016

wide assortment of theatre, music and dance performances available in big cities. These things are rare in
small ones.
The final thing I like about large cities is the diversity of the people. The United States is made up of
people of different races, religions, abilities, and interests. However, you seldom find such a variety of people
in a smaller town. I think that living in an area where everyone was just like me would quickly become
boring.
Of course, security is a concern, and that's one area where small towns are superior to big cities. Still,
I would rather be a bit more cautious and live in a large city than to feel secure but bored.
16
PHẦN TỰ LUẬN: (2 điểm)
I. Rewrite each of the following sentences in such a way that the original meaning is exactly the same as
the provided one.
65. “ How many survivors are there?”, asked the journalist.
=> The journalist wanted to know_________________________________________
66. It was such rotten meat that it had to be thrown away.
=> The meat was_________________________________________

=> She has_________________________________________
PREPARED BY ĐỖ BÌNH – THPT LIỄN SƠN, HUYỆN LẬP THẠCH, TỈNH VĨNH PHÚC

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MATERIALS FOR THE GCSE PREPARATION – WRITING SKILLS - 2016

66. She knows a lot more about it than I do.
=> I don’t know_________________________________________
67. My French friend finds driving on the left difficult
=> My French friend isn’t_________________________________________
68. They think the owner of the house is abroad.
=> The owner_________________________________________
69. We didn’t go on holiday because we did not have enough money
=> If we_________________________________________
II. Topic: What do you think of the changes in life?
Everything in the universe is in constant change. And everything needs continual improvement if the
ever changing and increasing demands of humankind are to be met. If I am ever given the chance to change
one important thing about my home town, it would be internet service. Needless to say that nothing generally
revolutionized the way we live as internet in the past decade. Thus, an improvement in this vital service would
mean an even more, unheard betterment to the people in my home town.
It is said that information is power. True saying indeed! I can envision how everything in my home
town could improve dramatically if the internet service in it were made free, fast and staying out there like
electricity, telephone or water all the time. One thing, a fast free and reliable internet service could improve
in my home town is the way people work. If there is a this said service people in my home town must not
necessarily commute to a far place to do their job. This in turn would mean less traffic jams, spacious work
place, more time for family and recreation and so on.
The way people learn would be another important thing that a fast, free and reliable internet service
could better in my home town. People will have the chance to go through tremendous and different


MATERIALS FOR THE GCSE PREPARATION – WRITING SKILLS - 2016

waste and most of the wastes are harmful to the environment, including poisonous gas and liquid. Some of
them cannot be entirely broken down. If they are released into the air or the river, it will affect our health.
And also the factory may produce a lot of noise. The environment we want to live in is a quiet and peaceful
one, so the noise will be quite boring. And yes, noise also affects our health.
Still one thing, a factory can be very dangerous. Because a fire or a explosion may break out in the
factory. If it’s very near our home, it’s quite dangerous.
But in other hand, a factory may be a good news to us. It can provide more jobs for us, especially for
the young people in our community. Since the factory is near, it’s so convenient to go to work, and the factory
will get more chances to our area. It will help to develop our area. So if the factory can bring us a lot of
chances, we will agree to build one. But the most important things are:
1. Build the factory in a safe distance from our community, not too near.
2. Make sure that the factory can deal with the waste properly. Do not release the poisonous gas into the air,
and not release the waste water into the river nearby.
3. Make sure the security guard in the factory works very well.
19
PHẦN TỰ LUẬN: (2 điểm)
I. Rewrite each of the following sentences in such a way that the original meaning is exactly the same as
the provided one.
65. Although he had a good salary, he was unhappy in his job.
In spite of_________________________________________
66. I’m sorry I missed your birthday party
I wish_________________________________________
67. They haven’t cleaned the streets this week.
The streets_________________________________________
68. Apples are usually cheaper than oranges.
Apples are not_________________________________________
69. I advice you to put your money in the bank.

It is such_________________________________________
66. I’ll pick the children up if you like.
Would you_________________________________________
67. He objected to the fact that his secretary came to work late
He was annoyed_________________________________________
68. Tom is the most industrious pupil.
No other pupil_________________________________________
69. She isn’t accustomed to life in London
She’s not used to_________________________________________
II. Topic: Which is more important, knowledge from books or experiences from life?
We gain our knowledge about the world and our life from two sources: from experience and from
books. These two resources are both important, but which of them is more important?
Knowledge from books forms a very important part of our knowledge structure. In schools and
colleges, we learn knowledge which is fundamental to our future career. We learn knowledge from books in
order to make our contributions to this society in the future. A student learns mathematic equations and other
scientific knowledge and become a scientist or engineer. We will be illiterate and ignorant without learning
knowledge from books. Moreover, we acquire knowledge about life and the world by reading books,
magazines and newspapers. This is also very important as we cannot experience everything all by ourselves.
Therefore books are a very important source of knowledge.
On the other hand, we can't learn everything from a book. “Experience is the best teacher” is an old
cliché, but I agree with it. The most important, and sometimes the hardest, lessons we learn in life come from
our participation in situations. We learn how to get along with others or how to have self-respect from our
experience, not from books. We cannot learn emotional feelings, such as love and care, through books; they
come from our real life experience. Knowledge from experience is also a very important supplement to
knowledge from books.
Needless to say both learning sources, books and experience, are very important to us. But in my
opinion knowledge from experience is more important, because without knowledge from experience, it is
impossible to get a real understanding of knowledge from books, and how to apply this knowledge to real
world situations.
21

more friends who they trust.
The people who graduate from college seem more confident in our community. These people are more
respected by society. Many people want to be respected and to be important by family, friends, their bosses,
and others in their lives. They find that most of them can confidently talk and do their jobs as they are more
educated. Therefore, most people want to get the confidence through the university or college study. In
today's society, people need more knowledge and skills to be adapted. The university and college study is a
good way to achieve this.
22
PHẦN TỰ LUẬN: (2 điểm)
I. Rewrite each of the following sentences in such a way that the original meaning is exactly the same as
the provided one.
65. I get to work in 20 minutes.
It _________________________________________
66. It is necessary that this work be finished by Monday.
This work_________________________________________
67. It’s a pity I didn’t take my doctor’s advice.
I wish_________________________________________
68. The bread is so tale we can’t eat it.
The bread isn’t_________________________________________
69. Who does this bag belong to?
Whose_________________________________________
II. Topic: Is university education the best choice for all of us?
In China, more and more people try their best to attend college or university. What are the reasons
that make people long for it?
First of all, in my opinion, the most important reason is to gain competence to live a better life in the
future. Competition of our days has become more and more drastic, and even a very simple job or low
position will attract hundreds of candidates to apply for it. Only those who have a good education and
general knowledge can gain better work. So, we should attend college or university for better competence.
Second, attending college or university can change our life. For example, to myself, I am a student
from countryside. I am one of the few people who can attend college or university. Most of those who have not

I needn’t_________________________________________
II. Topic: In Vietnam, a university diploma seems to guarantee one’s social status. What are your points of
view about this?
Why do people need to attend colleges or universities? Different people have different answers to this
question. I believe that the three most common reasons are to prepare for a career, to have new experiences,
and to increase their knowledge of themselves and the world around them.
Career preparation is becoming more and more important to young people. For many, this is the
primary reason to go to college. They know that the job market is competitive. At college, they can learn new
skill for careers with a lot of opportunities. This means careers, such as information technology, that are
expected to need a large workforce in the coming years.
Also, students go to colleges and universities to have new experiences. This often means having the
opportunity to meet people different from those in their hometowns. For most students, going to college is the
first time they've been away from home by themselves. In addition, this is the first time they've bad to make
decisions on their own. Making these decisions increases their knowledge of themselves.
Besides looking for self-knowledge, people also attend a university or college to expand their
knowledge in subjects they find interesting. For many, this will he their last chance for a long time to learn
about something that doesn't relate to their career.
I would recommend that people not be so focused on a career. They should go to college to have new
experiences and learn about themselves and the world they live in.
24
PHẦN TỰ LUẬN: (2 điểm)
I. Rewrite each of the following sentences in such a way that the original meaning is exactly the same as
the provided one.
65. The trains couldn’t run because of the snow.
The snow_________________________________________
66. I didn’t arrive in time to see him.
I wasn’t early_________________________________________
67. I’m sorry I was rude to you yesterday.
I apologize_________________________________________
68. She didn’t hurry, so she missed the train.

Tom.
25
PHẦN TỰ LUẬN: (2 điểm)
I. Rewrite each of the following sentences in such a way that the original meaning is exactly the same as
the provided one.
65. I haven’t seen that man here before.
It’s_________________________________________
66. The furniture was so expensive that I didn’t buy it.
The furniture was too_________________________________________
67. The robbers made the bank manager hand over on the money.
The bank manager_________________________________________
68. Tom learned to drive when he was nineteen.
Tom has_________________________________________
69. She had never been so unhappy before.
She was unhappier_________________________________________
II. TOPIC: Write about a sporting event you saw recently.
Last Sunday at our school football field, a friendly football match was held. Our school Female
Students’ Football Team played against the neighboring school’s one.
It was a really nice Sunday morning then. The football field where the match took place was
previously well-decorated. Red flags could be seen along the roads from our school gate passing the school
play-ground to the gym then to the football ground, together with numerous slogans, posters, and of course
pictures of the two teams and individual players. Then came the most important moment of the day when the
two teams entered the field from the changing rooms, following the two headmasters of the two schools, and
the referees. Spectators all burst into applauses to welcome the players. As soon as the game began,
spectators started cheering and shouting for one side or the other. Others sang and danced, some even called
out the players’ names with love and pride. The crowd kept discussing and commentating happily. On the first
half, our team played much better to score two goal to lead the guest. The football field seemed to be filled
with applauses and bravos when the first and then the second goal were scored by the two different home
strikers. The players of the two teams played so well that it made spectators forget the time as the referee
blew his whistle to finish the first half. When the second half came the guest players played much better and

One advantage of doing exercise is to reduce stress. People who exercise are likely to feel more
relaxed, healthier, and of course happier. Doing regular exercise helps the body produce happy chemicals
that make the exercisers reduce the worries about life and work as well as forget the boredom and
unhappiness.
Another benefit exercising brings us is that we will feel more energetic to face and overcome our daily
difficulties. Doing exercise helps us reduce the possibilities of being ill, protects us from some fatal diseases
as heart disease, cancers and diabetes. Regular exercisers are believed to have healthier, happier and longer
lives. The other good thing is that doing exercise helps us feel more self-confident. We know exactly what we
can do or what abilities, talents we have. We will think positively, do confidently, and lead an optimistic life if
we practice exercising regularly. Controlling our weight effectively is another value. Perspiration occurs
when we exercise, which helps our bodies get rid of bad things inside. Fats are burnt during our practicing
exercise, which helps us to keep fit.
To sum up, doing exercise enables people to have good body-buildings, keep fit and brings exercisers
many benefits. Sparing time doing exercise will ensure us a longer, healthier and happier life.
27
PHẦN TỰ LUẬN: (2 điểm)
I. Rewrite each of the following sentences in such a way that the original meaning is exactly the same as
the provided one.
65. The last time she had a swim was five years ago.
She hasn't _________________________________________
66. I asked the hotel porter to wake me at 8 o’clock the following morning.
“Please_________________________________________
67. They’ll have to change the date of the meeting again.
The date_________________________________________
68. The garage is going to repair the car for us next week.
We are going _________________________________________
69. The bus take s longer than the train.
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65. John has not had his hair cut for over six months.
It is_________________________________________
66. Maria says she’d like to have been put in a higher class.
Maria wishes_________________________________________
67. Would you like me to finish the work tonight?
I’ll_________________________________________
68. You may get hungry on the train, so take some sandwiches.
In_________________________________________
69. My husband didn’t leave the car keys, so I couldn’t pick him up at the station.
If my husband_________________________________________
II. TOPIC: Write about the causes of the fact that families now are not as close-knit as they were in the
past.
It is widely believed that home is where love dwells and that east or west home is the best. That means
family is so important to any of us that we hardly grow up without the care from family members. It is also
true that the social, economic changes make the traditional family formulas vary. Although different people
have different points of view on the matters, we all agree that families now are not as close-knit as they used
to be. The causes are various, but we can count for the three main points below.
The first cause is that in our modern life we all seem to have so busy lives and dynamic lifestyles.
People now are so busy with working, earning, getting promotions, taking part in social activities, etc. People
are likely to have longer working hours because of their demand of earning more and more. People seem to
be never satisfied with what they have. In families, under the economic pressure, both parents work so they
have less time for themselves as well as for other family members.
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MATERIALS FOR THE GCSE PREPARATION – WRITING SKILLS - 2016

Another cause is that due to the explosion of modern technologies people are more interested in their

lives but also the next generations. The first easy thing one can do is to save the energy by using less heat and
air-conditioning, using energy-efficient products, or even driving less. Another way is to recycle paper,
plastic, newspaper, glass, etc. When the recycling is practiced, it helps to reduce the carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere. The other thing is to plant more trees because as we know, trees can absorb carbon dioxide and
give off oxygen. The fact is that the mission is not done by one or a group of persons so we should educate the
community and encourage everyone to join hands to recycle and conserve energy.
Countries all over the world, rich or poor, developed, developing or underdeveloped should cooperate to better the situation. First of all, governments are better to inform their citizens about the global
warming facts and the mishaps that people may face if the process goes on. Then, in order to reduce the
emissions, governments should impose heavier taxes on the produce of greenhouse gas emissions. Factories
and companies that over-emit may not be allowed to operate or even be closed. Moreover, bigger sums of
money must be spent on researches discovering the alternative sources of energy. Additionally, stricter laws
on environmental problems should be passed and enforced to better the surroundings for people to live.
After all, the work to recover the environment and to stop the global warming process cannot be done
overnight or completed by one person or one nation, we, human beings all over the world, must co-act to
share the missions. Though this is the international millennium goals, each individual can do something now
to help to realize man’s purpose.

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MATERIALS FOR THE GCSE PREPARATION – WRITING SKILLS - 2016

30
PHẦN TỰ LUẬN: (2 điểm)
I. Rewrite each of the following sentences in such a way that the original meaning is exactly the same as
the provided one.
65. We didn’t go because it rained.
If it hadn’t_________________________________________

actors and actresses. The film leaves us valuable lessons in life, and helps us know more about the rural life
courtesy. I must say that it is one of the best movies I have ever watched in my life.
31
PHẦN TỰ LUẬN: (2 điểm)
I. Rewrite each of the following sentences in such a way that the original meaning is exactly the same as
the provided one.
65. I’m sorry that I didn’t finish my homework last night.
I wish_________________________________________
66. She asked Michael how she liked her new dress.
“How_________________________________________
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MATERIALS FOR THE GCSE PREPARATION – WRITING SKILLS - 2016

67. A train leaves at 8 o’clock every morning.
There is_________________________________________
68. Nobody can deny that she has a beautiful voice.
It_________________________________________
69. I would like you to help me to put the chairs away.
Do you mind_________________________________________
II. TOPIC: Write to discuss the opinion that women make better women than men.
Women for long are said to be more suited for being mothers and housewives. That means the natural
roles of women for many people are child-bearing and home-making only. That is why there exists the
opinion that women make better parents than men.
Naturally, many people agree that women have better intuitive intelligence than men. Women are
better at reading the children’s signals, so they can easily satisfy children’s needs. They also have better
emotional understanding of what the kids are going through. In addition, women have a closer bond with

We are now living in the Era of the Information technology, and we feel happy to be supported by
modern technologies which make our lives more comfortable and convenient. For me, information technology
brings me so many positive changes though sometimes it does cause some troubles.
It is undeniable that information technology helps bring my family members closer together as we
always keep in touch with help of telephones, internet, and other conveniences. Beside, information
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technology helps us stay in touch with the world around. Every day, we are well-informed by reading news,
watching videos, browsing websites. We can also learn much about the entire world from our own tables or
even beds. Information technology provides us more choices of how, where, when and what to do things.
Beneficially, we have more chances to earn because there are always numerous jobs available in the IT field
that helps us make money and shop. Moreover, information technology helps us to broaden our knowledge as
we can learn or take various online and offline courses. Socially, we seem to have more and more friends
both at home and overseas, we can also share opinions, date with the help of information technology.
On the other hand, modern technology can also make us more isolated when we are absorbed in
technological devices. We sometimes feel annoyed by bad and poisonous information, images, or websites.
We are also afraid of losing confidential documents and files. Seriously, spywares are now so popular that
they make us very much worried and we have to spend more to protect our technological products.
Good or bad, I really think I am lucky enough to live in this information age. I cannot imagine my life
without the help of information technology. The most important thing I need to do is to take full advantages of
the information technology to better my life and try hard to reduce the bad effects that may bring to my life.
33
PHẦN TỰ LUẬN: (2 điểm)
I. Rewrite each of the following sentences in such a way that the original meaning is exactly the same as
the provided one.

friends, colleagues, partners, or even acquaintances.
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Naturally, the future is not ours to see, but we have rights lo lead our own life, to shape our thinking,
to build up our future. As I am an optimistic and dynamic man, I will try my best to realize my dreams to
make our wishes become true someday.
34
PHẦN TỰ LUẬN: (2 điểm)
I. Rewrite each of the following sentences in such a way that the original meaning is exactly the same as
the provided one.
65. They will catch all the prisoners again by tonight.
All the prisoners_________________________________________
66. I’ve warned you not go to near that dog.
I’ve warned you about_________________________________________
67. No, please don’t tell him.
I’d rather_________________________________________
68. Why don’t ask her yourself?
I suggest_________________________________________
69. An up-to-date visa is necessary for Andorra.
You’ll_________________________________________
II. TOPIC: Write a letter to pen-pal to talk about your family rules.
……………, September 21st, 2014
Dear Jim,
I am writing to talk about my family rules. It is an interesting topic, isn’t it? It may br obvious that
every family has its own rules. Mine has a few, apart from the traditional ones, especially for this school year



MATERIALS FOR THE GCSE PREPARATION – WRITING SKILLS - 2016

=> You_________________________________________
II. TOPIC: Write a letter to pen-pal to talk about your family.
……………, September 26th, 2014
Dear Michael,
I am writing to talk about my family as requested in your last letter.
There are four members in my family; my parents, my elder brother and I. My dad is now at his fortyfive and my mom is two years younger. My elder brother is twenty-two of age. My dad is a teacher at a local
high school, and he has to work nearly weekdays. Very often he has extra classes on weekends, sometimes he
has evening classes. My mom is a farmer and she has to work hard in the fields nearly daily from early
morning till dark. My elder brother is now a final year university student, so he has very little time to be at
home with other family members. Although my parents are very busy, they try hard to spare as much time to
take care of their children as possible.
My mom is a really caring woman who is always the first to get up to prepare for other family
members things to start a new day, and the last to go to bed to make sure that everything is under control. My
dad is always willing to join hands to make us a nice house and a happy home. My brother and I love helping
my parents in all sort of work whenever we have chance.
In my family, members care as much for others as possible to make a close-knit family. We are
admired so much by the neighboring residents. Whenever problems come up, we discuss the matters all
together frankly to find out solutions quickly. We also share all happiness and worries, so we all feel happy,
safe and secure at home just as the saying we love “Home is where love dwells and thrives”.
As you know, I am now in my final secondary year, preparing for the coming examinations with so
much pressure. Therefore, all members in my family encourage and give me the best to help me realize my
dreams.
That is some about my family, and I would very much like to hear about yours in turn. I hope you will
share with me your family life. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely,
Lan