1.

(18/4/2015) Some people think that schools should reward students who show the
best academic results, while others believe that it is more important to reward
students who show improvements. Discuss both views and give your own
opinion.

Note for students: in each main paragraph, the topic sentence is followed by the sentences
which develop from plan to paragraph. The number in the plan is shown in the paragraph.
This is how your plan can develop into your paragraph.

Planning the ideas

Based on our identification of the key words, our plan will be something like this:
Introduce idea:
improvements.

there are different views.

My opinion reward students who show

Paragraph 2: [View I disagree with]

[1] rewards = competition among students. Result: children try harder to get good scores at
school.
[2] rewards = the best students are identified. They can be given special attention to develop
their abilities. Personal example: my own school.

Paragraph 3: [View I agree with]

[1] equal chance for all students to receive rewards. Result: all children are motivated to try
hard.
[2] promotes learning for enjoyment and understanding, not to gain high scores. Reduces
exam pressure and cheating to score high marks.
Conclusion: repeat using some different words.

Written by Ngoc Bach

Website: www.ngocbach.com

ANSWER:
It is true that the question of whether to reward students with excellent academic results or
those showing great improvements remains a source of controversy in the education field.
While a number of people believe that only students achieving the highest grades deserve
rewards, I would argue that praising students who achieve improvements is much more
reasonable.
On the one hand, there are a variety of reasons why awards should be given to students having
excellent academic performances. [1] Firstly, this could create a highly competitive studying
environment at school, seeing that students often desire to win prizes. As a consequence, school
children could be encouraged to put their effort into studying for the highest scores. [2]
Secondly, by adopting this approach, gifted students who are outstanding could be given
opportunities to nurture their abilities. My secondary school, for instance, selects students
with the best results for extra classes to develop their capabilities in order to take them to
national competitions.
On the other hand, I believe that giving encouragement to those who make strides in their
studies results in more favourable outcomes. [1]The first benefit is that this could give equal
chances for every student to receive awards, rather than only focus on the highest achievers.
Instead of feeling disappointed when competing with their top classmates, students who are
recognized for their effort during semesters will feel motivated if they are rewarded for making
significant progress. [2] Another benefit is that this form of recogniton follows the holistic
principle of learning, which is to access the world of knowledge, not just to gain high scores.
Consequently, several common phenomena which occur when examinations approach,
including pressure, anxiety and cheating, would be reduced.
In conclusion, although rewarding students with the highest scores is advantageous to some
extent, it seems to me that it is better to give encouragement to those who have improved their
level of academic performance.
318 words

Written by Ngoc Bach

Website: www.ngocbach.com

Dch i
(18/4/2015) Nhiu ngi cho rng trng hc nn khen thng nhng hc sinh t
c kt qu hc tp tt nht trong khi nhng ngi khc ngh rng vic khen thng
nhng hc sinh c kt qu tin b quan trng hn. Hy tho lun c hai quan im trn
v nu ra kin ca c nhn bn.
a ra l do cho cu tr li ca bn bao gm nhng v d thch hp t kinh nghim v
kin thc ca bn than.
P N:
lnh vc gio dc, cu hi c t ra l liu c nn khen thng nhng hc sinh t thnh
tch hc tp xut sc hay nhng bn c s tin b r rt vn ang l vn tranh ci. Trong
khi mt s ngi tin rng ch nhng hc sinh sinh vin t im s cao nht mi xng ng
c khen thng, ti cho rng s hp l hn khi biu dng nhng hc sinh t c nhng
tin b trong hc tp.
Mt mt, c rt nhiu l do khc nhau khen thng nhng hc sinh c thnh tch hc tp
xut sc. Trc ht, iu ny to nn mi trng hc tp c tnh cnh tranh gt gao trng
hc bi cc em hc sinh thng mong mun ginh ly phn thng. Do , cc em c
khuyn khch n lc vo vic hc t c im s cao nht. Th hai, bng cc p dng
phng php ny, nhng hc sinh c t cht v ni bt c c nhiu c hi hn bi
dng nng khiu. V d nh ti trng cp hai ca ti, nhng bn hc sinh c kt qu cao
nht c chn la hc ti cc lp bi dng gip pht trin kh nng tham gia vo cc
k thi cp quc gia.
Mt khc, ti cho rng vic khen thng ng vin cho cc em hc sinh c nhng bc tin
trong hc tp s dn n nhiu kt qu ng mong i. Li ch trc tin l cc em hc
sinh c c hi bnh ng nh nhau c nhn khen thng, khng ch ch trng vo
nhng em c thnh tch tt nht. Thay v cm thy tht vng khi phi ganh ua vi cc bn
hc sinh gii nht lp, cc em hc sinh c ghi nhn c n lc trong hc k s cm thy c
ng lc nu cc em c khen thng nh nhng tin b vt bc. Mt u im na l
hnh thc ghi nhn ny da vo ng nguyn tc ton din trong vic hc tp, tip cn th
gii tri thc ch khng ch l t c im s cao. Do , mt vi hin tng xy ra khi cc
k thi n gn nh p lc, cng thng v gian ln s c gim thiu.
Tm li, mc d vic khen thng cc em hc sinh c im s cao nht l c li mt mc
no , c nhn ti cho rng s tt hn nu khen thng ng vin c nhng em hc sinh
c tin b trong vic hc tp.

Written by Ngoc Bach

Website: www.ngocbach.com

VOCABULARY (Phn t vng mi ngi c th hc qua file mp3 nh km ^^)

a source of controversy (vn gy tranh ci)= a subject of public discussion, about
which people strongly disagree.
Example: The decision of the President to declare war is still a source of controversy
today.
highly competitive (c tnh cnh tranh cao)= a situation in which people or
organisations have to compete against each other.
Example: Graduates have to fight for jobs in a highly competitive market.
nurture their abilities (bi dng nng khiu)= to develop their capacity to learn or
do things while they are growing.
Example: Her music teacher recognised and nurtured her abilities, and as a result she
became a famous pianist.
make strides in (c bc tin)= to make great improvements in the way that something
is developing.
Example: Scientists are making strides in the discovery of cures for different types of
cancer.
the highest achievers (hc sinh c thnh tch tt nht)= the students who have the most
success and the highest marks.
Example: The highest achievers in my secondary school all went to university when
they left.
the holistic principle of learning (nguyn tc ton din trong hc tp)= considering
education as a whole thing, rather than as separate facts or subjects.
Example: The holistic principle of learning is a belief that the education of young
people involves more than simply preparing them for a career.

Written by Ngoc Bach

Website: www.ngocbach.com