Buổi 53: Thi thử giữa khóa – Writing (Task 1 + Task 2, 60 phút)

The bar chart compares the average amount of time adults in Country P spent each week on four leisure activities in 2006 and 2026.

Overall, the most striking change was the dramatic rise in the use of social media, which replaced television as the most time-consuming activity. By contrast, the time devoted to exercising and reading changed relatively little.

In 2006, watching television was by far the most popular pastime, accounting for 14 hours per week, while social media took up only 2 hours. Twenty years later, however, the figure for social media had risen sixfold to 12 hours, whereas television viewing had fallen by 6 hours to 8 hours a week.

The two remaining activities saw only minor changes. Adults spent slightly more time exercising in 2026 than in 2006 (4 hours compared with 3), but the time spent reading declined from 5 hours to 3. As a result, reading moved from being the second most common activity in 2006 to the least common in 2026.

Dear Ms Huong,

I am writing to thank you for the opportunity to attend last Thursday's workshop on managing stress at work, and to share some thoughts on how our team might benefit from it.

The workshop lasted three hours and was led by an external trainer. It combined short presentations on the causes of workplace stress with practical group activities, such as planning a realistic weekly workload and practising how to say no to extra tasks politely.

What I found most useful was the idea that stress often comes from unclear priorities rather than from the amount of work itself. The trainer suggested that teams agree on their top three priorities each week, so that everyone knows which tasks can wait if something urgent comes up.

With this in mind, I would like to suggest that we start each Monday with a fifteen-minute meeting to agree on our priorities for the week. I believe this could reduce the number of last-minute requests and help new team members in particular.

I would be happy to organise the first meeting if you think this is worth trying.

Kind regards, Duc Anh

It is often said that modern life leaves people with less free time than ever before. This essay will argue that the problem is caused mainly by changes in work and technology, and that it can be reduced through action by both employers and individuals.

The main reason why people feel so busy is that the boundary between work and private life has become blurred. Because smartphones allow employees to read emails at any time, many people continue working in the evening or at weekends, often without being asked to do so. A second reason is the rising cost of living in many cities, which forces some people to take on a second job or to work longer hours simply to cover their basic expenses. Finally, the constant stream of entertainment on social media means that even the time that is free tends to be broken into small, distracted pieces, which may explain why people feel they have no real leisure.

Several measures could help to address this. Employers have an important role to play: companies could introduce clear policies on contacting staff outside working hours, as some organisations have already done. This would protect employees' evenings without reducing productivity during the day, although it might require managers to plan their requests more carefully. Individuals can also take steps, such as switching off notifications at certain times or setting aside one evening a week for an activity with no screens. These changes are small, but they can make free time feel more genuine.

In conclusion, people feel busier today largely because work and technology now reach into every part of the day. While individuals can protect their own time to some extent, the most effective solutions are likely to come from employers setting clearer limits.