Speaking
Practice

A film character I admire is Samwise Gamgee from The Lord of the Rings, played by Sean Astin. I first watched the film series when I was in secondary school, and I have rewatched parts of it several times since then.

Sam is not the strongest or most powerful character in the story. He is an ordinary person who follows his friend Frodo on a dangerous journey. What makes him memorable is his loyalty and the fact that he keeps helping even when the situation becomes frightening and exhausting.

One scene I remember clearly is when Frodo becomes too tired to continue. Sam cannot carry the burden for him, but he decides to carry Frodo himself. Throughout the story, he repeatedly stands up for his friend, makes brave decisions and shows determination even though he is scared. I like that his courage feels realistic because it comes from loyalty rather than confidence.

I like this character because he shows that ordinary people can be strong in difficult situations. I also look up to the way he stays kind and reliable under pressure. For me, that makes him more inspiring than a character who is simply powerful.

A person who thinks music is very important is my older sister. I have known her all my life, of course, and music has always been a noticeable part of her daily routine.

She mainly likes acoustic pop, soft rock and singer-songwriters with meaningful lyrics. At home, she often plays music while cooking, cleaning or travelling. She also keeps several playlists for different moods, such as relaxing, working and exercising.

She says music is important because it can change how people feel and help them connect with memories. For example, when she was preparing for an important exam, she listened to calm instrumental music every evening because it helped her concentrate. She also believes songs can connect people. At family gatherings, she often chooses old songs that our parents know, and everyone starts singing or talking about the past. I have seen many times how the right song can lift someone's mood within a few minutes.

I like that she takes music seriously without being too formal about it. For her, music is not just background sound; it is part of who she is. Her attitude has also encouraged me to listen more carefully to lyrics and different styles.

A person I know who has strong musical talent is a former classmate named Lan. She can play the piano very well and also has a good singing voice.

I met her at secondary school. We were in the same class for several years, but I did not realise how talented she was until our school prepared a music performance. She volunteered to accompany a group of singers on the piano.

During rehearsal, the music teacher played a short melody once and asked Lan to try it. She listened carefully and then played most of it correctly without seeing the music. Later, I learned that she could often play by ear and pick up a melody very quickly. She also had a strong sense of rhythm and could learn a new piece much faster than the rest of us expected. What impressed me most was that she remained calm and never tried to show off.

I think she is talented because she combines natural ability with regular practice. She clearly hears musical patterns quickly, but she also works hard to improve. Watching her taught me that talent becomes much more impressive when someone is disciplined as well.

One of my favourite books from childhood was The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. I first read a simplified version when I was around ten years old.

The story follows Tom, a lively boy who often gets into trouble but also experiences exciting adventures with his friends. He skips responsibilities, explores places he should not visit and sometimes makes mistakes, but he also shows courage when serious situations appear.

What I loved most was the feeling of freedom in the story. Tom and his friends explored caves, played near the river and turned ordinary places into adventures. As a child, I did not think deeply about the main lesson. I simply enjoyed the imaginative world and the humour. I read several chapters again and again, especially the parts involving treasure and the cave, because they sparked my imagination and made me picture what I would do in the same situation.

The book stayed in my memory because it made reading feel exciting rather than like schoolwork. It also introduced me to longer adventure stories. Even though my taste has changed, I still remember the sense of curiosity it gave me.

A place where I have taken photos more than once is the riverside area in central Ho Chi Minh City. I have been there many times, especially in the late afternoon.

I probably take photos there every few months. The area includes the river, boats, modern buildings, older streets and open public spaces. Because there are many different subjects close together, it is easy to find something interesting without planning a full photography trip.

I usually photograph the skyline, reflections on the water and street scenes around sunset. The light changes quickly, so the same place can look very different from one visit to another. On my last visit, dark clouds were moving in while the sun was still low, and the buildings reflected orange light. I walked along the river for about an hour trying to capture the light before the rain started. A few minutes later, the whole sky became grey, so I was glad I had taken the photos quickly.

I like taking photos there because the place is familiar but never completely predictable. I can come back to the same viewpoint and still get a different result. That makes it a useful place to practise photography.