Speaking
Practice

An occasion when someone took a good photo of me was during a beach trip with friends last summer. One of my close friends took the picture in the late afternoon.

We had spent most of the day swimming and walking around. Near sunset, we sat at a quiet café close to the beach. The light was soft, and nobody was seriously trying to take formal photos.

I was talking to another friend and laughing about something when the photo was taken. I did not know the camera was pointing at me, so my expression was completely natural. My friend used a phone camera and took several quick pictures from the side. Later, while we were looking through the photos, we noticed that one candid portrait had turned out especially well. The background was slightly blurred, the sunset gave warm light and I looked much more relaxed than I usually do when posing.

I like the photo because it caught the moment instead of creating one. My smile looks natural, and the picture reminds me of a genuinely enjoyable day. It also taught me that some of the best photos happen when people are not trying too hard to look perfect.

A photo of myself that I really like was taken during a trip to Da Lat. It shows me standing at a mountain viewpoint with a wide green valley behind me.

The photo was taken about two years ago by one of my cousins. We had driven out of the city early in the morning to visit several scenic places, and the weather was cool and slightly cloudy.

In the picture, I am wearing a light jacket and holding a cup of coffee. I am not looking directly at the camera because my cousin took the photo while I was looking toward the valley. The background is wide enough to show layers of hills, some small houses and low clouds. I like the natural pose because it does not look too planned. My cousin took only a few photos, but this one captured the place and the mood very well. Whenever I see it, I remember the quiet morning, cold air and long conversation we had on the drive.

I like the photo because it brings back memories rather than simply making me look good. For me, a meaningful travel photo matters more than a perfect photo. It reminds me of a peaceful trip and a specific moment I would otherwise probably forget.

A magazine I enjoy reading is National Geographic. I usually read individual articles online rather than buying every printed issue, but I still think of it as one of my favourite magazines.

I probably read something from it once or twice a month. The magazine covers nature, science, history, culture and travel. It is also famous for strong photography, which is one reason I often notice its articles online.

I especially like feature articles about wildlife, remote places and environmental changes. A recent article I read explained how researchers track animals using small electronic tags. I learned how the data can show migration routes and help scientists understand where animals face risks. The article used maps, photos and short explanations, so the information was easier to follow than a technical paper. I also like being able to dip into an article for ten minutes and still learn something new without reading an entire book.

I enjoy the magazine because the topics are serious but presented clearly. Good photography helps hold my attention, and the articles often make me curious about subjects I would not search for by myself. It is a useful mix of education and visual storytelling.

A piece of news I heard about someone I know well was that my cousin received a job offer in another city. I heard about it earlier this year.

He called me straight away after receiving the official email. I knew he had been through a long application process that included two interviews and a practical test, so I understood why the result mattered to him.

Before the offer, he had been unhappy in his old job because there was little chance to learn new skills. The new position was in a company he had wanted to join for a long time and also offered better training. When he told me, he sounded both excited and relieved. We talked about the practical side as well, because accepting the job meant moving away from home and finding a new apartment. Even with those challenges, he decided to accept it because he felt the opportunity was worth taking.

I was very happy for him because the offer seemed like the beginning of a new chapter. I also felt slightly sad that he would live farther away, but overall the news was positive. It was good to see someone close to me move toward a job that suited him better.

A place I visited that had beautiful views was a mountain pass in Ha Giang in northern Vietnam. I went there during a short trip with friends about two years ago.

We visited because we wanted to experience the mountain scenery and drive through some of the famous roads in the region. We reached the pass in the morning, when the weather was cool and there was still a little mist in the valleys.

From the viewpoint, I could see steep mountains stretching into the distance, a river far below and small roads curving along the slopes. In some areas, there were terraced fields and tiny houses that made the mountains look even larger. The mist moved slowly between the hills, so the view changed every few minutes. We stayed much longer than planned because everyone wanted to take photos and simply look around. At one point, the clouds opened and sunlight reached part of the valley, which completely changed the colours.

The view took my breath away because it combined scale, colour and a sense of distance. It was beautiful not because everything was perfect, but because the landscape felt wild and dramatic. Seeing such a panoramic view in person was much more powerful than looking at photos online.