Đối với mỗi người, khái niệm Hạnh phúc lại có một định nghĩa, một sắc thái khác nhau. Với sự đa dạng đặc thù ấy, Happiness (hạnh phúc) là một chủ đề quen thuộc và được ưa chuộng trong các bài thi IELTS Speaking, nhất là IELTS Speaking Part 1. 

1. Từ vựng về Happiness

Be thrilled with /biː θrɪld wɪð/: tận hưởng

cheer me up /ʧɪə miː ʌp/: khiến tôi vui

spread positive energy /sprɛd ˈpɒzətɪv ˈɛnəʤi/: lan tỏa năng lượng tích cực

(to) be on cloud nine /(tuː) biː ɒn klaʊd naɪn/: hạnh phúc, sung sướng

delighted /dɪˈlaɪtɪd/: hài lòng

Pleasure /ˈplɛʒə/: sự hài lòng

Satisfaction /ˌsætɪsˈfækʃən/: sự thoả mãn (cách sử dụng và nghĩa gần giống với pleasure)

Depression /dɪˈprɛʃən/: sự chán nản, buồn bã

Frame of mind /freɪm ɒv maɪnd/: cách suy nghĩ (way of thinking)

Cheer up /ʧɪər ʌp/: là mai đó vui

Brighten up /ˈbraɪtn ʌp/: làm một ngày trở nên tươi vui

Go through a bad time /gəʊ θruː ə bæd taɪm/: trải qua một quãng thời gian tồi tệ

Contented /kənˈtɛntɪd/: hài lòng

Gloomy /ˈgluːmi/: u ám

Overjoyed /ˌəʊvəˈʤɔɪd/: quá đỗi vui mừng

Dejected >< contented /dɪˈʤɛktɪd >< kənˈtɛntɪd/

In high spirits /ɪn haɪ ˈspɪrɪts/: tinh thần sảng khoái

On cloud nine /ɒn klaʊd naɪn/: lên chin tầng mây

Down in the dumps /daʊn ɪn ðə dʌmps/ = unhappy

2. Các câu hỏi thường gặp về Happiness

Is it easy to make you happy?

Yes, simple things like eating delicious foods or buying new clothes can cheer me up. I am always thrilled with my life and try to spread positive energy every day. Maybe that’s the reason why my friends call me “happy vitamin” sometimes.

What do you do when you are happy?

Whenever I am on cloud nine, the first thing I will do is to call my parents to inform them. By doing that, my happiness seems to become bigger and my parents feel delighted that they get informed firstly by their lovely daughter!

What makes you unhappy?

Well, I feel a bit down in the ​dumps when I fail ​exams. When my academic performance is not up to my expectation, it can cause a lot of depression and pressure. However, my parents are really supportive and give me advice so I don’t have to struggle with unhappy feelings for too long.

Do you think money can make people happy?

I take the opinion that many people feel satisfied when they have a lot of money because they can buy luxurious things and enjoy a lavish lifestyle. But I also know many people who are wealthy but are not happy. So I think there is no fixed answer to such a question.

What do you think of happiness?

In my humble opinion, happiness isn’t achieving certain goals. Surely it’s important to accomplish what you yearn for but that’s not eternal happiness for me. happiness a journey that I undertake in the pursuit of my goals.

What do you like to do when you are happy?

I’d like to share my success and feeling with my family or friends when I’m happy. I believe that my happiness can’t go without them.

What kinds of things make you happy?

There are many things that can make me happy, for example, taking a 30-minute walk outside can help me let off steam and I won’t feel any depressed, or buying lots of things online can deliver me even more happiness because it enables me feel that I save a great amount of money.

What kinds of things do Vietnamese people feel happy about?

It’s kind of hard to say but people that I know around me tend to feel happy about earning more money, but maybe for others, they would feel happy when their children get into the good universities.

Is it easy to be happy for you?

Well, I’m afraid that as an adult, I’m too stressful to be happy. I have to find a good job and get a decent pay to feed myself and family, so I have to admit that there are less and less things that make me really happy.

Hẹn gặp lại các bạn ở những bài học tiếp theo!