HYEC - The Best English Speaking Club in Hanoi (since 1992) - CLB Tiếng Anh lâu đời nhất Hà Nội

HYEC is always HYEC, guy…:)..Take it easy..

The typhoon was changing its direction erratically, but HYEC.

Storms seem to be always unpredictable..

Program for July 27, 2010

DEBATE: AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN EDUCATION

Prepared by Bảo Ngoc & DNT

“Affirmative Action” is a term originated in the United States in the 1960’s, when President J. F. Kennedy issued a policy giving people with disadvantaged backgrounds a more “affirmative” priority in employment. This type of policy has been implemented in many countries and in many areas such as: health care, social welfare and education. In the UK and many other countries, this type of policy is more often referred to as “Positive Discrimination”.

In Vietnam, Affirmative Action is very popular. In university entrance exams, the exam scores of students with disadvantaged backgrounds (ethnic minorities, students from poor remote regions, etc.) are often boosted with additional “affirmative” points. Many education experts do not agree with this policy, but many government officials say that the policy is necessary for the social-economic development of Vietnam.

Below are some starting points to help your team brainstorm your debate. You shouldn’t limit yourself to the suggested points, and you’re encouraged to try to find many more supporting ideas.

Pros (For):

• Affirmative Action (AA) is needed to address inequality in our society. We should help students from poor regions acquire good education so they can contribute to the development of their homelands.
• Affirmative Action (AA) makes sure that everyone has equal opportunities to employment. Rich parents can afford to send their children to better schools and tutoring classes. Their children will do better in universities and will have better chance to get good jobs. Without AA, the children of the rich will get richer, and the children of the poor will get poorer.
• AA leads to a more diversified environment in universities. Students with many different backgrounds studying together can learn from one another. University graduates will have a broader perspective in life, which will lead to a more open and dynamic society.

Cons (Against):

• AA discriminates against talented students. Disadvantaged students with lower scores will get in university and take the place of more talented students.
• AA itself is a kind of discrimination. Rich people (provided that they get rich legally) are entitled to a more secured future for their children because they’ve worked hard to earn money.
• Giving places to students from remote regions with lesser academic capacity will lead to lower teaching standards in universities. The whole society will suffer as a result.

Is this CANCEL CLUB ? not HYEC anymore.

it is 3:15 pm now, July 18th, Sunday afternoon in Hanoi and the weather is very sunny,
The storm went away!
Very boring when don't meet Hyec this week!

storm without rain :D

Because of the coming typhoon Conson, we will cancel this Sunday's session. This is to make sure our members are safe at home when torrid rains hit Hanoi today and tomorrow. :-)

We hope that you'll come back to HYEC the following Sunday (June 25) to enjoy our great atmosphere and interesting discussions.

I want to take part in club but ability listen and speak very bad. So, can i to register?

“The most important thing about goals is having one.”
—Geoffrey F. Abert

“I want to be successful in life.” “I want to become the richest man in the world.” “I will marry the most handsome man in the world.” “I want to own a piece of land on the Moon.” “I want people to love me.” “I want to become the President of Vietnam.” “I want to speak English like a native speaker.”

Most people are like this: They have many aspirations, and they know what they want, but why is success still eluding them? Besides, if knowledge is power and the forerunner to success, why do they find themselves aimlessly wandering? There are many different answers, but the fundamental answer is the absence of a proper goal.

Discussion Questions

1. What is a goal?
2. What are the differences between Aspirations, Purposes, Goals and Objectives
3. What are some of your biggest goals in life?
4. Why do so many people fail to achieve their goals?
5. How to set SMART GOALS and achieve success?
6. Define a few SMART GOALS of your own.

Vocabulary

to elude + somebody/something (verb):

Lảng tránh ai/cái gì

aspire (verb), aspiration (noun):

ước mơ, khát vọng, khao khát. E.g. I aspire to be a famous artist. My aspiration is to become a famous artist.

forerunner (noun):

tiền đề, nền tảng

SMART (acronym):

(S)pecific, (M)easurable, (A)ttainable/Achievable, (R)ealistic/Relevant, (T)imely/Trackable

It's great!
I heard about this pagoda a long time ago but I didn't have chance to visit there.
Let's go! ^ . ^

Doing charity work is always a great idea, and I'm always supportive of such kind of activities in HYEC.

However, from what I've heard about Bồ Đề, it's a too well trodden path (i.e. everybody thinks about going to Bồ Đề)!! As a result, Bồ Đề's management doesn't take small charities seriously. (We don't feel good about doing charity when the beneficiaries don't really need us.)

Last time, it was bé Hiệp's job to go to K Hospital (for cancer-related diseases) to find out about the possibility of charity work for HYEC. But he dropped out due to his busy personal schedule.

I think that we should continue where we left off. But perhaps, someone has an even more interesting place than K Hospital? We welcome any suggestions.

—DNT

Dear all guys,
This idea actually came out last year, when a few member in our Hyec thought about some charity works. Therefore this plan which discussed about one trip to Bo De pagoda was developed but not came to 'the end' anymore because of the time constraint as well as the incompatible schedule of members in Hyec.
Why am I saying that this plan is developed? Because sis Ha had one time going this pagoda in order to find some information about it and set up one suitable time for Hyec to go there. Due to several above reasons we cannot finish our plan last year.

Therefore this year sis Ha suggests we can continue what we have already done but not finished yet:))

What do all guys think about it???????
We can set up one time goin' to this pagoda, and use one part of our fund to support the children there (depend on what we have no need to much), organize some games….

Let share your ideas….
Cheer^^

Here are some agony aunts and uncles
http://www.talktalk.co.uk/lifestyle/agonyaunt/
http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/series/dearjeremy

Hiiiiiii. Ok. See u tomorrow at 32nd, Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi.
Nice to meet u

Welcome to HYEC, Lan. Join us tomorrow afternoon at 5:30pm in Nguyen Du Primary school, and we'll see if your "bà già" nickname is deserved or not… Just kidding. :D

See you tomorrow. :-)

—DNT

Hello everybody at HYEC family !!!!!!!!
My name's Lan. I'm 24 years old. Today, i'm an accoutant in Dong Do design, consultant joint stock Company. My friend always call me as "ba gia". And everybody have called me that since 1998 when i studied the first at high school. Hiiiii. Yesterday, i knew HYEC and it made me empression. Join HYEC, i hope i can speak English fluently with u because at present, my speak English skill isn't good.
Hopefully, HYECians relive me.
Thanks a lot!

Have you ever read an advice column (sometimes also called as “an agony column”) such as: "Dear Abby", "Dear Anne", or "Dear anh Chánh Văn" (Hoa Học Trò)?

Among those who read agony columns, some hopes to find the solution to their own agony by reading the columnist’s advice for a similar situation. The rest simply enjoys reading about other people’s private lives and problems.

Alternatively, you may prefer online agony columns which don’t have a columnist. In this case, the readers themselves can give many valuable and useful advices.

Discussion Questions

1. What are the most common issues in an agony column?
2. What are the main advantages and limitations of an advice column?
3. When you have a problem, who do you turn to for advice? What's the best piece of advice ever given to you?
4. Who was the latest person you gave advice to? What problem did he/she have? What did you say?

Role-playing Game

We will try to solve some real-world problems, and see who the best agony aunt/uncle is.

Vocabulary

column (noun):

(trong ngữ cảnh của bài này) một chuyên mục trong một tờ báo/tạp chí.

columnist (noun):

người phụ trách, người viết bài chính trong một chuyên mục

agony (noun):

một đau đớn về thể xác hoặc tâm hồn, một nỗi khổ

agony column / advice column (noun):

Chuyên mục tâm sự, gỡ rối

agony aunt / agony uncle (noun):

người chuyên trả lời các bức thư bạn đọc trong chuyên mục tâm sự

Cancer: die. Encephalitis: die. AIDS, the same: die. However, people who have cancer or encephalitis get sympathy from the whole community, while people with AIDS are shunned away or even isolated from their family. What is the root of this difference?

Nobody wants to be infected by HIV. Moreover, it’s impossible for us to tell whether an infection is caused by the patient’s own action or whether it was done against his/her will. A rape victim or an unsuspected wife of an adulterous husband is clearly not responsible for her infection. Should we shun these poor victims?

On the other hand, drug users who shared needles with their companions or a playboy who had an unprotected intercourse are clearly responsible for their own infection. But are they immoral? After all, carrying HIV does no harm if they don’t infect more people.

Finally, the HIV infected patients have their own basic rights to be treated and taken cared of just like everybody else.

Discussion Questions

1. How much do you know about HIV and AIDS? Do you know the differences between them?
2. Do you know any real person with HIV, and their daily life before and after getting infected by HIV?
3. In your opinions, what are the best ways to protect other people from being infected with HIV and eliminate this epidemic?

Vocabulary

cancer (noun):

bệnh ung thư

encephalitis (noun):

bệnh viêm não

shun (verb) - shunned:

lánh xa – bị lánh xa, hắt hủi

root (noun):

gốc/rễ, nguyên nhân sâu xa

needle (noun):

kim tiêm

infect (verb) - infected - infection (noun):

gây nhiễm – bị nhiễm – sự nhiễm bệnh

epidemic (noun):

bệnh dịch

Will the topic this week (23/05) be much hotter than the previous, bro?;))

CÔNG BỐ GIẢI THƯỞNG CUỘC THI PHÓNG SỰ ẢNH "TAM ĐẢO 2010"

Craziest Moment Special Prize (S1):

(Khoảnh khắc ngộ nghĩnh/điên khùng nhất. Giải cho người upload.)

Mã số bình chọn	Photo (click to view full size)	Winner	Votes
S1#01		Phan Hoàng	4 (Phan Hoàng, Trần Thùy Mai, Quách Trà My, RetoK)

Community Picture Special Prize (S2):

(Tinh thần cộng đồng. Giải cho người upload.)

Mã số bình chọn	Photo (click to view full size)	Winner	Votes
S2#01		Sóc thị Mít	3 (Đoàn Như Tùng, Mai, Việt Hà)

Most Stylish Frog Special Prize (S3):

(Thành viên "chảnh" nhất. Giải cho thành viên trong bức ảnh.)

Mã số bình chọn	Photo (click to view full size)	Winner	Votes
S3#02		Hòa "chân dài"	2 (Phan Hoàng, Mai)

(Hà và Hòa có cùng số votes là 2. Nhưng vì Hà đã đoạt giải GRAND PRIZE rồi, nên ban giám khảo quyết định trao giải này cho Hòa "chân dài". Nếu ai có khiếu nại gì, xin làm đơn trong đó có chữ ký của ít nhất 500 thành viên HYEC!! hehehe…)

Most Interesting Caption Grand Prize (GP):

Photo GP8 (Click to view full size)

TẤT CẢ CÁC GIẢI THƯỞNG SẼ ĐƯỢC TRAO CHO WINNERS TRONG BUỔI SINH HOẠT NGÀY 16/5/2010