✨Part 2: Describe something that was broken in your home and then repaired.
You should say:
- what it is
- how it was broken
- how you got it repaired
- and how you felt about it
The blender in my mum's kitchen is one household item that tends to break down frequently. Surprisingly, it has been in use for over a decade, and despite numerous repairs, it still works like magic.
Just last week, my mum brought home a big bag of fresh strawberries, and we were all excited to make smoothies. She took out her trusty old blender and loaded it with strawberries, ice cubes, condensed milk, and sugar. The first blend went smoothly, but the blender malfunctioned during the second blend. My mum had accidentally added too many ingredients, causing large ice cubes to get stuck on the blades, and, so, the machine stopped working. Given that the blender had been in use for so long, I wasn't surprised that it had broken down, and my mum called my dad for help, as usual. He emptied the jar and removed the blades, pulled out some of his small mechanical tools, and then checked something I couldn't quite see. He put the blades back in, turned on the blender, and voila, it worked! The blender made us four delicious cups of smoothie that day, so it was not dumped or replaced.
Although my family is not particularly thrifty, my mum has kept the blender because it still works, despite not being as efficient as new models. Also, it holds sentimental value as it was a gift from my grandmother so my mom intends to keep it as a forever keepsake. I believe that it’ll be passed down to me one day so I’m trying to pick up some tips and tricks from my dad in case I have to repair it myself in the future.
- Blender: /ˈblɛndər/ (n) - máy xay sinh tố
- Frequently: /ˈfrikwəntli/ (adv) - thường xuyên, hay
- Smoothies: /ˈsmuðiz/ (n) - sinh tố, nước ép trái cây
- Malfunctioned: /ˌmælfʌŋkʃənd/ (adj) - bị lỗi, bị hỏng
- Dumped: /dʌmpt/ (adj) - bị vứt bỏ, bị bỏ rơi
- Thrifty: /ˈθrɪfti/ (adj) - tiết kiệm, thanh đạm
- Efficient: /ɪˈfɪʃənt/ (adj) - hiệu quả, có năng suất cao
- Sentimental: /ˌsɛntəˈmɛntl/ (adj) - lưu luyến, tình cảm
PART 3
✨Would you choose to repair things or buy a new one?
Living with my family has totally made me into a fix-it fanatic! We'll repair something over and over until it can't be fixed anymore. As long as the item still functions well after repair, we see no reason to replace it. And instead of using the money to purchase something new, we could use it for other purposes. However, for certain items, if the cost of repair is comparable to or exceeds the cost of purchasing a new one, it is more financially sensible to opt for a replacement.
- A fix-it fanatic: (idiom) - người đam mê sửa chữa máy móc
- Comparable: /ˈkɑːmpərəbl/ (adj) - có thể so sánh được, tương đương
- Exceeds: /ɪkˈsids/ (v) - vượt quá, vượt trội hơn
✨ Is the quality of products worse these days than before?
I believe some products have been downgraded these days, but there remain some with really great functions. Consider household appliances, for instance. My mum has been able to use her blender for over 10 years, but her newly purchased fridge broke down after only 3 years. I reckon that businesses in this sector are lowering their quality standards to encourage customers to repurchase and increase profits because if a household appliance lasts for more than 10 years, these companies won’t earn as much revenue. Conversely, smart devices have significantly improved in quality due to advancements in technology and manufacturing processes.
- Downgraded: /ˌdaʊnˈɡreɪdɪd/ (adj) - bị hạ cấp, bị giảm địa vị
- Appliances: /əˈplaɪənsɪz/ (n) - thiết bị gia dụng
- Reckon: /ˈrɛkən/ (v) - tính toán, đánh giá
- Revenue: /ˈrɛvənuː/ (n) - doanh thu, thu nhập
✨What kind of things do people like to fix themselves?
Generally, people like to repair things themselves that are relatively easy to fix and don’t require many specialised skills or tools. Replacing a missing button on a piece of clothing or fixing a leaky faucet is rather simple. These tasks can be easily tackled with the help of instructions available online or in user manuals. Also, since these issues are common, people can acquire the experience needed to handle them, which is a good thing to have under their belt.
- Specialised: /ˈspɛʃəlaɪzd/ (adj) - chuyên môn, chuyên ngành
- Faucet: /ˈfɔːsɪt/ (n) - vòi nước
- Tackled: /ˈtækl/ (v) - giải quyết, đối phó
- Under one's belt: (idiom) - có kinh nghiệm, đã trải qua
✨Why do people prefer to repair their mobile phones in specialised stores?
Most people prefer to trust specialised stores when it comes to repairing their mobile phones because these devices are something they use for a long time. These stores have skilled technicians who can fix a wide range of phone problems. Plus, they have access to genuine replacement parts that are specifically designed for your phone's model. This ensures that your phone gets fixed properly and runs as it should. Not to mention, if you don't go to a specialized store, you might end up causing even more damage to your valuable asset.
- A wide range of: (idiom) - đa dạng, phong phú
- Genuine replacement parts: (n) - linh kiện thay thế chính hãng.
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