Part 1
Giám khảo
Do you keep plants at home?
Thí sinh
No, I have no confidence in keeping them alive, so I don't keep any plans at home. But if I receive a bouquet, I keep it in a vest for several days.
Giám khảo
What plant did you grow when you were young?
Thí sinh
I have grown sunflowers once in my backyard when I was a child, but most of them died. After that disappointing experience, I stopped growing plants for a while.
Giám khảo
Do you know anything about growing a plant?
Thí sinh
The main reason I really keep plants is a lack of knowledge in this area. The only things I know are that sunlight and water are necessary.
Giám khảo
Do Chinese people send plants as gifts?
Thí sinh
Yes, for example, when my parents opened a new restaurant, they received many plants from friends and the business partners. I think plants are popular gifts because they bring good luck and brighten the new place.
Do you keep plants at home?
Điểm: 68.0Gợi ý: Be concise and correct mistakes (e.g., 'plans' -> 'plants', 'vest' -> 'vase'). Start with a clear topic sentence, then give one brief reason and a short example. Use a linking word for coherence.
Ví dụ: No, I don't keep plants at home because I don't feel confident caring for them. However, if someone gives me a bouquet, I usually put it in a vase for a few days as a temporary decoration.
What plant did you grow when you were young?
Điểm: 78.0Gợi ý: Start with a direct topic sentence then add one or two specific details and a reason using a linking word. Correct tense and reduce redundancy.
Ví dụ: When I was young I grew sunflowers in my backyard. Most of them died because I didn't water them regularly, so after that disappointing experience I stopped gardening for a while.
Do you know anything about growing a plant?
Điểm: 64.0Gợi ý: Answer directly and clearly; fix confusing phrasing ('keep' vs 'don't keep'). Provide slightly more specific details (e.g., soil, watering frequency) and use a linking word to connect ideas.
Ví dụ: Not much, which is why I don't keep plants. I know they need sunlight and regular watering, and also good soil drainage to prevent root rot.
Do Chinese people send plants as gifts?
Điểm: 85.0Gợi ý: Good content and clear example. Improve by tightening phrasing and using a linking word to connect the example and the reason. Keep it within 2–3 sentences.
Ví dụ: Yes. For instance, when my parents opened a new restaurant they received many potted plants from friends and business partners, because plants are considered to bring good luck and help brighten a new space.
× 'I don't keep any plans at home.'
✓ 'I don't keep any plants at home.'
'Plans' is a countable noun but the intended word is 'plants'. This is a word choice error causing a singular/plural/confusion; replace with the correct plural noun 'plants' to match meaning.'
× 'I have no confidence in keeping them alive, so I don't keep any plans at home.'
✓ 'I have no confidence in keeping them alive, so I don't keep any plants at home.'
'Keeping' is correctly used after the preposition 'in' (verb + -ing), but the noun 'plans' is wrong. Correction changes 'plans' to 'plants' while keeping the gerund form 'keeping' which is appropriate.'
× 'But if I receive a bouquet, I keep it in a vest for several days.'
✓ 'But if I receive a bouquet, I keep it in a vase for several days.'
'Vest' is the wrong lexical item; the correct noun is 'vase'. Present simple 'keep' is acceptable for habitual action, so only the noun needs correction.'
× 'I have grown sunflowers once in my backyard when I was a child, but most of them died.'
✓ 'I grew sunflowers once in my backyard when I was a child, but most of them died.'
'I have grown' (present perfect) is not the best choice because the time phrase 'when I was a child' refers to a finished time in the past; simple past 'I grew' is required for completed past actions.'
× 'The main reason I really keep plants is a lack of knowledge in this area.'
✓ 'The main reason I don't keep plants is a lack of knowledge in this area.'
'Keep plants' contradicts earlier statement that the student does not keep plants. The intended meaning is negative; use 'don't keep' to match context. This is a present tense usage and logical coherence correction.'
× 'The only things I know are that sunlight and water are necessary.'
✓ 'The only things I know are that sunlight and water are necessary for them.'
Sentence is grammatical but feels incomplete: adding 'for them' clarifies that sunlight and water are necessary for plants. This fixes an implicit prepositional relationship.'
× 'Yes, for example, when my parents opened a new restaurant, they received many plants from friends and the business partners.'
✓ 'Yes, for example, when my parents opened a new restaurant, they received many plants from friends and business partners.'
The article 'the' before 'business partners' is unnecessary; remove it. Also 'business partners' should be parallel with 'friends' without 'the'. This corrects prepositional/ article usage and improves parallelism.'
× 'I think plants are popular gifts because they bring good luck and brighten the new place.'
✓ 'I think plants are popular gifts because they bring good luck and brighten a new place.'
Using 'the new place' implies a specific known place; 'a new place' is more appropriate when referring generally to a newly opened business. This fixes article selection and improves sentence structure.'