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Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
Jason: Hey everybody and welcome back to the All About Series on VietnamesePod101.com, where you get to learn about the real Vietnam. This is Lesson 6 Can You Answer these 5 Questions About Vietnam? I’m Jason!
Giang: And I’m Giang. In this lesson, we have something special.
Jason: A quiz! Which may have some of you thinking, "oh no," but don’t worry! This will be a fun one. These questions are all about Vietnam itself – society, geography, economy etc...so you can see how much you know about Vietnam.
Giang: Yes, because learning Vietnamese is much more than just learning a language.
Jason: Giang, who will be the one taking the test?
Giang: Of course it’s you!
Jason: Oh really? Okay, well, I’ll do my best!
Giang: Great! The first question is on geography.

Lesson focus

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Giang: In which part of Vietnam is Hanoi located?
Giang: 1. the North
Giang: 2. the South West
Giang: 3. the South East
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Jason: Oh, I know this one. A, the north.
Giang: That's right. Hanoi is the largest city in northern Vietnam, and also the capital city.
Jason: Yes, and Hanoi features the typical climate of northern Vietnam, which is a warm, humid subtropical climate.
Giang: Yeah, there are four seasons all year round. There’s an average of around 28° Celsius or 82 Fahrenheit in summer, and 19°Celsius or 66 Fahrenheit in winter.
Jason: That’s quite warm, isn’t it?
Giang: Yes, but the best time to visit Hanoi is in the autumn, when the weather is cool with less rainfall.
Jason: That's true. And as the main economic, political and cultural center of Vietnam, Hanoi has many tourist attractions. And also lots of great food!
Giang: Speaking of food, that’s what our next question is about! Here is question #2 “What are the two most well-known Vietnamese dishes?”
1. Pho and goi cuon - rice noodle soup and fresh springrolls
2. Banh xeo and banh cuon - Vietnamese pancake and steamed rice rolls
3. Xoi ga and banh mi - Sticky rice with chicken and Vietnamese-style bread
Jason: Hmmm... I’ll go for the ones I’m most familiar with - number one, rice noodle soup and fresh springrolls.
Giang: Good job! That’s the correct answer.
Jason: You know, I’ve heard that those two are listed in the top 50 most delicious dishes in the world, according to CNN!
Giang: They are also the two most popular dishes on the menus of Vietnamese restaurants in many countries all over the world.
Jason: But for more on Vietnamese food, be sure to join us for the next lesson! Okay, let’s see what question #3 is about!
Giang: Well, this one is about the most popular travel destinations. Please choose one answer out of these three
Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city, Ha Long bay
Sapa, Da Lat, Phan Thiet
Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue
Jason: Oh, this is easy. I’m sure number 1 is correct because this group contains the capital city.
Giang: Right. The three most popular places are Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city, and Ha Long bay.
Jason: As the capital city, Hanoi being the most frequently visited place comes as no surprise.
Giang: The top destinations in Hanoi are the old quarter, Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, Hoan Kiem Lake and West Lake, one pillar pagoda, the Thang Long water puppet theatre, and the Temple of literature.
Jason: Hanoi is a great mix of modern and traditional atmospheres.
Giang: You’re right. And it’s pretty different from Ho Chi Minh city in the south. The pace of life is faster, and it’s a bit more modern.
Jason: Whereas Hanoi is a bit more traditional?
Giang: That’s right. And the last place, Ha Long bay, is far from anything urban and civilized. It is just nature at its best.
Jason: Yeah, no wonder it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s located in the northeastern part of Vietnam, and the bay is known for its breathtaking natural scenic beauty with extensive limestone caves, and islands of different shapes and sizes.
Giang: That’s right. Now, let’s move on the economy for questions 4 and 5. Do you know what type of products Vietnam is ranked the world’s largest exporter of?
Jason: Let me guess - it must be agricultural products.
Giang: That’s right! But you have to choose which product for question 5. Here are the choices
1. Timber
2. Black pepper
3. Rice
Jason: I think... I’ll go for the last one - Rice.
Giang: Sorry, that’s not it. In rice exports, Vietnam ranks second. The correct one is number 2 - black pepper.
Jason: Really? I wouldn’t have guessed!
Giang: Vietnam is currently the world’s largest producer and exporter of black pepper. It makes up 50% of the world’s black pepper exports. It has been exported to over 80 countries!
Jason: Wow, impressive! Anyway, my first guess about agricultural products was still right.
Giang: And actually, that’s the end of the quiz!

Outro

Jason: Listeners, how did YOU do on the quiz?
Giang: Be sure to let us know!!
Jason: Okay everyone, I think that’s going to wrap up this lesson. Be sure to tune in next time for more information on Vietnam!
Giang: Hope to see you soon!
Jason: Until next time!

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