1. What apps have you recently used?

Answer 1: For my daily apps, I frequently/often make use of Spotify (a music streaming
app) to improve my morale enormously when I’m struggling with several exhausting
gym exercises. Apart from that, social media apps like Facebook, Instagram play an
indispensable part in my life because those platforms enable me to keep abreast of
latest updates swiftly/quickly, and they also help me to communicate with my friends and
coworkers.

Answer 2: Before the pandemic, ride hailing apps such as Bee or Uber were my
frequently accessed apps since I didn't want to commute 8 kilometers from my house to
school and the price for each drive was quite affordable/ reasonable. However, due to
the COVID 19 now, Bluzone is my top priority app. You know, it is an app which would
alert users if they were in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID 19.

Answer 3: Lately, because I’m as busy as a bee, therefore, I’ve been using Google
Calendar which is a pre-installed platform. I think this utility app pretty comes in
handy for anyone who has a lot on their plate.

Answer 4: To be honest, there are countless utility apps that I’ve been using lately.
However, if I have to choose then it’s definitely a fintech platform. I mean, it comes in
handy as it supports users with the efficiency and convenience of transactions as well as
personalized experiences through big data and AI.

2. What kinds of apps are you usually interested in?

Answer 1: To be honest, I normally spend a great deal of time browsing social media
apps like Facebook; it's no longer a hobby, it's like a habit for me. Furthermore, I'm also
addicted to entertainment apps such as YouTube or Netflix because watching films or
funny videos truly keeps me amused for hours, it's like a happy pill that keeps me sane,
especially in these trying times.

Answer 2: Well, I can't say that I'm fond of apps. I mean, I'm a PC guy, I'm partial to a
big computer screen and terrific graphics. For apps, I currently use Facebook Messenger,
Gmail and some mobile payment apps like PayPal or Momo, but I only use them out of
necessity, not because I'm keen on them.

Answer 3: Let me see, well, I would say streaming movie platform. As evidence, I’ve
spent the bulk of my time surfing Netflix which is a ubiquitous app for movie lovers.
Actually, it’s not a pre-installed platform; however, it provides an eclectic approach to
numerous high-quality movies; therefore, I just opted for downloading it recently.

Answer 4: I'd say mostly education apps, especially the one related to language due to
its countless advantages. For example, Cambly is a language exchange platform where I
could log in, find a teacher and instantly respond to them in English which is not only
flexible in time but also effective.
 3. How do you find out different apps?
Answer 1: You know, I commonly scroll through the app store in different categories
and sections. As I do this activity, the app store learns the keywords I have used before
and the algorithm suggests similar apps to those I looked for. It is immensely convenient
because I don't have to rely on only one app, instead I can get recommended similar ones
that suit my preferences.

Answer 2: Normally through advertisements I've seen from time to time on Facebook,
YouTube, Gmail… Seriously though, mobile app ads are definitely
irritating/galling/annoying as once I open my Facebook wall, there are loads of
advertisements, far more than my friends' activity. However, some of them are very
helpful and help me to look for more useful apps.

Answer 3: Well, by chance, I guess. I mean, I was browsing the Internet and I came
across some topics reviewing related must-try apps. As I didn’t want to be out of date
during this digital era, I decided to give them a try.

Answer 4: I have to admit that most of my utility applications are known through
bombarding advertisements which is pretty irritating sometimes. To be more specific,
those ads appear every time I’m scrolling the Internet and somehow I cannot stop
myself from clicking on them as it’s extremely eye-catching.

4. What kinds of apps would you like to use in the future?

Answer 1: I guess maybe it's a health-tracking app. You know, a healthy body and
healthy mind play a pivotal role in all daily activities, so I’d just love to monitor my
health. I want an app which can tell me some essential factors like rhythm of heart,
blood pressure, vitamin metabolism, food intolerance risks, and even sports injury
risks so I can tailor my meals and workout schedule to my body's specific needs.

Answer 2: I'm pretty into travelling, so I wish I had an app which could
instantly/immediately translate any language. I know we have Google Translate but it’s
mainly used to translate written words. What I want is an app which will translate
everything that locals say, enable me to understand everywhere I look at. Therefore, life
in a foreign country would be much easier and I could make far more international
friends too.

Answer 3: Without a doubt, I would say Tiktok. Actually, I used to think that this mobile
app was irritating since it made users stick their eyes on a digital screen which might
lead to digital eye strain or blurred vision. However, I must say it captures my interest
due to many positive reviews relating to its ability to create personalized experiences
which stand out from the rest.
Answer 4: To be honest, nothing comes to mind at the moment. Therefore, I would say a
home workout app, maybe 6 abs in 30 days app for example. This is because I’ve always
wondered if it actually works like a charm. I mean, in case it’s effective, then I could
kill two birds with one stone that are hitting the gym without costing an arm and a
leg.

Words/Phrases Meaning

morale (n) nhuệ khí

struggle with sth (v) vất vả giải quyết cái gì

indispensable (adj) không thể thiếu

keep abreast of/keep track of nắm bắt

reasonable (price) (adj) rẻ

alert (v) cảnh báo

browse (V) xem lướt qua, đọc lướt qua

keeps sb amused làm ai đó thích thú

keep sb sane giữ cho ai có tâm trí khoẻ mạnh, tỉnh táo

in these trying times trong quãng thời gian khó khăn này

out of necessity/interest because of necessity/interest

scroll through cuộn, lăn, lướt xuống

algorithm (n) thuật toán

immensely (adv) extremely

suit my preferences phù hợp sở thích của tôi

from time to time sometimes but not regularly

irritating/galling/annoying (adj) khó chịu

health tracking app app theo dõi sức khoẻ

play a pivotal role đóng một vai trò quan trọng

rhythm of heart nhịp tim

 blood pressure huyết áp

vitamin metabolism chuyển hoá vitamin

food intolerance risks rủi ro không dung nạp thực phẩm

tailor sth to sth (formal) điều chỉnh cái gì sao cho phù hợp với cái gì

Version 2

APP

Utility app/Mobile app Ứng dụng tiện ích/Ứng dụng điện thoại

platform nền tảng

pre-installed được cài đặt sẵn

come in handy tiện lợi

instantly respond to phản hồi lập tức cho ai đó

wait for one’s reply chờ ai đó phản hồi

digital age/era kỷ nguyên công nghệ

irritating/provoking/annoying gây khó chịu

fintech công nghệ tài chính, chẳng hạn như các hoạt
động chuyển khoản, giao dịch bằng điện tử

transactions giao dịch

personalized experiences trải nghiệm được cá nhân hóa

capture someone’s interest khiến ai cảm thấy hứng thú về một điều gì

streaming movie platform nền tảng xem phim trực tuyến

eclectic = wide-ranging phạm vi rộng, đa dạng

have a lot on one’s plate bận rộn, phải giải quyết nhiều việc

opt for something = to choose = to make a quyết định về cái gì đó

decision about sth

browse/surf/scroll thru lướt

Digital eye strain = computer vision chứng mỏi mắt do nhìn máy tính nhiều
syndrome

a digital screen màn hình

blurred vision Vấn đề tầm nhìn như nhìn mờ, tăng độ nhạy
cảm của mắt với ánh sáng

spend the bulk of one’s time dành nhiều thời gian

to be as busy as a beaver/bee bận rộn

beat the clock hoàn thành công việc trước một thời gian cụ
thể

give something a try quyết định thử làm gì

kill two birds with one stone một mũi trên trúng hai đích

bombarding advertisements những quảng cáo dồn dập, nhan nhản