Describe an interesting neighbour you know

Band 8 Sample

I must say, I am extremely fortunate to have such a wonderful neighbour, Duy, who is really friendly and always willing to assist me whenever I’m in trouble.

Duy and I live in the same building, and our apartments are next to each other. We came to know each other when the electricity to the entire building was cut off one evening. Unfortunately, I had run out of candles and the torch was nowhere to be found, so I had to go to the apartment next door for help, and this was when I first met my neighbour. He was extremely helpful and enthusiastic and he asked me to hold his torch while he lit the candles in his apartment. I was really grateful for his help and a few days later, I made some snacks for him as a thank-you gift. Since then, we have become quite close friends.

The more I got to know Duy, the more I began to look up to him. Even though he is well into his fifties and lives on his own, as he lost his family in a car accident, he still manages to see life through rose coloured glasses. His motto in life is “to keep moving forward”. He works and studies at the same time, and on the weekends, he travels to an orphanage to teach maths to the kids there.

He really is a wonderful neighbour and I know I could call on him if I ever needed to. We will always help each other out when we can, and because we both live on our own, it’s really important to have a good friend close by.

Vocabulary highlights:

1. fortunate – to be lucky
2. assist – to help or support something or someone
3. cut off – to be disconnected
4. grateful – to be very thankful
5. well into his fifties – around the age of 54 – 58 years old approximately
6. see life through rose coloured glasses – to see the good or positive side of life or something
7. motto – a word, sentence or phrase that expresses someone’s personal belief
8. orphanage – a home for children without parents
9. call on – ask for help