Four aspects of English speaking difficulties encountered by tertiary English-majored students

Being able to speak English well is one of the outcomes for English training programs in different teaching and learning contexts. Nevertheless, there are many factors affecting the achievement of a high level of English speaking skills. One of these factors is derived from English speaking difficulties that ESL/EFL learners have to endure. This study, therefore, attempts to investigate the four aspects of speaking difficulties, namely affective, social, instructional and linguistic difficulties encountered by English-majored students at one university in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. One hundred and fifty participants were involved in answering the questionnaire. The results showed that English-majored students’ speaking abilities were often affected by speaking difficulties. The aspect they experienced most was affective difficulties while the least was instructional difficulties. The findings also revealed that the number of years spent learning English also affected English-majored students’ speaking skills

The use of linguistic units and their implicatures in the listening section of TOEFL iBT test

Implicature is a means of conveying what speakers mean linguistically, and it is most commonly used in spoken language. Identifying the possible interpretations and discovering the implied meanings of the information, nevertheless, are really challenging for non-native English speakers, especially for ESL/EFL test-takers who are under testing pressure. This descriptive study, therefore, aimed to quantitatively and qualitatively explore the language units and their implicatures used in the listening section of TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language versioned Internet-based test). A corpus consisting of 87 lectures, 97 long conversations, and 31 short conversations/adjacency pairs that were sourced from TOEFL iBT materials was developed. The framework employed to analyze data was based on the initial lists of triggers proposed by Gazdar (1979), Grice (1978), Levinson (1993), and Yule (1996). The findings reveal that linking words are the most common linguistic units while set phrases are the least common ones that are used to trigger implicatures in the listening section of TOEFL iBT materials. Additionally, diverse implicatures of linguistic units used in the listening section of TOEFL iBT are uncovered

Screening for the main triterpenic acids in Centella asiatica samples from North and South of Vietnam

The optimal conditions for extraction, hydrolyzation and quantitative determination of the total amounts of two main triterpene acids, asiatic acid, and madecassic acid in Centella asiatica by HPLC and column chromatography are described. Using this method the asiatic acid and madecassic acid content of three Centella asiatica samples collected in Sontay City, Namdinh province, and in Ho Chi Minh City have been screened. The result showed that the contents of both triterpenic acids are higher in Sontay sample and in each sample the content of madecassic acid is higher than that of asiatic acid. Keywords. Centella asiatica, asiatic acid, madecassic acid, quantification

SURVEY ON VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES OF HIGH–QUALITY ENGLISH STUDIES PROGRAM STUDENTS, SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES, CAN THO UNIVERSITY, VIETNAM

This research study aimed to investigate the usage of vocabulary learning strategies among English Studies students at Can Tho University (CTU), specifically those under the high-quality program at the School of Foreign Languages (SFL). The primary objective of the study was to identify the most commonly used strategies for learning English vocabulary and to compare the similarities and differences in how these strategies were applied among students by academic year. A total of 200 survey responses from SFL, CTU got involved in the study, and 12 of whom joined a semi-structured interview. The data gathered were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The results of this study provided insights into effective vocabulary learning strategies and would facilitate the improvement of English language teaching and learning practices at the university level.  Article visualizations

LEARNING IDIOMS FOR ENGLISH MAJORS: VIETNAMESE STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF DIFFICULTIES AND LEARNING STRATEGIES

Learning idioms play an influential role in language generally and in English notably. Comprehending idioms assists language learners in integrating culture, enhancing skills, and ameliorating English levels. Numerous studies have analyzed the function of idioms in second language acquisition (Cieślicka, 2015). This study investigates the difficulties and strategies used in learning idioms by English-majored students at a regional public university (PU) in the south of Vietnam. This paper furnishes data showing learners’ perceptions of facing complications and learning methods. The samples consisted of 150 undergraduate EFL students from English-medium instruction programs. The data was analyzed by utilizing descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings reveal that students struggle to understand idiomatic terms without specific, understandable contexts. Furthermore, the results indicate that the most frequently employed strategies are guessing the meaning of idioms, learning idioms through keywords, and learning from a range of sources, particularly via media. The findings also mentioned that low-proficiency and high-proficiency students encounter identical challenges, with no significant differences. The study's results revealed that the majority of students have difficulty acquiring, recognizing, and interpreting idioms. The findings indicated that guessing the implication of idioms is the most used strategy.  Article visualizations

Using the best - worst scale to assess the relative impact of these behaviors on other passengers on the same flight: The disruptive passenger behavior

A method called the best-worst scaling method is proposed to overcome these problems by asking respondents to make tradeoffs among the variables being assessed. This paper raises issues in respect of supplementing and developing a block of disruptive behaviors exhibited by passengers during flights and assesses the impact of these behaviors on other passengers. To illustrate the proposed method and evaluate its performance, we surveyed 240 passengers, and data from 203 survey samples were analyzed. The data analysis results revealed three behaviors that were considered the most disruptive, including (1) Threatening and causing distress, (2) Harassment and disrupting public order, and (3) Creating unsanitary conditions. This can be considered a suitable explanation with the high safety requirements of the air transport service, and the context of high expectation of post-covid hygiene and epidemiology

Choosing the best machine tool in mechanical manufacturing

Machine tools are indispensable components and play an important role in mechanical manufacturing. The equipment of machine tools has a huge effect on the operational efficiency of businesses. Each machine tool type is described by many different criteria, such as cost, technological capabilities, accuracy, energy consumption, convenience in operation, safety for workers, working noise, etc. If the selection of machine is only based on one or several criteria, it will be really easy to make mistakes, which means it is not possible to choose the real best machine. A machine is considered to be the best only when it is chosen based on all of its criteria. This work is called multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM). In this study, the selection of machine tools has been done using two different multi-criteria decision-making methods, including the FUCA method (Faire Un Choix Adéquat) and the CURLI method (Collaborative Unbiased Rank List Intergration). These are two methods with very different characteristics. When using the FUCA method, it is necessary to normalize the data and determine the weights for the criteria. Meanwhile, if using the CURLI method, these two things are not necessary. The selection of these two distinct methods is intended to produce the most generalizable conclusions. Three types of machine tool, which are considered in this study, include grinding machine, drilling machine and milling machine. The number of grinders that were offered for selection was twelve, the number of drills that were surveyed in this study was thirteen, while nine were the number of milling machines that were given for selection. The objective of this study is to determine the best solution in each type of machine. The results of ranking the machines are very similar when using the two mentioned methods. Specially, in all the surveyed cases, the two methods FUCA and CURLI always find the same best alternative. Accordingly, it is possible to firmly come to a conclusion that the FUCA method and the CURLI method are equally effective in machine tool selection. In addition, this study has determined the best three machines corresponding to the three different machine type

Development of blood transfusion external quality assessment program at national scale

Introduction: External quality assessment is a crucial component in ensuring the quality of blood transfusion testing laboratories. Objectives: To develop a procedure for generating external quality assessment items for blood transfusion testing to evaluate participants' performance. Methods: Experimental research was conducted at Quality Control Center for Medical laboratory- University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Three items, including red blood cell, serum, and atypical antibody serum samples, were assessed for homogeneity and stability; 5 assessment areas, including ABO grouping, Rh grouping, compatible cross matches, Coombs test, and screening of atypical antibodies, were utilized to evaluate the performance of 38 participants in the 2020-2021 period. Results: Red blood cell and serum samples maintained quality for a specific period at controlled temperatures, while serum samples with atypical antibodies showed stability at different temperatures. The participants demonstrated high satisfactory performance in ABO grouping, Rh grouping, Coombs test, and screening for atypical antibodies. However, the most unsatisfactory performance was reported in crossmatching, with 15% of participants unsatisfactory results. Conclusion: The procedure of production of proficiency testing items has been successfully developed, and its application at the national level is suggested to improve the quality of blood transfusion laboratories

Live attenuated virus vaccine protects against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern B.1.1.7 (Alpha) and B.1.351 (Beta).

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A study of consumer behavior and willingness to pay towards cosmetic products of generation Z in Hochiminh city

The global cosmetics industry is experiencing robust growth and Generation Z (Gen Z) is a potential customer source of this market. This research examines customers’ intentions to purchase cosmetic goods of Gen Z in Hochiminh city using perceived value factors as the antecedents of attitude in the model. A cross-sectional study, applying a convenient sampling method, was conducted to collect data from Gen Z people in January 2023. There were no specific cosmetics products included in the study. Descriptive analysis and Partial Least Square (PLS) method of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS 4.0.8.7 software were used to analyze the research data. The PLS-SEM analysis of 723 responses showed that attitudes toward purchasing cosmetic products are significantly positively impacted by perceived environmental value. A more positive attitude would result from increased brand credibility and product understanding of cosmetics. There was no evidence to support the impact of other perceived values (specifically, health, safety, social, spiritual, and ethical) on attitudes toward consumer behavior. Attitude was important in predicting willingness to pay (both direct and indirect). This study helps industry professionals to advance the qualities of cosmetic products by increasing and improving environmental value, product knowledge, and brand credibility. The eco-friendly pattern of production and marketing strategies focusing on product ingredients, manufacturing processes, and quality standards are necessary to enhance brand credibility and product understanding, align with consumer preferences and achieve greater success in the market