An Ambition You Have Had for a Very Long Time

Part 3 follow-up questions

These are the discussion questions examiners asked after this cue card. Sample answers are shown where available.

1. 1. What kinds of ambitions do young people often have in your country?

   Sep–Dec 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer opens with a direct list of three ambitions joined by 'and' and 'like', closing with a plain sentence about a smaller group who want something different.

   If I listen to the young people at my studio, three ambitions come up a lot: owning a flat before thirty, working or studying abroad for at least a year, and eventually starting a business with their own name on it. Under these newer ambitions, there are also older ones that parents still want for them, like having a stable job, ideally in a big company, and having a good marriage. Some young people want to be famous, like influencers or musicians, because the internet has made that feel possible. Many simply want to earn more money than their parents did. A smaller group also wants a quieter life than the city offers, which their parents often don't understand.

   Why this band

   • FC“three ambitions come up a lot” — 'Come up a lot' is a plain, everyday phrase; a higher band would likely intensify this with a stronger word such as 'constantly'.
   • LR“want to be famous” — 'Want to be famous' is a general, common phrase; a higher band might use a more specific verb, such as 'want to be known', paired with concrete examples.
   • GRA“A smaller group also wants a quieter life than the city offers, which their parents often don't understand” — This closing sentence adds a relative clause ('which their parents...') as a simple extension, a basic way of adding a final comment rather than a more compact, understated final phrase.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer adds the reflective tag 'I'd say' and the colloquial verb phrase 'come up constantly', plus the closing adjective 'baffling' instead of a fuller explanatory clause.

   If I listen to the juniors at my studio, three ambitions come up constantly: a flat of their own before thirty, at least a year working or studying abroad, and eventually a business with their own name on the door. Those are the modern ones, I'd say. Underneath them sit the older ambitions parents still hold on their behalf, like a stable job, ideally in a large company, and a good marriage. Some want to be known, influencers, musicians, athletes, and the internet has made that feel genuinely possible now. Many simply want to earn more than their parents did, which in Vietnam is a pretty realistic and powerful ambition. And a growing minority actually want a quieter life than the city offers, which their parents tend to find baffling.

   Why this band

   • FC“Those are the modern ones, I'd say” — Inserting the reflective tag 'I'd say' as its own short sentence is a more natural, spoken structure than folding the same idea into a longer sentence as the 6.5 answer does.
   • LR“which their parents tend to find baffling” — 'Baffling' is a more precise, vivid adjective for confusion than the plainer phrase used at 6.5, 'often don't understand'.
   • GRA“Some want to be known, influencers, musicians, athletes, and the internet has made that feel genuinely possible now” — This sentence inserts a list of examples directly after 'known' using commas, a more compact structure than the separate 'like' clause used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses dashes to insert the list of examples mid-sentence, closes with the compact, understated 'one their parents find, frankly, baffling', and drops explicit hedges like 'I'd say' for a more confident register.

   If I listen to the juniors at my studio, three ambitions come up constantly: a flat of their own before thirty, at least a year working or studying abroad, and eventually a business with their own name on the door. Those are the modern ones. Underneath them sit the older ambitions that parents still hold on their behalf — a stable job, ideally in a large company or the state, and a good marriage. Some want to be known — influencers, musicians, athletes — and the internet has made that feel possible. Many simply want to earn more than their parents did, which in Vietnam is a realistic and powerful ambition in itself. And a growing minority want a quieter life than the city offers, one their parents find, frankly, baffling.

   Why this band

   • FC“Some want to be known — influencers, musicians, athletes — and the internet has made that feel possible” — Using dashes to insert a list of examples directly into the middle of the sentence, rather than after a comma, is a more compact and visually structured device than the version used at 7.0.
   • LR“one their parents find, frankly, baffling” — Inserting 'frankly' as a parenthetical aside inside a reduced relative clause ('one their parents find... baffling') is a more compact, idiomatic construction than the fuller relative clause used at the lower bands.
   • GRA“which in Vietnam is a realistic and powerful ambition in itself” — The phrase 'in itself' added onto the end of the clause is a compact intensifier that tightens the claim, a more economical construction than the plainer version of the same clause used at 7.0.

2. 2. Why is it good for young people to have ambitions?

   Sep–Dec 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer opens with 'I think it's good because' and lists three benefits with 'also' and 'And', ending in a short final sentence about identity.

   I think it's good because an ambition gives young people direction, and without one, they can just drift wherever things take them. For me, drawing a house on graph paper when I was young was the reason I chose to study design at twenty — it gave every decision after that a kind of test, does this get me closer or not? Ambitions also make effort feel purposeful, so the boring years of learning feel like an investment instead of a waste. They also build resilience, because a young person with a goal gets back up after failure faster. And they give identity at an age when identity is not settled yet.

   Why this band

   • FC“drift wherever things take them” — This is a fairly plain, general phrase; a higher band would likely tighten it into a more compact image, such as saying a person 'drifts wherever the current goes'.
   • LR“a kind of test” — 'A kind of test' is vague, general phrasing; a higher band might make this more vivid by embedding the actual test question directly into the sentence.
   • GRA“And they give identity at an age when identity is not settled yet” — This closing sentence adds a final point with 'And', a basic coordinating connector, rather than compressing the idea into the main flow of the paragraph.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with 'I'd say' and inserts the actual test question directly into the sentence ('does this get me closer?'), plus the closing reflection on the habit mattering more than the goal.

   I'd say it's because an ambition gives a young person direction, and without one, they just drift wherever things take them. That house I once drew on graph paper is honestly the reason I chose design at twenty; it gave every decision afterwards a kind of test, does this get me closer? Ambitions turn effort into something purposeful, so the boring years of learning feel more like investment than waste. They build resilience too, since a young person with a goal tends to get back up after failure faster than one without. And they're a source of identity at an age when identity feels pretty unsettled. The ambition itself may change, and often should, but the habit of wanting something and working toward it matters more than any particular goal.

   Why this band

   • FC“it gave every decision afterwards a kind of test, does this get me closer?” — Embedding the actual internal question directly into the sentence, rather than describing it abstractly, is a more vivid, natural narrative technique than the vaguer phrase used at 6.5, 'a kind of test'.
   • LR“purposeful” — 'Purposeful' is a precise, slightly abstract adjective for effort with a clear aim, a step up from the plainer wording a 6.5 answer might use, such as 'worth it'.
   • GRA“but the habit of wanting something and working toward it matters more than any particular goal” — This closing clause uses 'but' to attach a final reflective contrast onto the end of a long sentence, a more integrated structure than the short, separate closing sentence used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer opens directly with 'Because' for a confident fragment answer, embeds the test question with dashes mid-sentence, and closes with three short, separate sentences for rhetorical emphasis.

   Because an ambition is a direction, and without one, a young person drifts wherever the current goes. That house on graph paper is the reason I chose design at twenty; it gave every decision after it a test — does this get me closer? — which is what an ambition really does. Ambitions turn effort into something purposeful, so the boring years of learning feel like investment rather than waste. They build resilience, since a young person with a goal gets up after failure faster than one without. And they're a source of identity at an age when identity is unsettled. The ambition may change, and often should. But the habit of wanting something and moving toward it is worth more than any particular goal.

   Why this band

   • FC“does this get me closer? — which is what an ambition really does” — Inserting the embedded question and then commenting on it with a dash-marked appositive clause is a more compact, sophisticated construction than the fuller, separate explanation used at 6.5 and 7.0.
   • LR“a young person drifts wherever the current goes” — 'The current' used metaphorically for the pull of circumstance is a vivid, figurative noun, more precise and less common than the plainer phrase used at 6.5, 'wherever things take them'.
   • GRA“The ambition may change, and often should. But the habit of wanting something and moving toward it is worth more than any particular goal” — Splitting this reflection into two short, separate sentences rather than joining them with 'but' inside one sentence, as at 7.0, creates a more deliberate, punchy rhetorical rhythm.

3. 3. Should parents help their children decide what ambitions to follow?

   Sep–Dec 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer opens with the parallel structure 'Help, yes, but decide, no' and explains with a personal example joined by 'and' and 'so', ending with a plain 'I think' summary.

   Help, yes, but decide, no — and my father is a good example of the difference. He wanted me to work in a bank's IT department, said it once when I was eighteen, and then never mentioned it again while I studied design instead. He gave me his opinion and then let me choose. Parents know things about the world and about their child that the child cannot always see, so not sharing that would be a kind of neglect. But parents should not force their own unfinished dreams onto their children or choose the safe option for them, because then the child lives a life that isn't really theirs. I think the right role for parents is to give their opinion once and then support whatever the child chooses.

   Why this band

   • FC“He gave me his opinion and then let me choose” — This is a plain, literal summary of the anecdote; a higher band would likely compress this into an appositive phrase attached to the previous sentence instead of a separate one.
   • LR“a kind of neglect” — 'A kind of neglect' is used plainly here; a higher band might strengthen or vary this claim with a more forceful adverb like 'honestly'.
   • GRA“I think the right role for parents is to give their opinion once and then support whatever the child chooses” — This closing sentence states the conclusion directly with 'I think', a fairly basic way of summarising rather than using a colon to introduce a compact final formula.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses a semicolon in 'Help, yes; decide, no' for a tighter parallel opener, and adds the aside 'honestly' and 'though' for more natural spoken reflection than the 6.5 version.

   Help, yes; decide, no, and my father showed me the difference pretty clearly. He wanted me in the IT department of a bank, said so once when I was eighteen, and then never brought it up again while I went off to study design instead — he gave me his view and left the actual choice to me. Parents know things about the world and about their child that the child often can't see themselves, and withholding that is honestly a kind of neglect. What they shouldn't do, though, is transfer their own unfinished ambitions or pick the safe path on the child's behalf, because then the child ends up living a life that isn't theirs and resenting it. The right role, I'd say, is informant and supporter: say what you think once, and then help with whatever they actually choose.

   Why this band

   • FC“he gave me his view and left the actual choice to me” — Attaching this summary directly onto the previous clause with a dash, rather than starting a new sentence as at 6.5, shows more compact sentence-combining ability.
   • LR“withholding that is honestly a kind of neglect” — Inserting the aside 'honestly' before the claim shows more natural, reflective spoken commentary than the plain statement used at 6.5.
   • GRA“What they shouldn't do, though, is transfer their own unfinished ambitions or pick the safe path on the child's behalf” — A cleft construction ('What they shouldn't do... is...') with an inserted 'though' packages the contrast into one complex sentence, more advanced than the simpler 'But parents should not' sentence used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer tightens the semicolon-linked opener further, drops filler hedges like 'I'd say', and closes with the compact colon-introduced formula 'informant and supporter: say what you think, once, and then help'.

   Help, yes; decide, no, and my father showed me the difference. He wanted me in the IT department of a bank, said so once, clearly, when I was eighteen, and then never mentioned it again while I went to study design — he gave me his view and left me the choice. Parents know things about the world and about their child that the child can't see, and withholding that is a kind of neglect. What they shouldn't do is transfer their own unfinished ambitions or choose the safe path on the child's behalf, because the child then lives a life that isn't theirs and resents it. The right role is informant and supporter: say what you think, once, and then help with whatever they choose.

   Why this band

   • FC“Help, yes; decide, no, and my father showed me the difference” — The semicolon-linked, elliptical opening ('Help, yes; decide, no') drops repeated words entirely for maximum compactness, a tighter structure than the fuller two-clause opener used at 6.5.
   • LR“informant and supporter” — This precise two-word role label is a more condensed, formal lexical choice than the fuller descriptive phrase used at 6.5, 'give their opinion once and then support'.
   • GRA“The right role is informant and supporter: say what you think, once, and then help with whatever they choose” — The colon introduces a compact three-part instruction in place of a full explanatory sentence, a more economical structure than the fuller 'I think the right role... is to' sentence used at 6.5.

4. 4. Why are some people ambitious to take on higher positions at work?

   Sep–Dec 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer opens with 'I think there are different reasons' and lists three motivations joined by dashes and 'and', ending with a plain 'I think the best managers' conclusion.

   I think there are different reasons, even though from outside they can look similar. Three people at my studio wanted the same manager job last year — one wanted the higher salary, one was tired of seeing things done badly and wanted the power to fix it, and one honestly just wanted a title he could tell his parents about. Money and status are the obvious reasons. Control is another one, because a higher position means deciding things instead of being told what to do. Some people also want a bigger effect on the world, and some are just naturally competitive. I think the best managers are usually the ones who want to fix things, not just get the title.

   Why this band

   • FC“the power to fix it” — This is a plain, direct phrase; a higher band would likely use a more precise, formal term such as 'authority' instead of 'power'.
   • LR“different reasons” — 'Different reasons' is a general, vague phrase; a higher band would likely be more specific about how these reasons compare, such as noting they 'look pretty alike from the outside'.
   • GRA“I think the best managers are usually the ones who want to fix things, not just get the title” — This closing sentence gives a direct opinion with 'I think', a basic way of concluding rather than referring back to a category established earlier in the answer.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens directly with the reason clause before the main statement ('For reasons that look pretty alike...'), and closes by referring back to 'the second kind' rather than restating the point in full.

   For reasons that look pretty alike from the outside, I'd say. Three people at my studio wanted the same management job last year: one for the salary, one because she was tired of watching things done badly and wanted the authority to fix them, and one, honestly, for a title his parents could repeat to the neighbours. Money and status are the obvious drivers. Control is another one, since higher positions mean deciding rather than being decided for. Some people want a bigger effect on the world and can only get it from higher up, and some are just competitive by nature, so a ladder is basically a ladder to them. The best managers, I'd say, tend to be the second kind.

   Why this band

   • FC“For reasons that look pretty alike from the outside, I'd say” — Fronting the reason clause before the main statement, with the hedge 'I'd say' attached at the end, is a more natural, essay-like opener than the plainer 'I think there are different reasons' used at 6.5.
   • LR“the authority to fix them” — 'Authority' is a more precise, formal noun for power granted by a position than the plainer word 'power' used at 6.5.
   • GRA“The best managers, I'd say, tend to be the second kind” — Referring back to 'the second kind' rather than restating the reason in full is a more compact, cohesive device than the fuller restatement used at 6.5, 'the ones who want to fix things, not just get the title'.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer drops the hedge entirely for a bare fragment opener ('For reasons that look alike from outside'), uses the compact idiom 'a ladder is a ladder', and adds a fourth motivation about growing beyond the job.

   For reasons that look alike from outside. Three people at my studio wanted the same management job last year: one for the salary, one because she was tired of watching things done badly and wanted the authority to fix them, and one, honestly, for a title his parents could repeat to the neighbours. Money and status are the obvious drivers. Control is another — higher positions mean deciding rather than being decided for. Some people want a bigger effect on the world and can only get it from higher up. Some are competitive by nature and a ladder is a ladder. And some simply grow beyond their job and need the next one to stay interested. The best managers tend to be the second kind.

   Why this band

   • FC“For reasons that look alike from outside” — Opening with a bare prepositional fragment and no hedge at all is the most compact, confident version of this opener across the three bands, more so than the 'I'd say' version used at 7.0.
   • LR“a ladder is a ladder” — This idiomatic, almost proverbial repetition ('a ladder is a ladder') is a more vivid, figurative way of describing an attitude than the plainer explanation given at 6.5, 'naturally competitive'.
   • GRA“And some simply grow beyond their job and need the next one to stay interested” — Adding this extra short sentence as a fourth category, introduced simply with 'And', extends the list further than the three-reason structure used at 6.5 and 7.0, showing a more developed range of ideas.

5. 5. Is it good to have ambitious people in a work team?

   Sep–Dec 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer opens with 'I think it depends on the kind of ambition' and gives two contrasting examples joined by 'But' and 'so', closing with a plain two-part final sentence.

   I think it depends on the kind of ambition. My colleague Linh wants to do the best healthcare project in the country, and her ambition pulled the whole team up with her because her goal needed everyone to succeed. But another former colleague just wanted to get promoted, and he treated his teammates like steps to climb, so the team slowly stopped helping him. Ambitious people bring energy and high standards, which any team needs, but the question is whether the ambition is for the work or for the person. A team with only ambitious people is tiring, but a team with none stays exactly where it is.

   Why this band

   • FC“treated his teammates like steps to climb” — This is a fairly plain, literal metaphor; a higher band would likely use a more compact, idiomatic version, such as calling teammates 'rungs on a ladder'.
   • LR“high standards” — 'High standards' is a common, general phrase; a higher band might present this idea as part of a tighter three-item list, such as 'energy, standards and a refusal to settle for good enough'.
   • GRA“A team with only ambitious people is tiring, but a team with none stays exactly where it is” — This closing sentence uses 'but' for a simple contrast between two extremes, a basic structure rather than a semicolon-marked, tighter parallel sentence.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with the compact fragment 'Good in the right kind, I'd say, harmful in the wrong kind' and uses the idiom 'rungs on a ladder', showing more figurative precision than the 6.5 version.

   Good in the right kind, I'd say, harmful in the wrong kind. Linh's ambition to do the best healthcare work in the country pulled the whole hospital project up with her, since her goal actually needed the team to succeed, whereas a former colleague's ambition to get promoted treated teammates more like rungs on a ladder, and the team quietly stopped helping him. Ambitious people bring energy, standards and a refusal to settle for 'good enough', which any team genuinely needs. The real question, though, is whether the ambition is for the work or for the person. Ambition for the work makes a team better; ambition for oneself basically turns it into a competition.

   Why this band

   • FC“Good in the right kind, I'd say, harmful in the wrong kind” — Opening with two short balanced fragments before any full sentence is a more compact, essay-like structure than the fuller 'I think it depends on' opener used at 6.5.
   • LR“treated teammates more like rungs on a ladder” — 'Rungs on a ladder' is a more vivid, precise metaphor for being used as a means to an end than the plainer phrase used at 6.5, 'steps to climb'.
   • GRA“Ambition for the work makes a team better; ambition for oneself basically turns it into a competition” — A semicolon links two tightly parallel clauses into one balanced sentence, a more controlled structure than the separate 'but' sentence used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer tightens the metaphor to the single word 'rungs', drops filler hedges for a more confident register, and closes with the same parallel sentence pattern used twice in a row for rhetorical effect.

   Good in the right kind, harmful in the wrong kind. Linh's ambition to do the best healthcare work in the country pulled the whole hospital project up with her, because her goal needed the team to succeed; a former colleague's ambition to be promoted treated teammates as rungs, and the team quietly stopped helping him. Ambitious people bring energy, standards and the refusal to accept 'good enough', which any team needs. The question is whether the ambition is for the work or for the person. Ambition for the work makes a team better; ambition for oneself makes it a competition. A team of only ambitious people is exhausting, and a team with none stays where it is.

   Why this band

   • FC“a former colleague's ambition to be promoted treated teammates as rungs” — Reducing the metaphor to the single precise word 'rungs', without the fuller phrase 'on a ladder' used at 7.0, is a more compact, confident lexical choice.
   • LR“the refusal to accept 'good enough'” — Quoting 'good enough' directly inside the sentence is a precise, almost aphoristic way of naming a standard, more vivid than the plainer phrase used at 6.5, 'high standards'.
   • GRA“Ambition for the work makes a team better; ambition for oneself makes it a competition. A team of only ambitious people is exhausting, and a team with none stays where it is” — Two semicolon-linked parallel sentences placed back to back create a more sustained rhetorical rhythm than the single contrastive sentence used at 6.5 for the same overall idea.

6. 6. Are ambitious people always successful at work?

   Sep–Dec 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer opens with 'No, I don't think so' and gives one classmate example joined by 'but' and 'because', closing with a plain final sentence about dissatisfaction.

   No, I don't think so, and the most ambitious person in my design class proves it. He always talked about bigger plans than the rest of us, but at thirty-five he is still in the same junior job he started in, because he wanted the final result but never did the boring work in between. Ambition only sets the target — actually succeeding needs skill, persistence, good relationships, timing and even luck, and ambition alone cannot give you any of those. Some ambitious people also hurt themselves by being impatient or making enemies. What ambition does guarantee is that a person will not be satisfied with where they are, and that can push them forward or just make them bitter.

   Why this band

   • FC“the boring work in between” — This is a plain, direct phrase; a higher band would likely use a more precise or vivid term, such as 'the boring part in between'.
   • LR“bigger plans than the rest of us” — 'Bigger plans' is a general, everyday phrase; a higher band would likely intensify or vary this, such as describing the plans as bigger than 'any of us' with repeated emphasis.
   • GRA“Ambition only sets the target — actually succeeding needs skill, persistence, good relationships, timing and even luck, and ambition alone cannot give you any of those” — This long sentence links its two halves with a dash and then 'and', a fairly loose structure rather than the semicolon-marked, tighter contrast used at higher bands.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer adds the honest aside 'honestly' and the closing qualifier 'of course', plus the more precise phrase 'none of which ambition alone provides' instead of the plainer wording at 6.5.

   No, and the most ambitious person in my design class is honestly the proof. He had bigger plans than any of us, talked about them constantly, and at thirty-five he's still in the same junior role he started in, because he wanted the destination and never did the boring part in between. Ambition sets the target, I'd say, but success needs skill, persistence, relationships, timing and luck, none of which ambition alone provides. Some ambitious people undermine themselves through impatience, by making enemies, or by switching goals every time one gets hard. Others succeed enormously, of course. What ambition does guarantee is that a person stays dissatisfied with where they are, and that can drive either progress or bitterness, depending on what else they bring to it.

   Why this band

   • FC“the most ambitious person in my design class is honestly the proof” — Inserting 'honestly' before the claim shows more natural, reflective spoken commentary than the flatter statement used at 6.5.
   • LR“none of which ambition alone provides” — A non-restrictive relative clause ('none of which...') replaces a full separate clause, a more compact way of dismissing all five qualities at once than the fuller phrase used at 6.5, 'ambition alone cannot give you any of those'.
   • GRA“Some ambitious people undermine themselves through impatience, by making enemies, or by switching goals every time one gets hard” — This sentence lists three parallel prepositional phrases joined by 'or', showing more controlled parallel structure than the simpler two-item list used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses a semicolon to tighten the contrast between setting a target and achieving success, and closes with two short, separate sentences ('Some succeed enormously') for rhetorical punch rather than folding it into a longer sentence.

   No, and the most ambitious person in my design class is the proof. He had bigger plans than any of us, talked about them constantly, and at thirty-five he's in the same junior role he started in, because he wanted the destination and never did the boring part in between. Ambition sets the target; success needs skill, persistence, relationships, timing and luck, and ambition alone provides none of them. Some ambitious people undermine themselves by impatience, by making enemies, or by changing goals every time one gets hard. Some succeed enormously. What ambition guarantees is that a person will be dissatisfied with where they are, and that can drive either progress or bitterness, depending on what else they bring.

   Why this band

   • FC“Ambition sets the target; success needs skill, persistence, relationships, timing and luck” — A semicolon links two closely related independent clauses into one tight, balanced sentence, a more controlled structure than the dash-based version used at 6.5 or the comma-based version at 7.0.
   • LR“ambition alone provides none of them” — This tightened phrase, dropping 'which' and 'of those' seen at the lower bands, is a more economical, confident way of making the same dismissive point.
   • GRA“Some succeed enormously” — This short, standalone sentence, placed right after a list of ways ambitious people undermine themselves, creates a deliberate contrast through brevity, a more stylistically controlled choice than folding the same idea into a longer sentence with 'of course' as at 7.0.

7. 7. Why does the world need ambitious people?

   Sep–Dec 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer opens with 'Because somebody has to be a little unreasonable, I think' and gives one example joined by 'but', ending with a plain 'but without ambition' conclusion.

   Because somebody has to be a little unreasonable, I think. Every bridge across the Hàn river in Da Nang started as an idea that a sensible group of people could easily have rejected, but someone wanted it enough to push it forward — ambitious people are the ones who don't just accept things the way they are. They start companies, find cures for diseases, and build things that everyone later takes for granted. Progress usually comes from people being unhappy with how things are, and ambition is really just that kind of unhappiness with a plan attached to it. The world also needs people who are not ambitious, who keep things working, but without ambition, nothing new would ever get built.

   Why this band

   • FC“started as an idea that a sensible group of people could easily have rejected” — This is a fairly plain, literal description; a higher band would likely use a more precise, formal noun such as 'proposal' and a more figurative adjective such as 'absurd'.
   • LR“a little unreasonable” — 'A little unreasonable' softens the claim with a general hedge; a higher band would likely drop the softener for a more confident, direct claim.
   • GRA“The world also needs people who are not ambitious, who keep things working, but without ambition, nothing new would ever get built” — This long closing sentence links three ideas mainly with 'who... but', a fairly loose coordinating structure rather than the tighter, more compact final sentence used at higher bands.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer drops the softening 'a little' for the more direct 'unreasonable', and uses the more precise verb 'drag' to describe pulling institutions forward, plus the closing evaluative aside 'honestly'.

   Because somebody has to be unreasonable, I'd say. Every bridge across the Hàn river in Da Nang was once an absurd proposal that a sensible committee could have easily rejected, and someone wanted it badly enough to push it through, ambitious people are the ones who refuse to accept the current state of things as final. They found companies, cure diseases, build the infrastructure everyone later takes for granted, and drag institutions forward that would otherwise just sit still. Progress comes from dissatisfaction, basically, and ambition is dissatisfaction with a plan attached. The world also needs the unambitious, who maintain, care and keep things running, and who honestly tend to be undervalued. But without ambition, nothing new would get built, and we'd probably still be maintaining the same village forever.

   Why this band

   • FC“someone wanted it badly enough to push it through” — 'Badly enough' intensifies the claim more than the plainer phrasing at 6.5, 'wanted it enough', showing a more natural emphatic register.
   • LR“drag institutions forward that would otherwise just sit still” — 'Drag' is a vivid, precise verb for forceful, effortful movement, more figurative than a plain verb like 'move' or 'push' that a 6.5 answer might use for the same idea.
   • GRA“who honestly tend to be undervalued” — Inserting 'honestly' before the evaluative claim shows more natural, reflective spoken commentary than the plainer, unqualified relative clause used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer opens with the bare, confident claim 'Because somebody has to be unreasonable' with no softening hedge, and closes with the compact, vivid final image of 'maintaining the same village forever'.

   Because somebody has to be unreasonable. Every bridge across the Hàn river in Da Nang was once an absurd proposal that a sensible committee could have rejected, and someone wanted it enough to push it through — ambitious people are the ones who don't accept the current state of things as final. They found companies, cure diseases, build the infrastructure everyone later takes for granted, and drag institutions forward that would otherwise rest. Progress comes from dissatisfaction, and ambition is dissatisfaction with a plan. The world also needs the unambitious, who maintain, care and keep things working, and who are usually undervalued. But without ambition, nothing new would be built, and we'd be maintaining the same village forever.

   Why this band

   • FC“Because somebody has to be unreasonable” — Dropping both the softening 'a little' used at 6.5 and the hedge 'I'd say' used at 7.0 creates the most direct, confident version of this opening claim across the three bands.
   • LR“institutions forward that would otherwise rest” — 'Rest' used to mean stay static or stagnant is a precise, slightly literary verb choice, more figurative than the plainer phrase used at 7.0, 'just sit still'.
   • GRA“we'd be maintaining the same village forever” — This compact conditional clause, without the hedging adverb 'probably' used at 7.0, states the consequence with more direct, confident force, a subtly tighter construction than the fuller version used at the lower bands.

8. 8. Are people who are not ambitious at a disadvantage in life?

   Sep–Dec 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer opens with the balanced phrase 'In careers, maybe a little, but in life generally, I'm not so sure' and gives one contrast example, closing with a plain 'But' final sentence.

   In careers, maybe a little, but in life generally, I'm not so sure. My neighbour, Mr Bảy, who I go swimming with, has wanted nothing for thirty years except his morning swim in the sea and his family's health, and a friend of mine with a much bigger job and salary actually envies him. People who are not ambitious usually earn less, get promoted less, and can be pushed around more by people who want more. That is a real disadvantage in a world built around competing. But unambitious people are often happier, healthier, and nicer to be around, and they don't give up important things for the next goal as easily.

   Why this band

   • FC“nicer to be around” — This is a plain, everyday phrase; a higher band would likely use a slightly more concise or formal alternative such as 'better company'.
   • LR“a much bigger job and salary” — 'A much bigger job and salary' is fairly general phrasing; a higher band might use a more vivid, specific image, such as 'a corner office'.
   • GRA“That is a real disadvantage in a world built around competing” — This sentence states the claim plainly with 'is', a basic structure rather than a more compact clause conditioned on how life is measured.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer specifies the friend's job with the vivid detail 'a corner office' and adds the honest aside 'honestly', plus the closing conditional about how the disadvantage 'only shows up if you measure life' a certain way.

   In careers, somewhat, but in life, I'm honestly not sure they are. Mr Bảy, my swimming neighbour, has wanted nothing for thirty years beyond his morning in the sea and his family's health, and a friend of mine with a corner office and a much larger salary openly envies him. Unambitious people do earn less, get promoted less, and can be pushed around more by those who want more, that's a genuine disadvantage in a world organised around competing. But they're often happier, healthier and better company, and they're less likely to sacrifice what actually matters for whatever's next. The disadvantage really only shows up if you measure life by the things ambition produces.

   Why this band

   • FC“a friend of mine with a corner office and a much larger salary openly envies him” — 'A corner office' is a vivid, concrete image for professional success, more specific and figurative than the general phrase used at 6.5, 'a much bigger job and salary'.
   • LR“openly envies him” — 'Openly envies' is a more precise, natural collocation than the plainer phrase used at 6.5, 'actually envies him'.
   • GRA“The disadvantage really only shows up if you measure life by the things ambition produces” — This conditional closing sentence ('only shows up if you measure...') is a more compact, reflective structure than the flatter, unconditional closing statement used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses a semicolon to tighten the opening contrast, and closes with the sharp, inverted final sentence 'Measured otherwise, it might be the ambitious who are losing', which the lower bands do not include.

   In careers, somewhat; in life, I'm not sure they are. Mr Bảy, my swimming neighbour, has wanted nothing for thirty years beyond his morning in the sea and his family's health, and a friend of mine with a corner office and a much larger salary openly envies him. Unambitious people earn less, get promoted less, and can be pushed around by those who want more. That's a real disadvantage in a world organised around competing. But they're often happier, healthier and better company, and they're less likely to sacrifice what matters for what's next. The disadvantage exists only if you measure life by the things ambition produces. Measured otherwise, it might be the ambitious who are losing.

   Why this band

   • FC“In careers, somewhat; in life, I'm not sure they are” — The semicolon-linked, elliptical opener, dropping repeated words entirely, is a tighter, more compact structure than the fuller comma-and-'but' opener used at 6.5.
   • LR“it might be the ambitious who are losing” — This inverted, provocative closing claim is a more sophisticated rhetorical move than the plainer conditional sentence used at 6.5 and 7.0, ending on a genuinely surprising note rather than a flat restatement.
   • GRA“Measured otherwise, it might be the ambitious who are losing” — A fronted past-participle phrase ('Measured otherwise') opens the final sentence in place of a fuller clause like 'if it is measured otherwise', a more compact and flexible construction than the conditional clause used at 7.0.

9. 9. Does society value some kinds of ambition more than others?

   Sep–Dec 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer opens with 'Yes, very much' and gives one contrast example joined by 'but', closing with a plain 'I think this matters because' final sentence.

   Yes, very much, and usually the loud kinds get more praise than the useful ones. A friend of mine who started a company got applause from everyone, but my cousin, whose ambition is to be the best nurse on her ward, gets asked when she will do something more with her life. I think society mostly praises ambitions that create money, fame, or visible growth, and it hardly notices ambitions to be really good at caring, teaching, or raising a family. Different cultures value ambition differently too — Vietnam still respects academic and stable careers quite a lot. I think this matters because the ambitions we praise are the ones that attract the most talent.

   Why this band

   • FC“get more praise than the useful ones” — This is a plain, direct comparison; a higher band would likely tighten this into a shorter, more idiomatic phrase such as 'over the useful ones'.
   • LR“visible growth” — 'Visible growth' is fairly general wording; a higher band would likely use a more specific term such as 'visible scale', paired with concrete examples like 'founding, winning, rising'.
   • GRA“I think this matters because the ambitions we praise are the ones that attract the most talent” — This closing sentence gives a reason directly with 'because', a basic connector, rather than a compact 'which is why' clause attached to the previous sentence.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer drops 'Yes' for a more confident direct opener ('Very much, and usually...'), and closes with the natural 'which is probably why' clause connecting the argument to its consequence.

   Very much, and usually the loud kinds over the genuinely useful ones. A friend who announced a startup got applause from everyone, while my cousin, whose ambition is to be the best nurse on her ward, gets asked when she'll finally do something with her life. Society tends to reward ambitions that produce money, fame or visible scale, founding, winning, rising, and barely notices ambitions to be excellent at caring, teaching or raising a family. Cultures do differ, though, Vietnam still honours academic ambition and stable careers more than some countries, and less than it used to. The ambitions we praise are the ones that get the talent, I'd say, which is probably why so much talent goes into apps and so little into care.

   Why this band

   • FC“Very much, and usually the loud kinds over the genuinely useful ones” — Dropping the initial 'Yes' and moving straight to the confident claim is a more compact opener than the fuller 'Yes, very much, and' sentence used at 6.5.
   • LR“founding, winning, rising” — This asyndetic list of three gerunds compresses several concrete examples into a tight rhythm, a more vivid and economical device than the general phrase used at 6.5, 'money, fame, or visible growth'.
   • GRA“which is probably why so much talent goes into apps and so little into care” — A non-restrictive relative clause ('which is probably why...') attaches a consequence directly onto the previous claim, a more compact structure than the separate 'because' sentence used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses a semicolon and a colon for tighter transitions, extends the list of neglected ambitions with 'farming', and closes with the short, punchy final sentence 'It's a choice, and it shows.'

   Very much, and usually the loud kinds over the useful ones. A friend who announced a startup got applause from everyone; my cousin, whose ambition is to be the best nurse on her ward, gets asked when she'll do something with her life. Society rewards ambitions that produce money, fame or visible scale — founding, winning, rising — and barely notices ambitions to be excellent at caring, teaching, farming or raising a family. Cultures differ: Vietnam still honours academic ambition and stable careers more than some countries do, and less than it used to. The ambitions we praise get the talent, which is why so much talent goes into apps and so little into care. It's a choice, and it shows.

   Why this band

   • FC“A friend who announced a startup got applause from everyone; my cousin, whose ambition is to be the best nurse on her ward, gets asked when she'll do something with her life” — A semicolon links these two contrasting examples into one tightly balanced sentence, a more controlled structure than the 'while' clause used at 7.0 or the 'but' clause used at 6.5.
   • LR“excellent at caring, teaching, farming or raising a family” — Extending the list to four items, including 'farming', broadens the lexical range of overlooked ambitions beyond the three-item lists used at the lower bands, showing wider, more specific vocabulary.
   • GRA“It's a choice, and it shows” — This short, punchy closing sentence, with no elaboration attached, is a more confident, stylistically deliberate ending than the fuller explanatory closing sentences used at 6.5 and 7.0.