Question

[Minh Lệ]

Read the fact file. What things were popular in the eighties? Work in pairs. Tell your partner what was popular in the eighties using the phrases.

Fads and fashions of the eighties in Việt Nam

FASHION

During this decade, the most common outfit for Vietnamese people was a loose shirt and flared trousers. Especially, rich girls used to wear shirts with lotus collars or vintage dresses.

MUSIC

The eighties was the decade when Vietnamese pop music developed. The songs of musicians like Nguyễn Ngọc Thiện and Nguyễn Văn Tỷ praised a new life. For example, Ơi Cuộc Sống Mến Thương and Bài Ca Năm Tấn were about the nation building.

TECHNOLOGY

At that time technology was more basic. Television started to become popular in the 1980s, but people only had black-and-white TVs, for instance.

CRAZES

There were crazes for fun things, such as tug of war, bamboo jacks and blind man's buff. In those days, they were a massive trend for teenagers.

KEY PHRASES  Describing a specific time period in the past In the (eighties), ... It was the decade when ... In those days, ... At that time, ... During this decade / era, ...

Answer 1

[Nguyễn Việt Dũng]

Fashion, music, technology and crazes were popular in the eighties.

In those days, Vietnamese people used to wear loose shirts and flared trousers.

It was the decade when Vietnamese pop music that praised a new life developed.

At that time, black-and-white television started to become popular.

During this decade, the crazes for fun things like tug of war or bamboo jacks were big trends for teenagers.