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1. ABOUT MYSELF TOÂI I am an eleven year old Indian girl. I come from a family of three. I have two elder brothers. Both my parents are teachers. I am a primary six student at Fairfield Primary School. My complexion1 is light brown and I have dark, short hair.

I am very hardworking and always try to get the best grades in class. I must get a good education to fulfil2 my ambition3. My ambition is to be a nurse. I like to take care of the sick and old.

I dislike outdoor activities and rarely participate4 in games. I enjoy doing things with my hands, like painting, gardening and sometimes I try simple cooking. I spend my free time in our small garden. I grow all kinds of plants in my garden. There are rose plants, hibiscus5 and morning glory6 Sometimes I help my mother with the windows. I dust the furnitures, iron the clothes and clean the windows.

My best friend is John. He lives in our neighbourhood. We go to the same school. On Sundays John comes to my house to play with me.

My parents love me very much and give me the best of everything. I am a very happy little girl.

1. complexion /k6m'plek~n/ (n) maøu saéc vaø veû töï nhieân cuûa da – nöôùc da 2. fulfil /f$l'f1l/ (v) thoûa maõn, ñaùp öùng (moät nguyeän voïng, nhu caàu v.v…)

3. ambition /%m'b1~n/ (n) tham voïng, hoaøi baõo 4. participate /p@:'t1s1pe1t/ (v) tham gia vaøo (moät hoaït ñoäng) 5. hibiscus /h1'b1sk6s/ (n) caây daâm buït 6. morning glory /,m0:n17 '9l0:r1/ (n) caây bìm bòp hoa tía

2. MYSELF TOÂI If you ever see a tall and skinny Chinese boy with a mole1 on his chin, you will know that it's me. My name is Fang Yaorong and I will be twelve on the first of June this year.

I wear thick glasses because I did not take proper care of my eye-sight when I was young.

I attend school in the morning session2 at Ghim Moh Primary School. My school is within a stone's throw3 of my house. Every morning, I walk to school with my neighbour, John, who is also my class-mate.

My hobbies are playing football and assembling4 model aeroplanes. I am very proud of my model aeroplane collection. Most of the models were given to me as presents over the years. The rest were bought with the pocket-money I saved.

As the eldest child in the family, I always try to set a good example5 for my twin sisters.

My parents often praise me for being a obedient boy. When I grow up, I want to be a doctor. I want to be able to cure6 patients. In order to fulfil my ambition, I must study hard to go to the university.

1. mole /m6$l/ (n) noát ruoài 2. session /'se~n/ (n) buoåi 3. a stone's throw /6 st6$ns 8r6$/ (idm) moät khoaûng caùch ngaén 4. assemble /6'sembl/ (v) laép raùp 5. to set example /set 19'z@:mpl/ (idm) laøm göông, neâu göông 6. cure /'kj$6 (r)/ (v) chöõa trò (moät chöùng beänh v.v…)

3. MY SCHOOL TRÖÔØNG TOÂI I study in Secondary School. It is one of the best schools in Singapore. It consists of several Roman style buildings. Our school has all the facilities1 of a modern school, such as well furnished2 and airy class rooms, best laboratories,3 a big library with a huge collection of books, a vast play ground and even a swimming pool.

Our school building is situated in the middle. There is motorway leading from the main entrance. The playground is on the left of the motorway and a big garden on the right.

When you enter the building, the principal's4 room is on the left. They are all well furnished. There are twenty classrooms. Our laboratories are well equipped. The school library has an up-to-date collection of books on many subjects. Our librarian and her two assistants are very helpful.

Our school, like others school, has prescribed5 a uniform for us. We have to wear white trousers, white shirts and a black tie. The girls have to wear white shirts and skirts.

Our principal is very strict as he pays strict attention to behaviour, punctuality and cleanliness. The most well-behaved and punctual student will be assigned as the class prefect.6 Our principal is a strict disciplinarian.7 He accepts the help and advice of all teachers.

Though our principal is strict, he is fair and loving. He tries to find out the reason and guides us. If one violates any rules, he will be punished. Our principal is very strict in this aspect.

Our teachers are also very strict. They teach us with the utmost care, guide us with our assessments8 and other preparations and help us in times of need.

I like my school very much and am proud to be a student of that school.

1. facilities /f6's1l6t1s/ (n) nhöõng tieän nghi 2. furnish /'f3:n1~/ (v) trang bò ñoà ñaïc, duïng cuï, v.v…

3. laboratory /l6'b4r6tr1/ (n) phoøng thí nghieäm 4. principal /'pr1ns1pl/ (n) hieäu tröôûng 5. prescribe /pr1'skra1b/ (v) quy ñònh 6. prefect /'pri:fekt/ (n) lôùp tröôûng 7. disciplinarian /d1s6pl1'ne6r16n/ (n) ngöôøi tin vaø giöõ nghieâm kyû luaät 8. assessment /6'sesm6nt/ (n) söï ñaùnh giaù

4. MY SCHOOL TRÖÔØNG TOÂI There is a white three-storey building, surrounded by greenery,1 located at Simei Town Central. That is Simei Primary School. That is also the place where I have schooled2 for the last five years or so.

My school uniform is white. The boys wear a white shirt and white shorts while the girls wear a white blouse and skirt. The uniform must always be worn with the school badge3 which bears our school motto4 "Nothing without labour" It means that we must be willing to work to get our reward. We are also taught to be honest and polite all the time.

Most of the teachers in my school are just and kind. However, there are some teachers who show favouritism.5 As a result, the students who are favoured by these teachers are very proud and like to bully6 the others. In general, however, we all treat one another like siblings7 and live in harmony.

I am sad that I will have to leave my school at the end of this year. It has given me knowledge, friends and happy moments. I will always remember my school and the fond memories it holds.

1. greenery /'9ri:n6r1/ (n) taùn laù xanh hoaëc caùc caây xanh 2. school /sku:l/ (v) reøn luyeän, ñaøo taïo 3. badge /b%d2/ (n) huy hieäu 4. motto /'m4t6$/ (n) phöông chaâm, khaåu hieäu 5. favouritism /'fe1v6r1t1zm/ (n) söï thieân vò 6. bully /'b$l1/ (v) baét naït, haø hieáp 7. sibling /'s1bl17/ (n) anh chò em ruoät

5. MY SCHOOL TUCK-SHOP1

My school tuck-shop is situated2 next to a block of classrooms. My classroom happens to be the nearest to the tuck-shop and before each break, we can always smell the aroma3 of appetizing4 food.

There are a number of food stalls5 in the tuck-shop and this gives us a wide choice of food. They are the prawn noodles stall, the laksa stall, the porridge stall, the Malay food stall, the Indian rojak stall and the beverages6 and snacks stall. You can tell by the length of the queue7 in front of the rojak stall that it is the most popular stall. My favourite is the laksa stall as the laksa is both delicious and cheap.

Usually, the tuck-shop is packed during peak hours8 like during lunch time and during breaks. It is difficult to get a seat at these times. Therefore, we should be considerate and vacate our seats once we have finished eating.

The food sold in the canteen is tasty and the standard of hygiene9 is high. The vendors clean the tables and benches often and scrub the tuck-shop floor at the end of each day.

Sometimes, health inspectors come to check on the vendors' preparation of food too. As a result, we do not have to worry that the food is not clean.

1. tuck-shop /t^k ~4p/ (n) cöûa haøng baùn baùnh, keïo, v.v… (nhöõng thöù maø treû em thích aên) 2. situate /'s1tj$e1t/ (v) ñaët choã, ñaët vò trí 3. aroma /6'r6$m6/ (n) muøi thôm 4. appetizing /'%p1ta1z17/ (adj) kích thích söï ngon mieäng, ngon laønh 5. stall /st0:l/ (n) quaày haøng 6. beverage /'bev6r1d2/ (n) thöùc uoáng 7. queue /kju:/ (n) haøng (ngöôøi, xe coä, v.v…) xeáp noái ñuoâi nhau 8. peak hour /pi:k'a$6 (r)/ (n) giôø cao ñieåm 9. hygiene /'ha1d21n/ (n) veä sinh

6. MY TEACHER COÂ GIAÙO TOÂI The name of my teacher is Miss Lim Swee Lan. She is a very pleasant lady.

Miss Lim likes children very much. She herself has many brothers and sisters at home.

Most of them are going to school and she helps them in their lessons.

What she does for her own brothers and sisters she also does for the children in the class-room. She does not get angry easily. If some pupils are slow to learn, she takes great trouble1 to explain all the lessons slowly so that all the pupils can understand the lessons well. Sometimes, she also brings certain things into the class-room to explain a lesson. For example, one day she brought a toy ape2 to explain what an ape was. This makes her lessons very interesting indeed.

Miss Lim, sometimes, also takes all her pupils out for a visit to some interesting places.

She believes that children could learn a lot by travelling. Last year she took our whole class to Kuala Lumpur where we visited many interesting places such as the museum, the zoo and the famous Batu Caves.3 I am indeed very proud of my teacher, Miss Lim. 1. trouble /'tr^bl/ (n) coâng söùc 2. ape /%p/ (n) khæ khoâng ñuoâi (goàm coù khæ ñoäc, haéc tinh tinh, ñöôøi öôi, vöôïn) 3. cave /ke1v/ (n) hang ñoäng

7. MY FAVOURITE TEACHER COÂ GIAÙO YEÂU THÍCH NHAÁT CUÛA TOÂI Everyone sat up expectantly.1 It was a maths2 period and all of us waited eagerly for our maths teacher, Mrs Huang, to come into the class. She is very popular among us. In fact, she is my favourite teacher.

Mrs Huang has short curly hair and wears thick glasses which makes her look stern.3 However, she is actually very approachable4 and is always ready to lend an ear to our problems. She is motherly and cares very much for us. I remember once when I fell and hurt my knee. Mrs Huang helped me to stop the bleeding and took me to the clinic.5 I was very grateful to her.

I used to dislike maths when I was younger because I found it far too complicated.6 Mrs Huang always makes maths lessons interesting and easy to understand. She is very patient in explaining maths problems to us and always makes sure everyone understands. Under her guidance, my maths has improved by leaps and bounds.7 I have grown to love maths and I always score high marks in my maths tests now. And it's all because of my favourite teacher.

1. expectant /1k'spekt6nt/ (adj) mong chôø, chôø ñôïi (moät ñieàu toát ñeïp) - expectantly /-l1/ (adv) 2. maths /m%8s/ (n) (= mathematics) moân toaùn hoïc 3. stern /st3:n/ (adj) nghieâm khaéc, khaéc nghieät 4. approachable /6'pr6$t~6bl/ (adj) thaân thieän, deã gaàn 5. clinic /'kl1n1k/ (n) traïm xaù 6. complicated /'k4mpl1ke1t1d/ (adj) raéc roái, phöùc taïp 7. by leaps and bounds /ba1 li:ps 6nd ba$ndz/ (idm) raát nhanh

8. MY CLASSMATES BAÏN CUØNG LÔÙP

Thirty-five unique individuals make up our interesting class. Of course, there are some of us who are more popular than the others.

First, there is fat Steven. He is the joker1 of the class. He cracks2 all kinds of jokes, even practical jokes. Once, he left an artificial lizard in the chalk box to scare our stern science teacher, Miss Xiano. Her horrified3 expressions amused us so much that we split our sides with laughter.4 However, the whole class was punished for that joke. In spite of this, we still like Steven because he is always brave enough to own up5 to playing tricks.

We also have a bookworm6 in the class. Xiaoming is a small boy with thick glasses.

Wherever he goes, he will have a book with him. He brings glory to the class by winning the various language quizzes7 organized by the school.

The most respected person in our class is our monitor, Evelyn. She is helpful, friendly and responsible. Without her, our class would be in chaos.8 The teachers who teaches us always say that we a mischievous9 but hardworking bunch.10 I am proud to belong to my class.

1. joker /'d26$k6 (r)/ (n) ngöôøi thích ñuøa 2. crack /kr%k/ (v) keå (chuyeän ñuøa) 3. horrified /'h4r1fa1d/ (adj) hoaûng sôï, khieáp sôï 4. to split one's side with laughter (idm) cöôøi khoâng giöõ ñöôïc, cöôøi vôõ buïng 5. own up /6$n ^p/ (v) thuù nhaän, thuù toäi 6. bookworm /'b$kw3:m/ (n) ngöôøi ñoïc saùch nhieàu, moït saùch 7. quiz /kw1z/ (n) cuoäc thi ñoá 8. chaos /'ke14s/ (n) söï hoãn loaïn 9. mischievous /'m1st~1v6s/ (adj) nghòch ngôïm 10. bunch /b^nt~/ (n) nhoùm, taäp theå

9. MY GOOD FRIEND NGÖÔØI BAÏN TOÁT CUÛA TOÂI Chang is my neighbour. He is the same age as me. He is my best friend. He is also studying the same school. We go to school together.

Chang comes from an educated family. His father is a school principal. His mother is also a teacher. He is punctual, well educated, and has amiable1 manners. He is hard working. He does his homework and does well in his studies. He is well dressed and well behaved. All the teachers have a high opinion of him.

Chang has a well-built body. He is an early riser and jogs2 with me daily. He is gentle but fearless. He takes part in all sports, scout,3 trekking4 and mountaineering activities.

He has a good heart. He is truthful, honest and obedient.

Chang is fond of pets. He has a pair of rabbits and parrots. He has two fish tanks containing gold fish. He patiently feeds them and looks after them with care. He has been trained by his parents to be neat and tidy. He has a room to himself. All his books are neatly arranged on the shelves. His bed is always neat and tidy. He plays badminton with me. He also plays the guitar. Though gardening is his favourite hobby, he is unable to do so because he lives in an apartment. He makes his parents very proud of him in examinations. He secures5 good marks and is usually top of his class in examinations.

He is very helpful and helps me in my lesson. He inspires6 me to work harder. He keeps away from bad company.

Chang is a good son to his father. I am happy to have such a friend.

1. amiable /'e1m16bl/ (adj) töû teá, ñaùng yeâu, hoøa nhaõ 2. jog /d249/ (v) chaïy boä (taäp theå duïc) 3. scout /ska$t/ (n) höôùng ñaïo sinh 4. trek /trek/ (v) thöïc hieän moät cuoäc haønh trình daøi vaø khoù khaên (nhaát laø ñi boä) 5. secure /s1'kj$6(r)/ (v) ñaït ñöôïc (caùi gì) baèng noå löïc 6. inspire /1n'spa16 (r)/ (v) thoâi thuùc, truyeàn caûm höùng

10. MY BEST FRIEND BAÏN THAÂN NHAÁT CUÛA TOÂI When I was in Primary Four, a new boy joined my class during the second semester. As I was sitting next to him, I was asked to help him to get used to1 the new environment.

We hit it off2 instantlly. Two years have passed since. Now, we have become the best of friends. That boy's name is Xie Zhiwei.

Zhiwei is much taller and skinner than I. He is also very agile.3 That is why he has qualified4 for our school basketball team. He is also one of our school's best athletes. He specializes in the hurdles5 and high jump events.

Though Zhiwei is very involved in sports and games, he is very disciplined. He always finishes his homework on time. In fact, he has always been one of the top students in class.

One major belief that both of us agree on is that friends should share their thoughts and knowlege. This enables us to know each other very well. Thus, in spite of the fact that he is an extrovert6 and I am not, we are still such close friends. I really treasure7 this friendship and hope that it will last forever.

1. get used to /9et ju:zd t6/ (idm) quen vôùi 2. to hit it off (with s.b) /h1t 1t 4f/ (idm) aên yù, taâm ñaàu yù hôïp 3. agile /'%d2a1l/ (adj) nhanh nheïn, linh lôïi 4. qualify /'kw4l1fa1/ (v) coù ñuû tö caùch / khaû naêng / ñieàu kieän 5. hurdle /'h3:dl/ (n) cuoäc chaïy ñua vöôït raøo 6. extrovert /'ekstr6v3:t/ (n) ngöôøi höôùng ñaïo 7. treasure /'tre26 (r)/ (v) quyù troïng, traân troïng, giöõ gìn

11. A NEW FRIEND BAÏN MÔÙI When the school reopened after the mid-year school holidays, we had a new classmate.

Her name is Cheng Siew Hong and she has emigrated1 with her family from Hong Kong to Singapore.

The class was excited and I was especially so because she happened to sit next to me.

My form teacher2 told us to make her feel at ease with us. Siew Hong is a cheerfullooking girl and an active athlete. She runs fast, swims well and even takes part in highjump competitions. Siew Hong and I soon became very good friends because of our common interest in sports. We never run out of3 topics to talk about. We have lots of fun together, both in class and out on the field. I help Siew Hong cope4 with the English language while she helps me out with the Chinese language.

Since this was the first time she's been in Singapore, the class decided to bring Siew Hong to some of the local tourist attractions like Sentosa and Botanic Garden. We also brought her to Satay Club to let her try the tasty local specialities.5 With our help, Siew Hong fitted into the class in no time. She is glad to join our class and we are glad to have her as a new friend.

1. emigrate /'em19re1t/ (v) di cö 2. form teacher /f0:m 'ti:t~6 (r)/ (n) giaùo vieân chuû nhieäm 3. to run out of (sth) /r^n a$t 6v/ (idm) heát saïch, caïn saïch 4. cope /k6$p/ (v) ñöông ñaàu, ñoái phoù 5. speciality /spe~1'%l6t1/ (n) (veà moùn aên) ñaëc saûn

12. A POPULAR PERSON IN YOUR OWN AGE GROUP MOÄT NGÖÔØI ÑÖÔÏC YEÂU THÍCH TRONG TAÄP THEÅ ÑOÀNG TRANG LÖÙA James Yap is a popular person not only in our class, but also throughout the school.

James is the kind of person who is talented1 as well as outgoing.2 Most students in the school know him as a champion swimmer. James always represents3 the school in freestyle swimming and has won a lot of medals in competitions. He is also a member of the water polo team. Last year, in the district championship, James was the one to score the winning goal for our school team. He is well-remembered by his schoolmates for this.

James is friendly with almost everyone, and he is known as the class joker. Sometimes, before the teacher comes to the class, he would stand in front of the class and throw us a riddle.4 His favourite riddle is the one which asks "do you know why..." Actually, he never gives us time to answer. He would shout out the answer almost immediately, and the class would burst out5 with laughter.

Even when James is called upon to answer a question by a teacher, his answer often contains a joke or a remark which makes us laugh. Usually, because his jokes are funny and not rude, the teacher would laugh along with us.

James also likes to organise outings and gatherings. Unlike some people who only invite certain groups to these functions, James often organize them on a class basis. Once, he organised a class outing to the zoo. Towards the end of the visit, to show our aprreciation, James had arranged a special treat for our class teacher who was accompanying us. It turned out that he had reserved6 for her the zoo's special offering tea with the orang utan7! Of course, the animal was tame8 and had been trained to sit quietly with human visitors. We all, including the teacher, had a good laugh.

On another occasion, we had a class gathering at his house. James come from a rich family, and lives in a bungalow with a big garden. Most of us already know about James' background9 because he used to come to school in a chauffeur-driven car. When James was in secondary three, he told his father that he preferred to take public transport. He wanted to be more independent.

I suppose the fact that James is not affected10 by his talent, nor his wealth adds to his popularity. But some students say that even though it seems that James leads such a charmed life, he does not see eye to eye11 with his father about his future.

James' father owns a business and he would like James to work in the family business after he graduates. But James is keen to pursue a career in sports or entertainment.

At this stage, it is still too early for this disagreement between James and his father to develop into a real conflict.12 I hope, as an adult, James wil continue to make full use of the talents that has made him such a popular boy in school.

1. talented /'t%l6nt1d/ (adj) coù taøi, coù khieáu 2. outgoing /'a$t96$17/ (adj) thaân maät vaø thoaûi maùi 3. represent /repr1'zent/ (v) laøm ngöôøi ñaïi dieän cho (moät ngöôøi, moät nhoùm) 4. riddle /'r1dl/ (n) caâu ñoá 5. burst out /b3:st a$t/ (v) ñoät ngoät baét ñaàu (laøm caùi gì)

6. reserve /r1'z3:v/ (v) ñaêng kyù tröôùc 7. orang utan /0:r%7u:'t%n/ (n) con ñöôøi öôi 8. tame /te1m/ (adj) ñaõ thuaàn hoùa 9. background /'b%k9ra$nd/ (n) lai lòch 10. affect /6'fekt/ (v) aûnh höôûng, taùc ñoäng 11. to see eye to eye (idm) cuøng nhìn veà moät höôùng 12. conflict /k^n'fl1kt/ (n) cuoäc xung ñoät

13. MY CLASS AND TWO OF ITS INTERESTING CHARACTERS LÔÙP TOÂI VAØ HAI NHAÂN VAÄT THUÙ VÒ CUÛA LÔÙP Prefects1 are driven crazy by our mischief, teachers are perplexed2 by the lack of consistency3 in our work, but the principal is always impressed by our angelic4 behaviour everytime he enters our "little-home". It may seem, from this description, that we are actors or professional deceivers. We are, however, a group of teenagers who spend most of our time together in our cramped5 but cosy classroom.

Our school is an all-girl school. Thus where behaviour within the classroom is concerned, we are completely uninhibited.6 It is no wonder that an observer can often see unusual manifestations7 of peculiar behaviour. There are two particularly interesting characters in my class who, I am sure, I'll remember for a long time.

The first one is "Hero" as we call her. She is a pretty girl, with dimpled8 rosy cheeks.

However, her build does not suit her lovely face. She has straight shoulders that swing from side to side when she walks, and, mind you, she even walks like a man. She is tall and has strong muscular9 legs. She has earned her title justly as she always defends us when big boys from the neighbouring schools bully us. She even fights for us. She does not have to worry about revealing too much of her legs while fighting as she perpetually wears knee-length shorts under her skirt.

The funny thing is that none of the girls envy her beautiful face, instead, her masculinity is the object of their admiration. Some girls will even slip little gifts into her bag. I have heard that girls are having a crush10 on her. Well, whatever it is, I always feel that our "Hero" will one day be a beautiful lady, admired and courted by many men.

The other character is a highly respected one. We call her our very own "Computer" as she is so good at solving mathematical problems. While most of us spend hours trying to solve a difficult sum, she does it while walking to the canteen during break. There was one instance when she solved a problem that our Senior Maths teacher could not solve.

The most interesting thing about her is that she does not look intelligent at all. She does not wear thick glasses which is typical of the intelligent ones in our school. She is also not the quiet, inhibited and serious type. She mixes freely with all of us. In fact, her closest friends are those who are weak in their studies. She chooses them to be her friends ; and she never hesitates to help them with their problems with such clarity that our maths teacher often uses her skill and help in the classroom to advantage. I think "Computer" has great potential11 and one day she will make it to the ranks of the great mathematicians and may even win a "Nobel Prize". As time and space does not allow for a description of a few more characters in my class, I conclude with the satisfaction that I have written about the two most interesting ones. I am sure these two will be remembered by all of us for a long time.

1. prefect /'pri:fekt/ (n) lôùp tröôûng 2. perplex /p6'pleks/ (v) laøm khoù xöû, laøm boái roái 3. consistency /k6n's1st6ns1/ (n) tính nhaát quaùn, tính kieân ñònh 4. angelic /%n'd2el1k/ (adj) nhö thieân thaàn, raát toát 5. cramped /kr%mpt/ (adj) (veà khoâng gian) chaät heïp

6. uninhibited /^n1n'h1b1t1d/ (adj) töï nhieân, khoâng bò öùc cheá 7. manifestation /m%n1fe'ste1~n/ (n) söï bieåu loä, söï theå hieän 8. dimple /'d1mpl/ (v) luùm ñoàng tieàn 9. muscular /'m^skj$l6(r)/ (adj) thuoäc veà cô baép - muscularity /m^skj$'l%r6t1/ (n) baép thòt, cô baép 10. crush (on) /kr^~/ (n) söï say meâ (ai/caùi gì) coù tính ngaén nguûi vaø taïm thôøi 11. potential /p6'ten~l/ (n) khaû naêng, tö chaát, tieàm löïc

14. MY COUNTRY ÑAÁT NÖÔÙC TOÂI My country is Singapore. Singapore is a small island lying to the south of the Malay Peninsula. It has an area of 600 sq km and a population of about 2.6 million people.

Singapore is a multi-racial1 society, where Chinese, Malays and Indians live in harmony.

It is a tolerant2 society, in which no one is labelled, condemned3 or persecuted4 because he thinks differently, behaves differently or worships a different god.

Singapore is a clean city. Littering5 is an offence and people caught littering are severely punished. Singaporeans take great pain6 to keep their city clean.

Tourism is one of the main sources of income to Singapore. Tourists from all over the world flock to this paradise island. The various cultures and traditions of the people fascinate the tourists. There are many places of interest in Singapore. The zoological garden is one of the tourist attractions. Many different species7 of animals from all over the world can be found here. The Bird Park is another place of interest. There are about six hundred different species. The man-made waterfall is said to be the highest of manmade waterfalls. The Changi International Airport is one of the best airports in the world.

Singapore is a fast developing country. It is a very popular country with hardworking people.

1. multi-racial /,m^lt1 're1sl/ (adj) goàm nhieàu chuûng toäc, ña chuûng toäc 2. tolerant /'t4l6r6nt/ (adj) coù hoaëc theå hieän söï dung thöù 3. condemn /k6n'dem/ (v) leân aùn 4. persecute /'p3:s1kju:t/ (v) ngöôïc ñaõi, khuûng boá 5. littering /'l1t6r17/ (n) haønh ñoäng vaát raùc böøa baõi 6. to take great pain /te1k 9re1t pe1n/ (idm) raát chuù yù ñeå thöïc hieän ñieàu gì 7. species /'spi:~i:z/ (n) loaøi

15. MY HOME TOWN THÒ TRAÁN QUEÂ HÖÔNG TOÂI I was born in a small sea-side town in Malaysia called Mersing. It is situated in the south-east of Malaysia, near the South China Sea. It is a small town with a population of about fifty thousand people. It is a peaceful and beautiful town.

The main occupation1 of the people there is fishing. The sea is their livelihood.2 Besides fishing, tourism has also become quite popular. Tourists stop over3 at Mersing on their way to the islands off Mersing. The most popular island is Pulau Tioman.

The population here is made up of Malays, Chinese and Indians. The majority of the people are Malays. They are either fishermen or farmers. The Chinese are mostly shopkeepers and restaurant and hotel owners. The Indians who are the minority4 are either civil servants or rubber tappers.

The town consists of three streets of shops. There are three schools, a Chinese, a Malay and an English medium schools. There is a hospital and a few private clinics, a cinema hall, library and a big wet market by the sea. There are a number of hotels to accommodate5 tourists who flock6 to Mersing to visit the Islands.

The people in my home town live in peace and harmony.7 I love the peace and quiet of my little home town.

1. occupation /4kj$'pe1~n/ (n) ngheà nghieäp 2. livelihood /'la1vl1h$d/ (n) keá sinh nhai, sinh keá 3. stop over /st4p '6$v6 (r)/ (v) ngöng chuyeán ñi ñeå ôû laïi ñaâu ñoù moät thôøi gian 4. minority /ma1'n4r6t1/ (n) daân toäc thieåu soá 5. accommodate /6'k4m6de1t/ (v) cung caáp nôi ôû hoaëc phoøng cho ai 6. flock /fl4k/ (v) tuï taäp, taäp trung 7. harmony /'h@:m6n1/ (n) söï hoøa thuaän, söï hoøa hôïp

16. MY HOME NGOÂI NHAØ CUÛA TOÂI Of all the places in the world I judge my home to be a paradise.1 As the old saying goes, "East or West, my home is the best". My home offers affection2 and security.3 I live with my parents, my elder brother and younger sister.

I belong to a middle class family. My father is a supervisor4 in a factory and my mother is a production operator5 in the same factory. We have a four-room flat in Bedok Reservoir area. Our drawing-cum-front hall is decorated in a tasty6 manner. The northern corner has a television deck. Some ten metres from that end, there is a morgohany sofa set with an ornamented7 tea table in front.

Our kitchen is fully equipped with multi cabinets and a small store. A small dining table with four chairs are placed near the sink.8 A big refrigerator stands silent in the corner.

Our home has been decorated with many memorable souvenirs which remind us of our visits to different places. Our home has three bedrooms. The master bedroom is occupied by my parents. I share the second bedroom with my younger sister. The third bedroom is solely occupied by my brother. Sometimes, it is used as a guest room for our relatives from Malaysia. They usually visit us during festival season. Ours is a small and happy family where every member has consideration for the needs and comforts of the others. All of us do our share of housework. Most mornings, the place looks busy as everyone rushes about doing one's morning chores. We normally have a light and quick breakfast. Every evening, my family will have dinner together. This is the time of day I like best.

We keep our home neat and tidy. Everything is kept in order and in its place. I am very proud of my home and I love it very much.

1. paradise /'p%r6da1s/ (n) nôi lyù töôûng hoaëc hoaøn haûo – thieân ñöôøng 2. affection /6'fek~n/ (n) caûm giaùc yeâu thích, yeâu meán 3. security /s1'kj$6r6t1/ (n) söï an ninh, söï an toaøn 4. supervisor /'su:p6va1z6 (r)/ (n) ngöôøi giaùm saùt 5. operator /'4p6re1t6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi ñieàu haønh 6. tasty /'te1st1/ (adj) coù thaåm myõ, trang nhaõ 7. ornament /'0:n6ment/ (v) trang hoaøng, trang trí 8. sink /s17k/ (n) boàn röûa maët

17. MY NEIGHBOURS LAÙNG GIEÀNG TOÂI We all have neighbours. Some neighbours are good while some are bad. Both my neighbours are good.

The Lim family lives next door on our right. Mr Lim is a Post-Master and Mrs Lim is a housewife. They have two adorable1 children. A boy and a pretty girl. Mr Lim is a very helpful man. He helps to pay our telephone bills for us. Whenever we have any letters or parcels to post, we give it to Mr Lim and he posts it for us. Mrs Lim takes great pride in her garden. She grows all kinds of plants. Her garden is always full of bright coloured flowers. She helps me with my garden. She has taught me a lot of things about gardening. She is a good cook and loves baking delicious cakes for her family and neighbours. The Lims are friendly, helpful and honest people.

The neighbours who live on our left are Mr and Mrs Rao. Mr Rao is a businessman. He deals in2 carpets,3 and owns a big carpet shop. Mrs Rao is a school-teacher. They have no children. Mr Rao is rarely at home. He is always away on business trips. We only see him on Sundays. Mrs Rao loves children. She used to buy sweets and chocolates for the children in the neighbourhood. On every Deepavalli eve,4 the Rao's hold a children's party. And all the children in the neighbourhood are invited. We enjoy going to the Rao's party. All kinds of cakes, sweets and ice-creams are served. At the end of the party, presents are given to all the children.

I like both my neighbours. I feel very fortunate to have such good neighbours.

1. adorable /6'd0:r6bl/ (adj) raát ñaùng yeâu 2. deal in /di:l 1n/ (v) baùn (caùi gì), buoân baùn (caùi gì) 3. carpet /'k@:p1t/ (n) thaûm 4. eve /i:v/ (n) ngaøy hoaëc ñeâm tröôùc leã hoäi hoaëc kyø nghæ toân giaùo

18. NEW NEIGHBOURS LAÙNG GIEÀNG MÔÙI

When I was waiting for the lift,1 I saw a girl of about my age dragging2 two big boxes of household3 items to the lift. When the door of the lift opened, I helped her to drag one of the boxes into the lift.

She thanked me and explained that her family had just moved into a flat4 in the block. I was surprised when she moved the boxes into the flat next to mine.

I came to know later that my new neighbours are the Tan family. The girl whom I met in the left is Debbie. Her elder brother is Desmond and the eight-year-old younger brother is Danny.

Debbie and I soon became good friends. Though we do not attend the same primary school, we hope to get into the same secondary school next year.

My mother gets along5 well with Mrs Tan. They exchange recipes6 and go to the market together. In fact, the Tan family is very easy-going7 and they fit well into our neighbourhood.

I am glad the Tan family lives next door. I hope we will always be neighbours.

1. lift /l1ft/ (n) thang maùy 2. drag /dr%9/ (v) keùo leâ 3. household /'ha$sh6$ld/ (adj) duøng trong gia ñình 4. flat /fl%t/ (n) caên hoä 5. get along (with sb) /9et 6'l47/ (idm) hoøa hôïp, aên yù 6. recipe /'res6p1/ (n) coâng thöùc laøm moùn aên 7. easy-going /'i:z1 ,96$17/ (adj) deã daøng trong cö xöû, dòu daøng, khoan dung

19. MY PET DOG CON CHOÙ CÖNG CUÛA TOÂI Rosy is a dog which I have been keeping for the past four years. It was by sheer1 accident that Rosy came into my hands. Our neighbour, Mr. Jones, was a dog lover. He had a good kennel2 in his house where he reared3 different types of dogs. Suddenly, he got transferred from the town and he wanted to dispose4 some of the dogs he had. He was talking about his problem to my father. Then I told my father that we could have one of the puppies ; though reluctant, my father agreed. That was how Rosy came into my possession.

Why it was named Rosy I can't say. It is an Alsatian. It is of medium height, grey in colour with dark spots near her belly, a bushy and glistening5 eyes. It grew into a beautiful and magnificent dog much to the envy of others.

Rosy can be seen about our house when she is not engaged in playing or when she is not sleeping. She takes pleasure in sniffing6 about the corners when she has nothing particular to do. She is as docile7 as a deer in our presence. When we are not at home she will be at her mettle8 and no one can easily come near our gate or house. Though she doesn't bite, she will bounce on the person baring her teeth so much so that she can paralyse9 any intruder.10 She recognizes the postman as a friend and so does not do him any harm.

I give her spartan food. She takes some biscuits and milk in the morning, rice and curry in the afternoon. Usually she is not given any food in the night. When we are at our table, Rosy keeps company with me but she shows no eagerness to touch even a crumb unless offered. So my father likes it. Rosy cries in a peculier way. It is between barking11 and howling.12 Sometimes, she raises a cry like moaning.13 That means she wants to go out for toilet.

Whenever I go out in the evening, she accompanies me. My friends are afraid of her because she doesn't like silly mischievous boys. She shows her displeasure by barking and that is enough to unnerve the boys. My father says, Rosy would soon become a mother. Then I will have a litter of nice puppies.

1. sheer /~16 (r)/ (adj) hoaøn toaøn 2. kennel /'kenl/ (n) cuûi choù, chuoàng choù 3. rear /r16 (r)/ (v) nuoâi naáng, troâng nom 4. dispose /d1'sp6$z/ (v) toáng khöù, vöùt boû (ai/caùi gì) 5. glistening /'9l1stn17/ (adj) long lanh 6. sniff /sn1f/ (v) ñaùnh hôi, ngöûi, hít 7. docile /'d6$sa1l/ (adj) (veà ngöôøi hay vaät) deã baûo, deã sai khieán 8. be at one's mettle /'metl/ (idm) ñaày nhieät tình, khí theá 9. paralyse /'p%r6la1z/ (v) laøm teâ lieät, laøm ñôù ra (vì sôï) 10. intruder /1n'trud6 (r)/ (n) keû xaâm nhaäp 11. bark /b@:k/ (v) (veà choù) suûa 12. howl /ha$l/ (v) (veà choù) huù, tru 13. moan /m6$n/ (v) reân ræ

20. THE CAT MELLISSA COÂ MEØO MELLISSA Melissa is a glossy,1 midnight-black cat, arrogant2 as a tyrant3 of old, fierce4 as the most ruthless savage,5 or affectionate6 as the most loving child. Whenever arrogance is her role, she gives her whole heart to it. Roused from soft sleep and feeling a vague need for a lap of milk or a mouthful of liver, she will move toward her dishes unhurriedly and gracefully like a duchess.7 No calls to play, no rolling balls, no tantalizingly8 twitched9 strings will divert10 her determined progress toward the kitchen. From a gentle stroke11 along her back or a soft scratching under ears and chin, she will ooze away as elusively as quicksilver. With tail at a proud angle and with haughty dignity, she will quietly and persistently pursue her way.

Even when just fed, with drops of milk or flecks of beef upon her narrow, triangular chin, she grows alert to the impertinent chatter of sparrows12 reminding her that hunting is one of her dearest sports and a test of her greatest skills. Then the countless ages that separate her from the forests and jungles of the Far East dissolve. Standing on the doorstone of a twentieth-century house in the middle of a great city, she becomes again the savage hunter. The dusty, feathery smell of the sparrows fighting for crumbs comes to her sensitive nose. A few blades of grass and a discouraged city bush may be Melissa's only cover. Nevertheless, she snaps her tail purposefully, steps off the doorstone, and by a series of running, fluid steps reaches the bush. In these steps her body elongates13 and her legs contract tensely holding her close to the ground. In the shelter of the bush she watches fixedly her still unwary prey.14 Now by flattening her ears, she gains great confidence, for all cats know that thus protected they become invisible. Crouched15 and delicately poised16 for her deadly pounce, she moves not a whisker.17 A tiny breeze ruffles the soft fur18 of her sides. The very tip of her long graceful tail twitches with every passing decision to leap, to wait, to watch. Thus she savors19 in anticipation the delightful instant when her steel claws20 will slide through crisp feathers, clutch tender flesh, and hold her excitingly lively prey until she can snatch21 it in her strong, razor-sharp teeth. Birds are too messy for her to eat except for a mouthful or two to prove that she knows a toothsome morsel22 when she finds it. But to catch--well, there is something Melissa can't explain ; every so often she just has to prove that she is a good hunter.

Back inside her home, no more than minutes later in time but several aeons23 later in civilization, Melissa looks for appreciation and affection. She is a great and skillful hunter home safely and successfully from the chase.24 The descendant of ancient gods in Egypt, still goddess in her own home, she unbends now to seek not only applause, but also a chance to express her affection. She hunts a warm, secure lap that she can happily knead,25 a pair of hands that are firm, soothing, and trained to tickle26 the right spots, scratch27 others, and softly smooth the rest. Melissa raises sleepy eyes and a gently prodding head to rub the length of her cheek and neck against the wrist behind her head.

The proud cat in search of food and the cruelly persistent sportsman have been momentarily forgotten in the sleepy, gently purring28 companion.

1. glossy /'9l4s1/ (adj) nhaün nhuïi, boùng loaùng 2. arrogant /'%r696nt/ (adj) kieâu caêng, haùch dòch, ngaïo maïn - arrogance /-s/ (n) 3. tyrant /'ta16r6nt/ (n) baïo chuùa, keû baïo ngöôïc 4. fierce /'f16s/ (adj) hung tôïn, döõ doäi 5. savage /'s%v1d2/ (n) ngöôøi man rôï / daõ man 6. affectionate /6'fek~6n6t/ (adj) (bieåu loä söï) trìu meán, aâu yeám 7. duchess /'d^t~1s/ (n) nöõ coâng töôùc 8. tantalizing /'t%nt6la1z17/ (adj) (coù tính) nhöû, treâu 9. twitch /tw1t~/ (v) giaät giaät, co ruùm 10 divert /da1'v3:t/ (v) laøm ñoåi höôùng, laøm chuyeån höôùng 11. stroke /str6$k/ (n) haønh ñoäng vuoát ve, aâu yeám 12. sparrow /'sp%r6$/ (n) chim seû 13. elongate /'i:l479e1t/ (v) keùo daøi ra 14. prey /pre1/ (n) con moài 15. crouch /kra$t~/ (v) thu mình laïi (ñeå aån naáp) 16. poised /p01zd/ (adj) ôû tö theá thaêng baèng 17. whisker /'w1sk6 (r)/ (n) ria (meøo, chuoät, v.v…)

18. fur /f3:(r)/ (n) loâng mao, loâng thuù 19. savor /'se1v6(r)/ (v) thöôûng thöùc 20. claw /kl0:/ (v) (coá söùc) caøo xeù baèng moùng hoaëc vuoát 21. snatch /sn%t~/ (v) voà, choäp 22. morsel /'m0:sl/ (n) maåu, mieáng 23. aeon /'i:6n/ (n) moät giai ñoaïn daøi ñeán möùc khoâng theå tính ñöôïc – nieân kyû, vaïn kyû 24. chase /t~e1s/ (v) ñuoåi theo, saên ñuoåi 25. knead /ni:d/ (v) xoa boùp, ñaám boùp 26. tickle /'t1kl/ (v) môn trôùn, kích thích 27. scratch /skr%t~/ (v) gaõi 28. purr /p3:(r)/ (v) keâu röù röù

21. MY SCHOOL SPORTS DAY NGAØY HOÄI THEÅ THAO ÔÛ TRÖÔØNG TOÂI This year our school sports day was held on Friday. There were seven booths1 at the sports ground. Our class planned in advance how to decorate our booth. We wanted to win the first prize for the best decorated booth so I helped my classmates to decorate our booth in a spectacular2 manner.

Around 1.30 pm, the sports day was declared open by the Guest-of-Honour - our local Member of Parliament. All the students taking part in the sportsday lined up for the march past. We marched3 past the stand where the Guest-of-Honour and our headmaster stood to attention. As we marched past, he took the salute.4 The day started with track events5. There were 50, 100 and 200 metres races. There was tremendous applause6 from the spectators which included teachers and parents.

Then the field events - tug of war,7 long jump, high jump, shot put8 and discus9 were held. Every event drew cheers and applause from the spectators. The sports day turned out to be grandest day of the year for the school.

The day went by very fast. I came in first in the long jump event, and second in the 100 metres race and shot put. At about five o'clock, our Guest-of-Honour gave away the trophies10 to the winners. My class was overall runners-up. We were also awarded with the first prize for the best decorated booth.

After that, to mark the end of the sports meet, there was another march past. The national anthem11 was played to close the sports day.

We went home tired but happy.

1. booth /bu:5/ (n) raïp, leàu v.v… döïng taïm thôøi ôû khu ôû chôï, saân vaän ñoäng v.v…

2. spectacular /spek't%kj$l6(r)/ (adj) ñeïp maét, ngoaïn muïc 3. march /m@:t~/ (v) ñi dieãu haønh -(n) cuoäc dieãu haønh 4. salute /s6'lu:t/ (n) vieäc chaøo möøng - to take the salute : chaøo ñaùp leã 5. event /1'vent/ (n) moân thi ñaáu (trong caùc cuoäc thi theå thao) 6. applause /6'pl0:z/ (n) söï taùn döông nhieät lieät (baèng caùch voã tay) 7. tug of war /t^9 6v w0:(r)/ (n) troø chôi keùo co 8. shot put /~4t p$t/ (n) moân neùm taï 9. discus /'d1sk6s/ (n) moân neùm ñóa 10. trophy /'tr6$f1/ (n) (trong theå thao) cuùp 11. national anthem /,n%~n6l '%n86m/ (n) baøi quoác ca

22. SPORTS DAY NGAØY HOÄI THEÅ THAO Sports Day fell on the eighth of September. On that day, the school was beautifully decorated with colourful flags. Parents were invited to watch their children participate in the various events.

First, there was the lower primary students' telematches. Every class was divided into four groups which competed1 against one another. They used balls, hoops,2 skippingropes and bean bags in the competition. The little children ran swiftly and we could hardly tell who the winners were.

Next, we had more interesting events. The upper primary students competed in events like hurdles, relay races,3 short distance races, high jump and long jump. There were individual and team events. Every participant4 tried his best to win as many trophies as possible for his class. However, there was bound to be some losers.5 The prize-giving ceremony marked the end of the exciting day. The winners were cheered and carried on their classmates' shoulders. The losers showed good sportsmanship6 by joining in the cheers and not sulking.7 Though we were very tired, we had enjoyed ourselves tremendously.

1. compete /k6m'pi:t/ (v) ñua tranh, ñua taøi, thi ñua 2. hoop /hu:p/ (n) voøng (baèng goã, kim loaïi v.v… duøng trong theå thao) 3. relay race /,ri:le1 're1s/ (n) cuoäc chaïy tieáp söùc 4. participant /'p@:t1s1p6nt/ (n) ngöôøi tham gia 5. loser /'lu:z6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi thua cuoäc, ngöôøi baïi traän 6. sportmanship /'sp0:tm6n~1p/ (n) tinh thaàn theå thao 7. sulk /s^lk/ (v) giaän doãi, doãi hôøn

23. TEACHERS' DAY NGAØY HIEÁN CHÖÔNG NHAØ GIAÙO Teachers' Day falls on the the twentieth of November. Every year, our school will celebrate this day by holding a concert1 specially for the principal and teachers. This year was no exception.

On that day, the whole school proceeded to the hall after morning assembly. Every class was involved in the concert. There were dances, sketches,2 mimes3 and songs. All the performers4 did their best and the concert was a great success.

After the concert, we went back to our classes to have our class parties. My classroom was transformed5 into a party hall. When our form teacher came into the class, she was very surprised indeed. We had food, drinks and presents for her. Some of us even made cards for her and she was very touched.6 At the end of the day, everyone was in a good mood.7 I felt that, as students, we should thank our teachers for teaching us our lessons so patiently and cheerfully. What better opportunity is there for us to show our appreciation than on Teachers' Day ?

1. concert /'k4ns6t/ (n) buoåi hoøa nhaïc 2. sketch /sket~/ (n) vôû haøi kòch ngaén 3. mime /ma1n/ (n) kòch caâm 4. performer /p6'f0:m6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi trình dieãn, ngöôøi bieåu dieãn (tröôùc khaùn giaû) 5. transform (into) /'tr%nsf0:m/ (v) bieán ñoåi thaønh 6. touched /t^t~t/ (adj) xuùc ñoäng, caûm ñoäng 7. mood /mu:d/ (n) taâm traïng

24. MOTHERS' DAY NGAØY LEÃ CUÛA CAÙC BAØ MEÏ Yesterday was the second Sunday in the month of May. It was also Mothers' Day. My sister and I woke up early to prepare breakfast for our mum. We had tuna fish1 sandwiches, scrambled eggs and coffee. Mum had a pleasant surprise when she woke up to the small feast2 prepared for her.

After breakfast, we brightened Mum's day by giving her a big bouquet3 of flowers made of crepe paper.4 It took us one whole week to make those flowers.

For the rest of the day, we were very obedient and did most of the household chores.5 In the evening, my mum was relieved of cooking dinner by my dad. After a delicous meal, we had a cake-cutting ceremony to thank our mum for all that she has done for us.

I also presented Mum a very huge Mother's Day card. She was overjoyed.6 All of us were glad that Mum had a great day. However, I feel that Mother's Day is not the only opportunity for us to show our love for our mothers. We should show our mothers that we love them by respecting and obeying them every day of the year.

1. tuna /'tju:n6/ (n) caù ngöø Califoni - tunafish /'tju:n6f1~/ (n) thòt caù ngöø naøy 2. feast /fi:st/ (n) böõa tieäc 3. bouquet /b$'ke1/ (n) boù hoa 4. crepe paper /kre1p 'pe1p6(r)/ (n) giaáy keáp (coù gôïn nhö nhieãu) 5. chore /t~0:(r)/ (n) vieäc vaët haøng ngaøy 6. overjoyed /,6$v6'd201d/ (adj) raát ñoãi vui möøng

25. CHINESE NEW YEAR TEÁT NGUYEÂN ÑAÙN Chinese New Year is celebrated on the first day of the Lunar New Year. A month before the New Year, the Chinese clean the house and paint the walls. New clothes are bought for the occasion. A week before the festival, housewives bake special cookies1 and other delicious goodies.2 On the eve of the New Year, the whole family gets together for a reunion3 dinner.

Every member of the family should be present during the dinner. Many different kinds of dishes are served during the dinner.

On Chinese New Year morning, the young members of the family pay their respects to the elders. In return they receive "Hongbaos". Hongbao is a red packet containing money. Then they go and visit friends and relatives. Some of our friends and neighbours visit us.

Besides visiting friends and relatives, there is the Chingay procession4 to see. It is very amusing to see the lion rising on its hind legs trying to get the "Hongbao" which is suspended5 in mid-air. The drums and cymbals6 played for the lion dance performance are deafening but rhythmic.7 On the fifteenth day, another grand dinner is held to mark the end of the festival. I always enjoy myself greatly during the Chinese New Year.

1. cookie /'k$k1/ (n) baùnh bích qui 2. goody /'9$d1/ (n) thöùc aên öa thích (keïo, baùnh ngoït, v.v…)

3. reunion /ri:'ju:n16n/ (n) söï sum hoïp, cuoäc hoïp maët 4. procession /pr6'se~n/ (n) ñaùm röôùc, ñaùm dieãu haønh 5. suspend /s6'spend/ (v) treo lô löûng 6. cymbal /'s1mbl/ (n) caùi chuõm choïe 7. rhythmic /'r15m1k/ (adj) nhòp nhaøng

26. MY DIARY1 QUYEÅN NHAÄT KYÙ CUÛA TOÂI I have a diary which has been with me for about half a year. It is a blue book given to me by my dad as a new year present. He hoped that I would develop the habit2 of writing in my diary and I am glad that I have not disappointed3 him.

It has become a habit for me to write in my diary every night before I go to bed. My diary knows all that happens to me ; it's a silent friend who knows all my joys and grievances.4 Whenever I am free, I will read my diary like I read a novel. This enables me to look back objectively5at all the things that I have done. As a result, I am able to detect6 my mistakes and correct them. Similarly, I will take note of the things which I have done right and will try to do even better.

I feel that keeping a diary has made me a better person. My writing skill has improved a lot. Besides, writing in my diary every night has trained me to be more disciplined and I have learnt to spend my time wisely. Thus, I strongly encourage7 my friends to keep a diary too.

1. diary /'da16r1/ (n) soå nhaät kyù 2. habit /'h%b1t/ (n) thoùi quen 3. disappoint /d1s6'p01nt/ (v) laøm thaát voïng 4. grievance /'9ri:vns/ (n) lôøi keâu ca phaøn naøn, noãi baát bình, söï phieàn muoän 5. objective /6b'd2ekt1v/ (adj) khaùch quan - objectively (adv) 6. detect /d1'tekt/ (v) nhaän ra, khaùm phaù 7. encourage /1n'k^r1d2/ (v) khuyeán khích, khích leä

27. WHEN I AM ANGRY KHI TOÂI GIAÄN DÖÕ Different people react1 differently when they are angry. They also react differently in different situations. When I am angry, I will sulk, shout or cry, depending on who I am angry with.

When my parents reprimand2 me for something which, I feel, is not my fault, I will shut myself in my room. I will refuse to talk to anyone, even to my granny whom I'm very fond of. Sometimes, I also throw things around and mess up3 the whole bedroom.

When my brother and I quarrel with each other, I will scream and shout at the top of my voice. If I cannot beat him verbally, I will kick him. As a result, I usually end up crying because he is much bigger and stronger.

When I am angry with a friend, I will not talk to her until she apologizes4 to me. My stubbornness5 has caused me to lose a few good friends in the past.

I know that I am intolerable6 when I am angry. Therefore, I have been trying to control7 my temper.8 However, I have not been very successful. I still need to put in more effort.

1. react /r1'%kt/ (v) phaûn öùng 2. reprimand /'repr1m@:nd/ (v) quôû traùch, khieån traùch 3. mess up /mes ^p/ (v) laøm böøa baõi, loän xoän 4. apologize /6'p4l6d2a1/ (v) xin loãi 5. stubborness /'st^b6nn1s/ (n) söï böôùng bænh, söï ngoan coá 6. intolerable /1n't4l6r6bl/ (adj) khoâng theå chòu ñöïng noåi 7. control /k^n'tr6$l/ (v) ñieàu khieån 8. temper /'temp6(r)/ (n) khí chaát, tính khí

28. MY FAVOURITE HAUNT1 NÔI TOÂI THÖÔØNG LUI TÔÙI I live in a flat at East Coast. Every morning, my brother and I would go for a short jog near the beach at East Coast Park. It has became my favourite haunt.

On Sundays before dawn, I will sit on the beach, watching the sun rise. It gives me a very warm feeling as I always see hope in the beginning of a new day.

Whenever I am unhappy, I will climb up the rocks and listen to the soothing2 sound of the waves splashing3 against the rocks. The cool breeze4 and fresh air clear my mind and help me to sort out5 any problems I may have.

Sometimes, my good friends and I come to cycle at the cycling track. It is a lot of fun to race one another down the lane. When we get tired, we will paddle6 in the sea.

Sometimes, we also swim in the sea and all of us get very dark indeed.

This is the place where I go to most frequently. I believe I will continue to do so as its calm and beautiful scenery7 will always attract me.

1. haunt /h0:nt/ (n) nôi thöôøng ñöôïc (ai) lui tôùi thaêm vieáng 2. soothing /'su:517/ (adj) eâm dòu, dòu daøng 3. splash /spl%~/ (v) baén, toùe 4. breeze /bri:z/ (n) laøn gioù nheï vaø maùt 5. sort out /s0:t a$t/ (v) giaûi quyeát 6. paddle /'p%dl/ (v) cheøo xuoàng 7. scenery /'si:n6r1/ (n) caûnh vaät thieân nhieân

29. AN INTERESTING PLACE MOÄT ÑÒA ÑIEÅM THUÙ VÒ There is a very lovely place that I enjoy visiting. I am never tired of visiting it. My place of interest is full of greenery, serenity1 and is a huge, beautiful garden of various flowers. It has flowers, trees and shrubs2 of various kinds. This place is the Singapore Botanical Gardens.3 It is located on the outskirts of the city.

The Botanical Garden is a lovely place to take strolls.4 In the morning, people frequent the place to jog, walk or do other exercises. The air is fresh and it is very refreshing to sit by the huge pond. Ducks and swans often swim by and it is quite common to see people throwing in crusts5 of bread. There are also fishes in the pond.

At the Botanical Gardens there is a wide variety of plants and trees to see and many interesting and exotic6 orchids7 are also grown there. You can see a clock made of small plants. I love taking quiet walks there. The natural surroundings help me to relax.

I like going to the Botanical Gardens as it is a very interesting place.

1. senerity /s1'ren6t1/ (n) söï yeân tónh vaø thanh bình 2. shrub /~r^b/ (n) caây buïi 3. Botanical Garden /b6,t%n1kl '9@:dn/ (n) vöôøn thöïc vaät, vöôøn baùch thaûo 4. stroll /str6$l/ (n) söï ñi taûn boä, söï ñi daïo 5. crust /kr^st/ (n) voû baùnh 6. exotic /19'z4t1k/ (adj) ngoaïi nhaäp 7. orehid /'0:k1d/ (n) caây lan, caây phong lan

30. SINGAPORE SCIENCE CENTRE TRUNG TAÂM KHOA HOÏC SINGAPORE The Singapore Science Centre is located on a six-hectare site in Jurong. At the centre, we can discover the wonders of science and technology in a fun way. Clap your hands and colourful bulbs will light up. Start a wheel spinning and it will set off a fan churning.

It is a place to answer our curiosity and capture our imagination.

The centre features over four hundred exhibits1 covering topics like solar radiation,2 communication, electronics, mathematics, nuclear energy and evolution. It aims to arouse3 interest in science and technology among us and the general public. The centre is the first science centre to be established in South East Asia. It was opened in 1977 and it now receives an average of one thousand, two hundred visitors a day. The exhibits can be found in four exhibition galleries.4 They are the Lobby, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences and Aviation. These exhibits are renewed annually so as to encourage visitors to make return visits to the centre.

Instead of the usual "Hands off" notices found in exhibition halls, visitors are invited to touch and feel the exhibits, push the buttons, turn the cranks or pedals. This is an interesting way to learn science even if you hate the subject. A Discovery Centre was built for children between the ages of three and twelve. This new exhibition gallery was completed in 1985. Lately this year a stone age exhibit was built. It shows us about the animals and people which are extinct.5 1. exhibit /19'z1b1t/ (n) vaät tröng baøy 2. radiation /re1d1'e1~n/ (n) söï phoùng xaï, söï böùc xaï 3. arouse /6'ra$z/ (v) khôi gôïi, thöùc tænh 4. gallery /'9%l6r1/ (n) phoøng tröng baøy ngheä thuaät 5. extinct /1k'st17kt/ (adj) tuyeät chuûng

31. SHOPPING CENTRES TRUNG TAÂM MUA BAÙN Shopping is an enjoyable experience for the Singaporeans. All shopping centres are crowded with people. This is because all the things one needs can be purchased1 in one shopping complex.2 Singapore is blessed with so many shopping centres which have supermarkets, departmental stores, restaurants and a chain of other retail shops specialising3 in specific and general products. Singaporeans find it convenient as when everything is available under one roof instead.

Singapore's major shopping complexes are situated in the Orchard area and others are scattered4 over satellite5 towns and new town areas. The major advantage of shopping in these complexes is that all items from foodstuffs to household utensils are available in different brands from different countries. One has a variety of choices, the healthy competition benefits everyone as quality products can be purchased at economical prices. Supermarkets offer vegetables, fish, meat, cutlery,6 crockery,7 stationery8 and textiles.9 The shopping complex provides various facilities to attract the customers. It provides a clean environment with full lights, air conditioning and the products neatly displayed.10 Convenient car parks and additional facilities such as food stalls and fast food outlets are also given.

The shoppers are not bothered by the rain or sunshine when they are in the shopping centre. Shopping offers a few hours of relaxation from their daily routine jobs.

Singapore becomes a shoppers' paradise during the festival seasons especially during Christmas, New Year, Chinese New Year, Hariraya.

1. purchase /'p3:t~6s/ (v) mua, saém, taäu 2. complex /'k4mpleks/ (n) khu lieân hôïp 3. specialise /'spe~6la1z/ (v) chuyeân veà 4. scatter /'sk%t6 (r)/ (v) raûi raùc, phaân taùn 5. satellite /'s%t6la1t/ (n) veä tinh 6. cutlery /'k^tl6r1/ (n) dao, nóa, thìa, v.v…

7. crock /kr4k/ (n) cheùn, ñóa, v.v… laøm baèng ñaát seùt nung 8. stationery /'ste1~n6r1/ (n) vaên phoøng phaåm 9. textile /'testa1l/ (n) haøng vaûi deät 10. display /'d1sple1/ (v) tröng baøy

32. AT THE BUS-STOP TAÏI TRAÏM XE BUYÙT Every morning, I wait at a bus-stop near my flat to take a bus to school. It is always very crowded. While waiting for the bus, I usually observe1 the people at the bus-stop. Some of them I have come to know by sight.

One person who caught my attention is a tall and thin man wearing thick glasses. He always drops his files whenever his bus is coming. I guess that is because he is overanxious to board2 the bus.

Another person I have noticed is a shabbily-dressed3 old woman. Every morning, she carries one big bag full of pieces of cloth to the bus-stop. Once, she came with two big bags instead of one and she got stuck4 in the door of the bus. Luckily, the kind man with the thick glasses helped her to free herself. However, he dropped his files again while doing so.

There is also a rude school-boy who always pushes his way up the bus instead of queuing up like the other passengers. This angers the other passengers. Once, he tried pushing his way past the old lady with the big bag. To my amusement, he was almost knocked down by the fat bag.

There are indeed interesting things to note at a bus-stop if only one is observant.

1. observe /6b'z3:v/ (v) quan saùt 2. board /b0:d/ (v) leân (taøu, xe, v.v…)

3. shabbily-dressed /'~%b1l1 drest/ (adj) aên maëc toái taân 4. get stuck /9et st^k/ (idm) bò maéc keït, bò sa laày

33. A POPULAR PLACE IN MY TOWN NÔI ÑÖÔÏC YEÂU THÍCH ÔÛ THÒ TRAÁN CUÛA TOÂI I live in Seremban, the capital of Negri Sembilan in Malaysia. Seremban is just about 60 km south of Kuala Lumpur, the nation's capital. Compared to busy Kuala Lumpur, living in Seremban in very much less hectic and the residents have more time for relaxation.1 The most popular place where the residents2 go to for relaxation has to be the Lake Gardens. Situated just beside the centre of town, it has two small lakes surrounded by lush green vegetation.3 A jogging track4 through the vegetation circles the area. Just beside the larger lake is a flower garden and an aviary.5 The flower garden contains many varieties of beautiful flowers. This place is the favourite of shutter-bugs. One can always see people posing for pictures beside the flowers. On Sundays the place is especially busy as brides and grooms flock to it to have their pictures taken.

The aviary holds a modest number of birds. There are eagles, mynahs,6 parrots and others. The last time I was at the aviary, there was even a peacock that would not show his glory and a crane7 that stood so still that at first I mistook it for a dead tree.

Every morning before the sun rises, people start to go towards the Lake Gardens. The Tai Chi brigade8 gets there first. These are usually senior citizens who practice this ancient Chinese art to stay healthy and supple.9 Judging by the number of practitioners of this art, I have to say it is very popular.

As the sun rises younger people can be seen jogging around the jogging track. Some just walk briskly. Yet others just sit stroll leisurely on the grass taking in the cool morning air.

After 4 p.m. the people come again. This time it is mainly young men and women who come to jog or just exercise themselves. Some come to visit the flower garden and the aviary together with their families.

This goes on till dusk and when night takes over, the Lake Gardens is virtually deserted except for courting10 couples. Then peace reigns over the Lake Gardens until the next morning when once again the place comes alive.

1. relaxation /ri:'l%kse1~n/ (n) söï giaûi trí 2. resident /'rez1d6nt/ (n) cö daân (ôû moät vuøng, v.v…)

3. vegetation /ved21'te1~n/ (n) hoa coû, caây coái 4. track /tr%k/ (n) ñöôøng hoaëc voøng ñua 5. aviary /'e1v16r1/ (n) chuoàng chim 6. mynahs /ma1n6/ (n) loaøi saùo ñaù ôû Ñoâng Nam AÙ, coù khaû naêng baét chöôùc tieáng ngöôøi 7. crane /kre1n/ (n) con seáu 8. brigade /br1'9e1d/ (n) nhoùm ngöôøi coù toå chöùc 9. supple /'s^pl/ (adj) linh hoaït, meàm maïi, deûo dai 10. court /k0:t/ (v) hoø heïn, toû tình

34. A PLACE OF GREAT NATURAL BEAUTY MOÄT NÔI COÙ CAÛNH SAÉC THIEÂN NHIEÂN TUYEÄT ÑEÏP It was the hour when the sun's golden hue filled the horizon. I settled down comfortably on a huge rock jutting1 out from the foot of a cliff. It was a moment of joy as I watched the evening migration of the seagulls. I felt a strong urge to walk, and so I did. A strong craving2 for freedom arose in me as I walked on that lonely but nevertheless beautiful evening. My intention of visiting this place was to enjoy the peace and serenity that it offered. At the same time I longed to catch glimpses3 of the familiar yet extraordinary beauty of God's creation. Indeed, I found that moment excellent for relaxing the stressful and tension filled minds of man who lives in this materialistic4society.

As I strolled along the beach, my rough feet touched the smooth white sand which seemed to gleam5 under the thin and dim rays of the setting sun. It was so gentle that I felt as if I was walking on a carpeted floor of a grand hotel. I looked ahead at the green, calm sea and my little heart was touched.

The beauty of which I was then the witness, was beyond description. I only wished that I was born an artist so that I could capture6 this wonder and preserve it in my paintings.

Walking on, I was visited by ecstacy7 when the naughtily noisy waves splashed on my bare feet. Far along the other end of the beach were some fishermen busy preparing their fishing nets and touching up their boats before they resume their daily work in the open sea.

Feeling tired after the long walk, I stopped and sat on a fallen coconut tree trunk. Even at this moment I could capture another aspect of the wonder of that evening. I was enthralled8 by the neat rows of coconut trees standing upright as if mocking the fishermen who were sweating and toiling9 to earn a living. The trees dancing and swaying10 to the music of the rushing waves made my heart sing to the matchless rhythm.

As time passed, the sun was almost disappearing behind the horizon. Nevertheless, there was still a group of young boys, naked, playing police and thief and making sandcastles.11 They were happy in their innocence. The still evening air brought their laughter over the sands and into my ears. Somehow, within me glowed the strong urge to shout and tell the world the unsurpassable12 joy I was then feeling and to reveal my pleasure and gratitude13 to God, the Creator.

Looking above me, at the clear blue sky, I could see tiny dots of stars beginning to appear jointly in the darkening sky. Then, my eyes caught the most beautiful sight. The beauty was inimitable. It was a group of long-necked swans gently flying over the enormous ball of fire which was, a moment ago, shining in all its glory. The moon then appeared, taking the place of the sun. It was difficult to grasp the idea that the moon's brightness is but a mere reflection14 of the sun's light. This to me, pointed to the harsh reality behind the beauty of man-made laws.

As it was already dark, the fishing boats were out of sight and the children have gone home. Feeling lonely, I left the realm15 of all emotions, of love and trust and of life and death, which is the beautiful beach. The beauty will remain engraved16 in my heart for all eternity. This is the only place that narrates, on its own, the beauty of nature.

1. jut (out) /d2^t/ (v) nhoâ ra, chìa ra 2. craving (for) /'kre1v17/ (n) söï khao khaùt maõnh lieät 3. glimpse /9l1mps/ (n) caùi nhìn thoaùng qua - catch glimpse of sb/sth (idm) thoaùng troâng thaáy 4. materialistic /m6't16r16l1st1k/ (adj) thuoäc chuû nghóa vaät chaát, thieân veà vaät chaát 5. gleam /9li:m/ (v) aùnh leân, laáp laùnh 6. capture /'k%pt~6(r)/ (v) naém baét laáy 7. ecstasy /'ekst6s1/ (n) (caûm xuùc hay traïng thaùi) cöïc kyø sung söôùng hay haïnh phuùc 8. enthrall /1n'8r0:l/ (v) laøm say ñaém, laøm meâ hoaëc 9. toil /t01l/ (v) laøm vieäc caëm cuïi / quaàn quaät 10. sway /swe1/ (v) laéc lö, ñong ñöa 11. sandcastle /'s%ndk%sl/ (n) laâu ñaøi treân caùt 12. unsurpassable /^ns6'p%s6bl/ (adj) khoâng theå vöôït qua / troäi hôn 13. gratitude /'9r%t1tju:d/ (n) loøng bieát ôn 14. reflection /r1'flek~n/ (n) söï phaûn chieáu 15. realm /relm/ (n) vöông quoác 16. engrave /1n'9re1v/ (v) coù aán töôïng saâu saéc ñoái vôùi trí nhôù, taâm trí v.v… - khaéc saâu, haèn saâu

35. A BUS RIDE MOÄT CHUYEÁN ÑI BAÈNG XE BUYÙT The bus finally arrived ! I quickly hopped1 onto it and chose a seat near the exit.

Glancing at my watch, I realized that I would be in good time to meet Susan at the library. I then turned my attention to the rest of the passengers.

The rattle2 of the engine and the heat of the blazing3 sun had sent some tired students on the bus into a deep sleep. I was amused to see them nodding like old men. One boy was even snoring4 away ! The prim5 girl sitting next to him looked at him disapprovingly. I wondered how she could bear the heat in her long back gown. She alighted6 when the bus came to a beautiful mosque.7 Next to the mosque was a field where some boys were playing football. As the bus moved on, the trees and tall buildings seemed to whiz8 by. At this rate, I would be early for the appointment.

In a short time, the bus reached the library. I alighted and walked towards the library.

Construction work for an MRT station was underway nearby. Very soon, I would have an alternative means of transport to the library.

1. hop (onto sth) /h4p/ (v) nhaûy nhanh vaøo (xe buyùt, v.v…)

2. rattle /'r%tl/ (n) tieáng noå (cuûa maùy moùc, ñoäng cô, v.v…)

3. blazing /'ble1z17/ (adj) chieáu (saùng röïc) 4. snore (away) /sn0:(r)/ (v) thôû maïnh vaø to tieáng khi nguû - ngaùy 5. prim /pr1m/ (adj) nghieâm nghò, ñoan trang 6. alight /6'la1t/ (v) xuoáng xe 7. mosque /m4sk/ (n) thaùnh ñöôøng Hoài giaùo 8. whiz /w1z/ (v) chaïy veøo veøo

36. A CABLE-CAR1 RIDE ÑI XE TREO TREÂN DAÂY CAÙP A ride in the cable-car is one of the most exciting and enjoyable experiences one can have. The cable-car is really a carriage which hangs from a strong steel cable suspended in the air. It moves along the cable with other cars on pulleys,2 the wheels of which are turned by electric motors. The cars are painted in eye catching3 colours and spaced at regular intervals.4 Each car can take up5 to six person. After the passengers have entered a car, they are locked in from outside by an attendant. They have no control over the movement of the car.

Before long, the passengers get a breath-taking6 view, through the glass windows, of the modern city of Singapore, the bustling7 harbour, and the several islands off the coast.8 In contrast to the fast moving traffic on the ground, the cars in the air move in a leisurely manner, allowing passengers more than enough time to take in the scenery during the brief trip to the island of Sentosa. The return journey is no less exciting than the outward trip.

1. cable-car /'ke1bl k@:(r)/ (n) toa keùo baèng daây caùp 2. pulley /'p$l1/ (n) caùi roøng roïc 3. eye-catching /a1 'k%t~17/ (adj) gaây aán töôïng vaø ñaùng chuù yù – baét maét 4. interval /'1nt6vl/ (n) khoaûng caùch (giöõa hai hoaëc nhieàu vaät) 5. take up /te1k ^p/ (v) chieám (khoâng gian hoaëc thôøi gian) 6. breath-taking /'bre8te1k17/ (adj) raát haáp daãn, ngoaïn muïc 7. bustling /'b^sl17/ (adj) nhoän nhòp, taáp naäp 8. off the coast /4f 56 k6$st/ (idm) ngoaøi khôi

37. A SLOW TRAIN JOURNEY MOÄT CUOÄC HAØNH TRÌNH CHAÄM CHAÏP BAÈNG XE LÖÛA There is only train plying1 from X to Y. I had no other choice. The line is a narrow gauge.2 It passed through farming country and it mainly carried farm produce, although passengers were often using it too. At every station on the way to be loaded3 and unloaded involving much shunting4 which took a lot of time. Remember it took nearly four hours for a distance of 60km.

I travelled once by that train. At first I could not believe that a train (in this age) could go so slowly. I had to put up with5 it. The train moved at a snail's pace and one could almost get down and get back on it. I did not try it because it was not safe for such foolhardy experiments.

The train stopped to pick up baskets of eggs, hens, vegetables and other farm produce.

Naturally, those who travelled by this wonderful train were farm workers moving either from one estate to another or going to town for a change. The train was not clean. The familiar sights of newspaper and magazines were not found at the stations.

The stations on the way were manned6 by a skeleton staff, the station master and the pointsman doing all the duties. There are only two trains for the whole day and life to them is boring.

The journey was interesting for me and I got down whenever the train stopped to load or unload. There was no milling crowd or colour I could see. There was not even a soft beverage to drink. I could see how they shunted the wagons. It was intersting to see the people who came to take their goods. There were all sorts of baskets, hampers and baggages. Once the loading was done, the train would start again and go on.

Since the train ran through farming country, I could see farms all the way, with their gardens, poultry, cattlesheds and granary.7 I couldn't see any tall building. I could see a calf looking with fear at the steaming train ; a half naked boy goggling8 at the passing train and people engaged in farming activities.

After a while, it all got very boring. Anyway, it was good to relax from a hectic9 city life.

1. ply /pla1/ (v) (veà xe buyùt, taøu hoûa, v.v…) qua laïi thöôøng xuyeân treân moät tuyeán ñöôøng – chaïy tuyeán 2. gauge /9e1d2/ (n) beà ngang ñöôøng saét 3. load /l6$d/ (v) chaát haøng - unload /^n'l6$d/ (v) dôõ haøng 4. shunt /~^nt/ (v) laùi (xe löûa, v.v…) ñi töø ñöôøng naøy sang ñöôøng khaùc 5. to put up with /p$t ^p w15/ (idm) chòu ñöïng 6. man /m%n/ (v) cung caáp (ngöôøi) cho caùi gì• 7. granary /'9r%n6r1/ (n) kho chöùa thoùc hoaëc nguõ coác 8. goggle /'949l/ (v) giöông maét nhìn 9. hectic /'hekt1k/ (adj) soâi ñoäng

38. ON A RAINY DAY VAØO MOÄT NGAØY MÖA This year, the summer season was unduly long and extremely hot compared to past years. The average temperature was between 25 degrees to 34 degrees Celsius. Adding to the misery, the water consumption1 was rising daily, sending an alarming hue and cry from the authorities. The schools had re-opened. The scorching2 sun and the stifling3 heat made our school life uncomfortable.

One morning, just when the classes started, there was a sudden darkness. We saw threatening black clouds gathered in the sky. There were vivid flashes of lighting too.

Suddenly, it started to rain. In the beginning, it was only a drizzle.4 But soon, the drizzle turned into a heavy downpour.5 The rain continued for hours. We regretted not bringing our umbrellas. Some of my classmates rushed out to play in the rain refreshing themselves with the cool air and rain. The rain slowly receded6 and we all rushed out.

The plight of the bus commuters7 was of course pitiable. Buses were late and overcrowded. Some of my friends decided to take a walk in the cool weather instead of standing in the long queue.

Nearing home, I saw children playing with paper boats in the pool of water outside our centre court yard.

It is exhilarating8 to watch pouring rain and even more exhilarating to play in it.

However, I was happy to be home and to be relieved of my wet clothes.

1. consumption /k6n's^mp~n/ (n) möùc tieâu thuï, möùc söû duïng 2. scorching /'sk0:t~17/ (adj) raát noùng, noùng nhö thieâu ñoát 3. stifling /'sta1fl17/ (adj) ngoät ngaït 4. drizzle /'dr1zl/ (n) möa buïi, möa phuøn 5. downpour /'da$p0:(r)/ (n) traän möa nhö truùt 6. recede /r1'si:d/ (v) ngôùt daàn 7. commuter /k6'mju:t6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi ñi laøm haøng ngaøy baèng xe löûa, xe buyùt, oâ toâ v.v…

8. exhilarating /19'z1l6re1t17/ (adj) haân hoan

39. A RAINY MORNING MOÄT BUOÅI SAÙNG TRÔØI MÖA Outside the rain poured. It was so snug1 and comfortable in bed. I did not want to get up, but unfortunately it was a Monday morning. I could see the light of morning coming through my window and I knew I had to get up. Why can't today be Sunday ? I thought.

Then I would not have to get out of the warm bed. It was so pleasant there. However, the rain did not care whether it was a Monday or a Sunday. So I reluctantly got up.

After going through my morning routine in the toilet, I felt a little more alive. The warm bed was still inviting but I had to get ready to go to school. So I dressed up, picked up my bag and descended2 the stairs to the dining room below.

My parents, sisters and brothers were already having their breakfast. I sat down and helped myself. Everyone was quiet as we ate our breakfast. Anyway the noise made by the pouring rain made conversation a bit hard and recently awakened people tended to be on the quiet side. Anyway rain always made me hungry so I had a hearty breakfast.

Although the time showed seven, the sky was still not very bright. The dark clouds and the pouring rain kept the sky looking drab3 and grey. My father said that we have to get going, rain or not, or we would be late for school. My mother countered4 by saying that it was better to be late than wet. My father relented5 and so we waited for a while in the house for the rain to subside.

Fifteen minutes later, the rain slowed down sufficiently for my father to reverse out his car. We all packed ourselves into it, all five children. We waved farewell to our mother and soon we were on our way to school.

My father drove very carefully. He switched on the headlights and wiper.6 Soon the screen misted up and he had to switch on the air conditioner.

On the way to school I saw other not-so-fortunate school children and adults walking along the road or waiting for the bus. Each of them had some kind of raincoat on or carried an umbrella. There were puddles7 of water on the road, by the side of the road, in fact, everywhere. The rain had not stop and the drains were filled to the brim. Water overflowed onto the road, making it hazardous8 for the users.

Anyhow we arrived at our schools without any mishaps.9 My sisters got out at the convent10 while my brothers and I went further on to another school. The rain had slowed to a drizzle so as soon as we got out of the car, we dashed to our classrooms. We had to be careful not to slip. Anyway we made it to our classrooms. Some of my classmates were already there. Some were soaking11 wet while others were slightly wet like me.

The school bell rang but not even half the class was present. Even the teacher had not come. So we sat down in the class and waited for the others to come. Meantime there was nothing to do but to talk with each other and wished that we were all in our warm beds.

Outside it drizzled12 on.

1. snug /sn^9/ (adj) aám cuùng vaø deã chòu 2. descend /'d1sent/ (v) ñi xuoáng (caùi gì) 3. drab /dr%b/ (adj) buoàn teû, xaùm xòt

4. counter /'ka$nt6(r)/ (v) phaûn coâng, ñaùp laïi vôùi quan ñieåm traùi ngöôïc 5. relent /r1'lent/ (v) giaûm bôùt söï nghieâm khaéc / kieân quyeát 6. wiper /'wa1p6(r)/ (n) (ôû xe hôi) thanh gaït nöôùc 7. puddle /'p^dl/ (n) vuõng nöôùc nhoû, nhaát laø nöôùc möa ñoïng treân ñöôøng ñi 8. hazardous /'h%z6d6s/ (adj) nguy hieåm 9. mishap /'m1sh%p/ (n) vieäc ruûi ro 10. convent /'k4nvent/ (n) nöõ tu vieän 11. soaking /'s6$k17/ (adj) (cuõng soaking wet) öôùt ñaãm, öôùt suõng 12. drizzle /'dr1zl/ (v) möa phuøn, möa laát phaát

40. A DAY AT THE MARKET MOÄT NGAØY ÔÛ CHÔÏ Last Sunday, I woke up early to go to the market with my mother. After taking breakfast, I carried my mother's shopping basket and we left for the market.

The market is only a few blocks away from my flat. When we reached the place, it was already very crowded. I was surprised to see men in the market besides the housewives.

There were also a few children following their mothers obediently. The whole place was very noisy. I could hear the stallkeepers and their customers bargaining1 loudly over the prices of the goods.

There were many stalls in the market. First, we went to the vegetable stall to buy some cabbages,2 carrots and tomatoes. Then we bought some pork3 from the butcher4 and a salmon5 and some prawns6 from the fishmonger.7 After that, we proceeded to the poultry8 stall to get a fat chicken.

Very soon, we found that we could hardly carry any more things. However, my mother insisted9 that we buy some fruits before going home. Despite of being very tired, I was glad that I had been of help to my mother.

1. bargain /'b@:91n/ (v) maëc caû 2. cabbage /'k%b1d2/ (n) baép caûi 3. pork /p0:k/ (n) thòt heo 4. butcher /'b^t~6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi baùn thòt 5. salmon /'s%m6n/ (n) caù hoài 6. prawn /pr0:n/ (n) toâm pan-dan 7. fishmonger /'f1~m^796(r)/ (n) ngöôøi buoân caù 8. poultry /'p6$ltr1/ (n) gia caàm (gaø, vòt, ngoãng, v.v…)

9. insist /1n's1st/ (v) khaêng khaêng ñoøi, coá naøi

41. FIRE DRILL THÖÏC TAÄP CÖÙU HOÛA Fire drills help students to be prepared mentally and physically when a fire breaks out. It is held in all schools. My school is no exception.1 Yesterday, when we were attenting an English lesson, the school bell rang continuously.

The whole class did not know what was going on. Our form teacher, Miss Li, realized that it was a fire drill and told us so. All of us got up from our seats immediately and queued up in an orderly manner along the corridor.2 With the class register3 in her hands, Miss Li led us to the field. We walked swiftly.4 At the field, we saw the other classes and teachers gathering excitedly. Miss Li then took our class attendance, making sure that everyone was present.

When everyone was at the field, our principal made a short speech. He said that we had responded5 rather well to the fire drill. However, he felt that we could have done better.

Firstly we took quite a while to realize what the ringing of the bell meant. Secondly, some students wasted time packing their books.

The fire drill had indeed been beneficial.6 If a fire ever broke out in school, we would know what to do.

1. exception /1k'sep~n/ (n) ngoaïi leä 2. corridor /'k4r1d0:(r)/ (n) haønh lang 3. register /'red21st6(r)/ (n) soå ghi danh 4. swift /sw1ft/ (adj) nhanh choùng, mau leï - swiftly /-l1/ (adv) 5. respond /r1'sp4nd/ (v) phaûn öùng nhanh choùng 6. beneficial /ben1'f1~l/ (adj) coù lôïi, coù taùc duïng

42. A WEDDING CELEBRATION MOÄT LEÃ CÖÔÙI Weddings are grand affairs. Normally, it only occurs once - in - a - lifetime. It brings about a bondage1 between a man and a woman. Recently I attended the wedding of my classmate's sister. It was performed in a community centre auditorium.2 The auditorium was converted into a fairyland. The stage was all illuminated3 with different colour bulbs and decorated with pots of flowers, pots and other glittering decorations. A magnificent platform was erected4 which held two throne5-like chairs for the bridge6 and the bridegroom.

The platform and the stage looked like the banquet hall of a fivestar hotel with its thick red carpets and floral decorations. The cool fragrance7 was so strong that everyone felt sleepy. There was a place by the side for music troops with their enormous music instruments. They played loud and soft music. The wedding day was on Sunday. The guests were very well dressed and added to the atmosphere.

The bridegroom party arrived in seven cars, they were welcomed by the hand. Dancing was also arranged. They were pleased with the warm welcome. Two video and cameramen, photographers were busy capturing the scenes with their equipment. The bridegroom was escorted8 to the throne. The bridge followed in her glittering red dress, escorted by her friends. They walked in a slow and doll-like pace. After some minor ceremonies they were officially announced as man and wife.

The wedding was also an occasion for socialising. Many of my friends were there and we had many happy moments. As one by one went to the stage to offer them best wishes and presents, I also stood in line to offer them my best wishes with a present. Then I went home taking with me the pleasant memories.

1. bondage /'b4nd1d2/ (n) söï raøng buoäc 2. auditorium /0:d1't0:r16m/ (n) phoøng lôùn (cuûa nhaø haùt, v.v…)

3. illuminate /1'lu:m1ne1t/ (v) soi saùng, chieáu saùng 4. erect /1'rekt/ (v) döïng, döïng leân 5. throne /8r6$n/ (n) ngai, ngai vaøng 6. bride /bra1d/ (n) coâ daâu - bridegroom /'bra1d9ru:m/ (n) chuù reå 7. fragrance /'fre19r6ns/ (n) muøi thôm deã chòu, höông thôm 8. escort /1'sk0:t/ (v) hoä toáng, ñöa ñi

43. A FASHION SHOW CUOÄC BIEÅU DIEÃN THÔØI TRANG Fashion show is one of the ways of advertisement. This is to attract the attention of the public and to educate them on the coming fashion. If it is put crudely, it is to brain wash the public that these shows are held. Unlike the advertisement in the newspapers, a fashion show has the glamour1 of music, colour, light and all theatrical effect. Since live models2 are used, it becomes very realistic and the audience has got a chance to see, discuss and criticise, and have some fun at the expense of the models. So there is no denying3 the fact that the fashion shows have become the fashion of the day and they have become pace setters of a fashion.

Thus recently I had an occasion to attend a fashion show organised by the Textile Mills Association and the Garment Makers' guild.4 This was held in the City Hall on a Sunday so that more people could attend. The Hall was very tastefully decorated. The stage was set in such a way that the models could be viewed to advantage. The lighting was first class with concealed5 lights and provision for colour lighting. Admission was by special invitation ; otherwise the organizers could not control the crowd. Since my father received an invitation, we went to the show. Some soft music was played to enliven6 the show.

The selected models were ones who had been taken for their attractive personality.

There were men's, women's and children's models. One by one they paraded7 on the stage and when they came there and walked across the stage showing their dress to the audience, some salesmen at the microphone would describe the fabric,8 the name of the mill that had produced it and the name of the fashion. At the same time, printed forms of the fashion was distributed to the audience.

Men wearing office dress, casuals, hunting dress, sports wear and dinner dress appeared on the stage. The Olympic suit specially created for the coming Olympics was shown. A team of athletes wearing the suit paraded on the stage. Women in all types of dresses both oriental and accidental were there. The materials of which their dresses were made varied from cotton to polyester. There were women wearing Indian sarees, Japanese kimonos, bikinis and swim suit and Maxi's. There was also a model who was wearing a casual dress made of paper. The announcer said that the paper dress was cheaper and disposable and it could be used in the operation theatres and so on.

It was not all a show of the grown-ups. There were children between three and eight, both boys and girls who presented the latest version of children's wear. Some of the children who appeared on the stage were very smart and they enjoyed the fun.

What attracted me most was the beach dress which when worn could give a camouflage9 effect. Besides it was said that the material was waterproof,10 non smelling and light.

It was a delightful show and the audience had an enjoyable evening. The fashions book which was for sale was in great demand. So there is no gain saying that I too enjoyed the show very much.

1. glamour /'9l%m6(r)/ (n) söùc quyeán ruõ, söùc meâ hoaëc 2. model /'m4dl/ (n) ngöôøi maãu thôøi trang

3. deny /d1'na1/ (v) phuû nhaän 4. guild /91ld/ (n) phöôøng, hoäi 5. conceal /k6n'si:l/ (adj) che khuaát 6. enliven /1n'la1vn/ (v) laøm soáng ñoäng, laøm soâi noåi 7. parade /p6're1d/ (v) (veà bieåu dieãn thôøi trang) ñi qua laïi (treân saân khaáu ñeå trình dieãn) 8. fabric /'f%br1k/ (n) vaûi deät 9. camouflage /'k%m6fl@:2/ (n) söï nguïy trang 10. waterproof /'w0:t6pru:f/ (adj) khoâng thaám nöôùc

44. A NIGHT MARKET PHIEÂN CHÔÏ ÑEÂM Two days before the Chinese New Year, there is always a night market in our place.

The night market is put up every year during this season.

It happened this year that I took my sister to the night market. When we arrived at the market it was crowded. Slowly people increased and there was soon a very big and noisy crowd.

At the market, there were many things on sale1 : toys, clothes, books, stationery, edible2 things, flowers, materials, kitchen wares, cosmetics3 and many other things. Stallkeepers were shouting at the tops of their voice trying to attract buyers. Customers were talking and bargaining. Housewives were looking for things they wanted to buy.

My sister and I were moving from one stall to another stall. While we were looking at the things, there was a big noise two stalls away. A fat woman was quarelling with a thin stall-keeper about the price of some goods. They were shouting4 angrily at each other.

More and more people gathered to watch the quarrel.5 After a while the fat woman threw back the thing and left.

After watching the quarrel we decided to go home. We were tired and our legs were aching, but we enjoyed the visit.

1. on sale /4n se1l/ (idm) (veà haøng hoùa) coù baùn, saün saøng ñeå baùn 2. edible /'ed1bl/ (adj) (veà ñoà aên) coù theå aên ñöôïc 3. cosmetics /k4z'met1ks/ (n) myõ phaåm 4. shout /~a$t/ (v) la heùt 5. quarrel /'kw4r6l/ (n) cuoäc caõi loän

45. UNDERWATER DISCOVERY KHAÙM PHAÙ DÖÔÙI MAËT NÖÔÙC One Sunday, I managed to talk my uncle into1 bringing me along on a snorkelling2 trip.

My uncle is a diver and I have been taking swimming lessons under his instruction for a few years.

We spent ten minutes warming up before we dived3 into the deep blue sea. I was surprised to find myself swimming alongside sea creatures.4 Fishes of all shapes and sizes swam by. There were also strange-looking plants and I was enchanted5 by the beautiful underwater world.

I saw huge plants with numerous finger-like "petals",6 opening and closing restlessly.

Some small fishes swimming near the plant were caught amongst the "petals" as they closed. I also saw a sea-horse swimming right in front of my eyes. I was very excited and tried to grab it, but it was too quick for me. Then came a jelly-fish7 which looked like a gigantic mushroom dancing gracefully in the deep sea-water. I avoided it as I did not wish to be stung.8 I was reluctant9 to surface but my uncle insisted that it was time to go back. However, I was very pleased with the beautiful and rare corals10 I had picked up. It was certainly an exciting and fruitful trip.

1. to talk sb into /t0:k/ (idm) thuyeát phuïc ai 2. snorkelling /'sn0:k6l17/ (n) (haønh ñoäng hoaëc moân theå thao) bôi laën döôùi nöôùc baèng oáng thôû 3. dive /da1v/ (v) laën 4. creature /'kri:t~6(r)/ (n) sinh vaät, ñaëc bieät laø ñoäng vaät 5. enchanted /1n't~@:nt1d/ (adj) bò meâ hoaëc 6. petal /'petl/ (n) caùnh hoa 7. jelly-fish /'d2el1 f1~/ (n) con söùa 8. sting /st17/ (v) (stung-stung) caén, chích, ñoát 9. reluctant /r1'l^kt6nt/ (adj) mieãn cöôõng 10. coral /'k4r6l/ (n) san hoâ

46. THE SINGAPORE AEROSPACE EXHIBITION CUOÄC TRIEÅN LAÕM NGAØNH DU HAØNH KHOÂNG GIAN ÔÛ SINGAPORE The Singapore Aerospace Exhibition was held1 at the Changi Airport Terminal for four days. The last two days were opened to the public. As Sunday was the last day, I went with my friends to see the exhibition. Special buses were arranged from Tampines interchange2 to the venue3 of the exhibition.

We all arrived there by 9 a.m and were shocked to see a very long queue of people at the Changi bus stop. We has no other choice but to join in the queue. The sun was hot and it was only at 10 o'clock that we were able to buy our entry tickets. There was a drink stall which offered ice cold drinks and it was a great relief for us.

We went inside the first gallery.4 A big red strikerjet5 welcomed us. There were officers everywhere guiding us. There were representative companies from all over the world. Major companies such as Boeing, Lock-head, Rolls Royce and other European companies monopolised6 the show. Equipment were neatly arranged. There were catalogues everywhere. Hangars7 were converted into8 galleries. We were astounded9 to see the various types of aircrafts.

Starting from trainer single seater aircraft, there were planes, jets, small, medium and big dragon size helicopters.10 We posed in front of the aircrafts and took many photos.

The next section was fighter aircraft, like F.16, F.18, Jaguars Mig 18, 21, 29... Each aircraft had its own improvised system. We only partially understood the explanation given by the officers.

We had to queue for a bus to see the passenger aircrafts which range from ordinary one to the most luxurious one. There was a large crowd as these aircraft are familiar to most people unlike the fighter jets and helicopters. At 3 pm the Singapore Air Force performed the spectacular airshow over the Changi sea. On seeing the show our tiredness disappeared. Determined to become pilots, we came home.

1. hold /h6$ld/ (v) (held-held) toå chöùc 2. interchange /'1nt6t~e1nd2/ (n) giao ñieåm 3. venue /'venju:/ (n) nôi gaëp gôõ 4. gallery /'9%l6r1/ (n) phoøng tröng baøy ngheä thuaät 5. strikerjet /'stra1k6d2et/ (n) maùy bay phaûn löïc chieán ñaáu 6. monopolise /m6'n4p6la1z/ (v) giöõ ñoäc quyeàn 7. hangar /'h%76(r)/ (n) laøn roäng hình khung duøng ñeå maùy bay 8. convert (into) /k6n'v3:t/ (v) chuyeån ñoåi thaønh 9. astounded /6'sta$nd1d/ (adj) kinh ngaïc, söûng soát 10. helicopter /'hel1k4pt6(r)/ (n) maùy bay phaûn löïc

47. TRISHAW1 RIDER NGÖÔØI CHAÏY XE BA BAÙNH Trishaw riders can be seen in areas frequented by tourists, in particular around Little India. A trishaw rider is no doubt a hardworking man. In Singapore trishaw riders are source of attention to the visiting tourists from developed countries.

A trishaw rider is tactful2 and understands the temperament3 of tourists. He acts as guide to the tourists. The nature of his work requires energy and strength. A trishaw rider enjoys taking tourists around and acts as a host. The tourist feels relaxed and takes in the city sights.

A trishaw rider has to ride his vehicle on the roads. He has to work in any weather. He has to be ready to take the passenger to any destinations.4 A trishaw knows few joys and entertainment. All his joys rest with the service he renders5 to the passengers. The tourist brings home with him the memory of the trishaw rides.

1. trishaw /'tra1~0:/ (n) moät loaïi xe ñaïp nheï coù ba baùnh thoâng duïng ôû mieàn Vieãn Ñoâng 2. tactful /'t%ktfl/ (adj) kheùo xöû, lòch thieäp 3. temperament /'tempr6m6nt/ (n) khí chaát, tính khí 4. destination /dest1'ne1~n/ (n) nôi ñeán 5. render /'rend6(r)/ (v) ñaùp laïi, traû laïi

48. THE LIFE OF A FARMER CUOÄC SOÁNG CUÛA NGÖÔØI NOÂNG DAÂN Mr. Lim is a farmer by profession and he is proud of being one. His holdings are small, but he feels they are enough for him.

He owns a few hectares1 of good land, a ploughing machine2 and a small cottage.3 His fields are fed with water from a stream. As a modern farmer he has a pumpset4 for pumping water. So his fields are never allowed to go dry. He grows mainly paddy,5 in a small patch of land he has the vegetable garden.

Usually he is an early riser. He starts his pump and waters his fields. He will be going round to see whether water does not overflow. He may remove the weeds from among the plants. He goes into the vegetable garden to see if there is any pick for the day. He trims6 the hedges,7 digs8 the plots9 or dresses them up for the next planting. He is fond of his flower pots of which he has a few. He takes pride in them.

After these morning rounds he takes his breakfast. It is his gossiping time. He meets others and takes part in the village gossip. He cannot read, he learns about with morning news. As is common nowadays, he discusses with his friend the day's politics.

Sometimes, the commission agent may come, and our friend will talk to him about the market prospects.10 In the afternoon, after a wash and a lunch, he stretches himself for a mid-days siesta.11 He gets up and after a cup of tea, goes to the fields and sees everything is in order. Then he takes a stroll in the nearly towns and makes some purchases for the house. That is also the time for him to meet friends and exchange views.

He returns home and had an early dinner. He plans for the next day. Sometimes it may be taking the grains to the market, it may be transplanting12 ; some other times it may be taking the machine for repair. Thus he leads a simple life and he is contented.

1. hectare /'hekt@:(r)/ (n) (vieát taét ha) ñôn vò ño dieän tích trong heä meùt, baèng 10.000m2 hoaëc 2,471 maåu Anh 2. ploughing machine /,pla$17 m6'~i:n/ (n) maùy caøy 3. cottage /'k4t1d2/ (n) nhaø tranh 4. pumpset /'p^mpset/ (n) heä thoáng maùy bôm 5. paddy /'p%d1/ (n) luùa 6. trim /tr1m/ (v) xeùn, tæa 7. hedge /hed2/ (n) haøng raøo (baèng caây buïi) 8. dig /d19/ (v) ñaøo, bôùi 9. plot /pl4t/ (v) maûnh ñaát nhoû, mieáng ñaát

49. FADLEY'S FAMILY GIA ÑÌNH FADLEY My best friend is Fadley Noor. He is a short Malay boy with big eyes and chubby1 cheeks. We spend every day together, studying and playing at each other's home. I have been to his home so many times that I know his family rather well now.

Fadley comes from a large family of nine. He has three brothers and one sister. Since Fadley is the youngest in the family, his grandparents and parents dote on2 him.

Fadley's parents are hawkers.3 They sell "roti prata", "soup kambing" and other Malay food in a hawker centre at Hill Street. Fadley's parents are very hardworking. They wake up early each morning to go to the market and to prepare the food.

Fadley's brothers study in the neighbouring secondary school. They often join Fadley and me in our games. His sister is pretty and has a winsome4 smile. She is seldom at home as she works every day as salesgirl in Metro Grand.

Fadley's grandparents are very kind and generous old people. Whenever I visit them, they will make some dessert for me.

I think Fadley is very lucky to have such a loving family.

1. chubby /'t~^b1/ (adj) muõm móm, phuùng phính 2. dote (on) /d6$t/ (v) quaù cöng yeâu, yeâu meâ maån 3. hawker /'h0:k6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi ñi chaøo baùn haøng 4. winsome /'w1ns6m/ (adj) quyeán ruõ, haáp daãn

50. A HOUSE I WOULD LIKE TO LIVE IN NGOÂI NHAØ TOÂI THÍCH SOÁNG I would like to live in a house by the sea where I can see the sun rise and set every day.

This is how I will want my house to be like : after passing the front gate, there will be a lovely rose garden. Then, the big white house comes into view. When I walk through the door, a white sitting room with a pink sofa set will greet me. Paintings of beautiful flowers hanging on the walls will make the room look comfortable and fresh.

The three bedrooms will be on the second level. One is for my parents, one for my brother and one for me. I will like my room to be painted pink. Above my bed, I will hang a big picture of a ballerina1 dressed in white. The grey carpet on the floor will be strewn2 with many cushions for me to lie on and enjoy a novel. I will do my homework at my study table by the window though which I can see the stars at night.

On the highest level there will be an open space which overlooks the sea. It will be used for barbecues3 in the evening.

No matter how fine this house may seem, it is just a dream. What is reality for me is a three-room flat in Tiong Bahru.

1. ballerina /b%l6'ri:n6/ (n) nöõ dieãn vieân muùa ba leâ 2. strew /stru:/ (v) (strewed-strewn) traûi 3. barbecue /'b@:b1kju:/ (n) böõa tieäc ngoaøi trôøi, aên thöùc aên nöôùng baèng væ kim loaïi treân löûa loä thieân

51. AN IDEAL HOUSE NGOÂI NHAØ LYÙ TÖÔÛNG At first when I thought of purchasing a house, I wanted one that was neither too far nor too near a town. If it was too far, I may feel lonely and then, there was the question of transport. Finally, I chose an elevated, land enabling easy drainage1 and firm. The site is spacious allowing ground for the house and a decent big garden. I wanted an elegant look for the house I intended to build.

The house has four rooms with a well-furnished kitchen and modern bathroom facilities.

The living rooms are comfortable. The furniture has been chosen with great care. The walls have been painted with soft colours to match the curtains, the materials of which had been bought from the best textile manufacturing company. Each room is fitted with a radio so that one can enjoy programmes from the bed. The drawing room is elegantly furnished with sofas, chairs and a central table. The walls are lined with built-in cupboards, a library to house well-chosen volumes2 by master novelists. There is a niche3 for the television and the room can be used for viewing programmes. All the rooms are airy and air-conditioned.

The kitchen is beautifully done up. It is fitted with electric grills and things can be stacked neatly away in specially designed cabinets. It is provided with modern gadgets4 for grinding, pulverizing5 or cutting.

In front of the house there is an artificial6 pool with a fountain spray.7 One or two fish tanks are kept in the big porch to add the beauty of the place. There is a garage at the side of the house for my car, cattle and poultry. There I keep a few fowls8 of the high breed like the white leg horn, Black Monorca, and Rhode Island from which I get a supply of eggs and meat. I have two jersey cows in the shed which supply the milk for the family. In the backyard there are a few fruit bearing trees. On the margin of the house, there are some coconut trees. In front of the house there are certain bushes of croton and exotic plants. The well-kept lawn with luscious green grass is very pleasing to the eye. There is also a small playground for my children with a swing.

I have a couple of chandeliers in the drawing room showing rainbow coloured lights whenever light falls on them. I could specially mention the marble Buddha I got from Sian and a bronze Nataraja from India. There are a few selected pictures by masters in gilded frames.

Thus I am surrounded by beauty and peace.

1. drainage /'dre1n1d2/ (n) heä thoáng thoaùt nöôùc 2. volume /'v4lju:m/ (n) (veà saùch) quyeån, taäp 3. niche /ni:~/ (n) hoác töôùng 4. gadget /'9%d21t/ (n) thieát bò hoaëc duïng cuï cô khí nhoû – ñoà duøng 5. pulverizing /'p^lv6ra1z/ (v) giaõ nhoû nhö caùm, taùn thaønh boät 6. artificial /@:'t1f1~6l/ (adj) nhaân taïo 7. spray /spre1/ (n) thieát bò phun (nöôùc, v.v…)

8. fowl /fa$l/ (n) gaø troáng hay maùi nuoâi ôû nhaø

52. A PERFECT HOUSE OF MINE NGOÂI NHAØ HOAØN HAÛO CUÛA TOÂI I can now sit back and heave1 a big sigh of relief. The finished decor2 of my house is worth every cent of my hard-earned money and every unit of my energy. Now, I can simply enjoy the little paradise that I have created.

By observing the exterior,3 one will get the impression of a cottage in the country-side.

The stark4 white colour of the house is toned down by the rows of palm trees and shrubs in the front lawn. The multi-coloured flowers greet me every morning as I sit on my rocking chair and enjoy the fresh morning air.

Within the house, a similar condition prevails. The perpetual-open windows allow for healthy ventilation5 and full view of the serene and beautiful garden. The living room boasts of a dark mahagony6 sofa set which is complemented by parquet7 flooring. Just a few metres away, I have created a "corner of peace" as I call it ; and this is for the purpose of relaxation. I have placed a large durable rug, some cushions, some magazines and books for leisure reading and a small, portable radio.

Contrary to the condition of informality of the areas I have mentioned, the dining area portrays unmatched grandeur. The entrance to it consists of magnificient archways8 and pillars which will remind one of the intricate Roman architecture. The windows are deliberately drapped with dramatic purple-coloured velvet9 curtains done up with frills10 and tassles.11 To top them all, I have purposely chosen my furniture that bears an Elizabethan air of supremacy.12 To complete the atmosphere, I have added a beautiful chandelier13to brighten up the dining area. This part of my house is the source of my pride especially on occasions when I have to entertain important guests.

The kitchen is another place of extreme importance. I have managed to come up with a splendid arrangement of kitchen cabinets, refrigerator and cookers and an undoubtedly perfect colour combination. Because this area is where food is prepared, I made sure that I allowed for maximum hygiene. I have my oven and refrigerator built into the cabinet. My cooker is next to the wash basin and my little portable waste basket which comes with tight-fitting lid is directly below it. The kitchen also offers an extended table attached to the cabinet that can be utilised as an informal dining area. The toilets, not to be ignored, have also been scrupulously planned. To withstand continuous splashing of water, I have chosen durable, tinted sliding doors. I have also thrown rubber mats on the floor of the bathroom to prevent accidents such as slipping while bathing. In short, my relatively small kitchen has great utility value.

Finally, I take pleasure in drescribing the bedrooms which I have enjoyed decorating.

The master bedoom has been furnished with a chrome-plated bed that comes with side tables, a made-to-order-wardrobe that has an efficient storage system and a full length mirror to give me the pleasure of looking at myself from head to toe. I have used a range of fabrics from the Laura Ashley collection. The pale, muted blue flowery print blends well with the plain blue textured wallpaper.14 The bed sheets, the curtains and even the cushion covers are of the same Laura Ashley collection.

The guestroom, however, makes use of bright yellow as its main hue. There are two single beds separated by a light yellow rug. The beds come with drawers for keeping clothes neat and tidy. The drawers can also be converted into a bed when the need arises.

To conclude, I feel proud and happy that I was able to design15 and decorate my house so well without the expertise16 and help of professional house renovators.17 The emergence of my dreamhouse readily gives me the utmost pleasure and satisfaction.

1. heave /hi:v/ (v) thoát ra - heave a sign of relief : thoát ra tieáng thôû daøi khuaây khoûa 2. decor /'dek0:(r)/ (n) caûnh trí 3. exterior /1k'st16r16(r)/ (n) maët ngoaøi, beân ngoaøi 4. stark /st@:k/ (adj) giaûn dò vaø khoâng toâ ñieåm 5. ventilation /vent1'le1~n/ (n) söï thoaùng khí, söï thoâng gioù 6. mahagony /m6'h496n1/ (n) goã guï -(adj) coù maøu naâu phôùt ñoû cuûa goã guï, maøu baùnh maät 7. parquet /'p@:ke1/ (n) saøn goã 8. archway /'@:t~we1/ (n) loái ñi coù maùi voøm, coång toø voø 9. velvet /'velv1t/ (n) nhung 10. frill /fr1l/ (n) dieàm xeáp neáp 11. tassle /'t%sl/ (n) quaû tua, nuùm tua 12. supremacy /su:'prem6s1/ (n) uy theá, quyeàn löïc toái cao 13. chandelier /~%nd6'l16(r)/ (n) ñeøn chuøm 14. textured wallpaper /,tekst~6d 'w0:lpe1p6(r)/ (n) giaáy daùn töôøng raùp 15. design /d1'za1n/ (v) thieát keá 16. expertise /eksp3:'ti:z/ (n) kieán thöùc hoaëc kyõ naêng tinh thoâng trong moät lónh vöïc naøo ñoù 17. renovator /'ren6ve1t6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi phuïc cheá (moät coâng trình xaây döïng)

53. A THUNDERSTORM1 MOÄT CÔN MÖA GIOÂNG In the tropics2 we often have thunderstorms. They do not last very long, perhaps for an hour or so, but they can cause havoc3 during that short time.

One evening, at about 6 o'clock, I was sitting in front of my house just relaxing and doing nothing in particular. There were some white clouds blocking the blue sky. There was no hint of rain. It was just a pleasant warm evening, very normal.

Then I heard a distant rumble4 of thunder. It was so faint that I thought I might have imagined it. Gradually the rumbling became more distinct. I looked towards the sky and still could not see any hint of rain. White clouds still dominate the sky.

The rumbling grew louder and louder. Very quickly the eastern sky turned black. The speed at which the black clouds appeared astonished5 me. In a few minutes I could feel cool wind blowing from the blackened sky. In another few minutes the whole sky was engulfed6 by black swirling7 clouds. The wind increased in intensity. I could see the trees bent precariously8 to one side as though they were going to fall over or get blown away like feathers.

Suddenly I heard a very loud roar9 above the rumbling of thunder and the howling of wind. The roar became louder and louder. It sounded like a gigantic train approaching though it certainly was not one. The sound was quite unsettling. I looked in the direction of the roar and saw a white curtain of approaching rain.

Next second it was upon us. The corrugated iron roof of my house rattled10 shakily as the pouring rain crashed down upon it. I ran into the house. The storm was in full swing.

Flashes of lightning lit up the darkened sky followed by cracks of thunder as though in reply. Some flashes of lightning came dangerously close to our house. The following cracks of thunder were immediate and deafening. I saw my father utter a silent prayer.

My kid sister had her palms against her ears while safely enclosed in my mother's arms.

The fury11 of the storm was incredible. I looked out the window to see a white blur12 of rain that cut visibility to a few feet. The rain came down at a large angle driven on by the wind. The noise of rain on the roof was so loud that we could not even hear ourselves talk, much less talk to each other. All we could do was to stay in the house and wait for the storm to blow over. We also hoped that lightning would not strike us and the wind would not blow the roof away.

So for about an hour the storm raged13 while we waited. Then as suddenly as it came the storm rained itself out. Clear blue skies appeared and soon the black clouds disappeared. The rain got less and stopped. The wind stopped blowing.

I stepped out onto the cool wet grass to breathe in the cool air. It was quite an exhilarating feeling to do this immediately after a thunderstorm. Everything felt so fresh and clean. It was as though the storm had just given the earth a thorough cleaning. Come to think of it, it just might have done that.

After checking my house and finding no serious damage, I took a walk around the neighbourhood to see what damage the storm had done to the trees and other houses. I was sure I could see plenty of this.

1. thunderstorm /'8^n56(r)st0:m/ (n) baõo coù saám seùt vaø thöôøng möa to 2. tropics /'tr4p1ks/ (n) vuøng nhieät ñôùi (vuøng naèm giöõa hai vó tuyeán 23o27’ veà phía Baéc vaø Nam ñöôøng xích ñaïo) 3. havoc /'h%v6k/ (n) söï taøn phaù 4. rumble /'r^mbl/ (n) tieáng ñoäng aàm aàm, ñuøng ñuøng 5. astonish /6'st4n1~/ (v) laøm ngaïc nhieân 6. engulf /1n'9^lf/ (v) (veà bieån, löûa, maây, v.v…) vaây boïc (caùi gì) hoaëc laøm (caùi gì) bieán maát 7. swirl /sw3:l/ (v) cuoän, xoaùy, cuoán ñi 8. precarious /pr1'ke6r16s/ (adj) khoâng vöõng, nghieâng ngaû, cheânh veânh - precariously /-l1/ (adv) 9. roar /r0:(r)/ (n) tieáng gaàm, tieáng roáng, tieáng aàm aàm 10. rattle /'r%tl/ (v) keâu laùch caùch 11. fury /'fj$6r1/ (n) côn giaän döõ ñieân cuoàng vaø maõnh lieät 12. blur /bl3:(r)/ (n) vaät xuaát hieän lôø môø khoâng roõ neùt 13. rage /re1d2/ (v) (veà côn baõo, ñaùm chaùy, v.v…) vaãn tieáp tuïc hoaønh haønh döõ doäi

54. WATCHING A SUNSET BY THE SEA NGAÉM CAÛNH HOAØNG HOÂN TREÂN BIEÅN We arrived at the beach at about 6.30 in the evening. My cousin parked the car under a tree and we all got out.

The smell of the sea was unmistakable. A gentle breeze blew. I stepped out of my sandals onto the soft sand.

My cousin, two of our friends and I had come to the seaside just to watch the sun set. My cousin assured us that we would not be disappointed for he had seen it setting before and he said it was beautiful. We just had to see for ourselves.

We sat on the sand and gazed1 at the western horizon. White and grey clouds could be seen but the sun was well hidden behind them. Nothing spectacular2 was happening and I felt a bit of impatience rising. I waited.

Presently the white and grey clouds began to change colour. First they took on orange hues.3 Then shades of red and yellow could be seen. In a short time the whole western sky seem to be ablaze4 with a wild splash5 of gold, red, orange and yellow. I gazed at the spectacle in wonder. What a magnificent6 sight it was.

I tried to focus on a particular part of the colourful scene but found that the colours were constantly changing. They changed very slowly and subtly although the scene appeared very still. A streak7 of gold here turned yellow and a splash of red there dissolved8 into hues of orange. It was quite impossible to describe really this great wonder of nature in action.

Shortly the hues became darker and hints of black were visible. The sun itself was visible for a moment appearing like a huge egg yolk.9 Then it began to disappear into the horizon. The shades of black became more obvious.

Finally I watched the sun slowly sink into the sea. However the sky remained reddish even though the sun could no longer be seen.

Suddenly, everything was dark. The sun had set and night took over. I became aware of mosquitoes attacking me. My cousin said it was time to go home.

We got into car. Indeed it had been a wonderful experience.

1. gaze (at) /9e1z/ (v) nhìn chaèm chaèm vaøo ai / caùi gì• 2. spectacular /spek't%kj$l6(r)/ (adj) ngoaïn muïc, ñeïp maét 3. hue /hju:/ (n) maøu, saéc thaùi hoaëc söï chuyeån maøu 4. ablaze /6'ble1z/ (adj) ñang chaùy, chaùy röïc 5. splash /spl%~/ (n) maûng maøu saùng 6. magnificent /m%9'n1f1snt/ (adj) traùng leä, loäng laãy 7. streak /stri:k/ (n) vaïch, veát hoaëc daûi nhoû, daøi coù maøu saéc hoaëc chaát lieäu khaùc vôùi chung quanh 8. dissolve /d1'z4lv/ (v) tan bieán ñi, phai môø ñi 9. yolk /j6$k/ (n) loøng ñoû tröùng

55. AN EVENING ON THE BEACH MOÄT BUOÅI CHIEÀU TREÂN BAÕI BIEÅN Night was falling. The setting sun's red rays lit up the sky above the western horizon. I could see an oil tanker making its way across the sea just on the horizon.

Soon the sun disappeared below the horizon and the sky turned dark but my two friends and I sat on the beach gazing at the place where the sun went down. Sunsets are mesmerizing1 as we discovered. Only when the mosquitoes started coming in great numbers were we brought back to reality.

We picked ourselves up and walked towards a small pile of wood that we had made earlier. In the dark we could just make out shadows. My friends Francis had a torchlight.2 He switched it on to show the way.

The night creatures were already busy with their activities. On our left where the land was I could hear the shrill3 cries of the cicadas4 and other insects. On our right the waves broke gently on the shore sending up sprays of phosphorescent5 surf.6 The sounds and sights of nature were wonderful. The noise of occasional traffic along a road nearby was the only blemish to the otherwise perfect natural surroundings. The three of us were perhaps the only other blemishes. We had the torchlight on and soon we were going to light a bonfire.7 Nevertheless I proceeded to pour some kerosene8 onto the pile of wood and put a match to it. Slowly but steadily the fire grew. Soon we were basking9 in the orange glow of the bonfire. Salleh, my other friend, brought out the snacks and drinks from a bag. We had come to the beach to relax and enjoy ourselves.

A bonfire can be mesmerizing too and so we spent a good two hours eating, drinking, talking and singing around it. A number of people appeared and we invited them to share in our little revelry. We did not know any of them, but it did not matter. All I knew was that we enjoyed ourselves in the warm glow of the bonfire which was a far cry from the cold stares of people on an ordinary street.

However all good things must come to an end. The fire slowly died down and darkness regained its mastery. We said goodbye to our visitors and cleaned up the fireplace.

Then we walked along the shoreline towards where Salleh had parked his car a short distance away. Crabs both large and small scurried away at our approach. A gentle breeze rustled among the coconut palms. The black sky was full of glistening10 stars. It felt good to be alive.

Finally we reached the car. We dumped our things in the boot and got into the car ourselves. Salleh started the car and soon we were headed home after spending a wonderful evening on the beach.

1. mesmerize /'mezm6ra1z/ (v) thu huùt söï chuù yù (cuûa ai) hoaøn toaøn 2. torchlight /'t0:t~la1t/ (n) ñeøn pin, ñeøn baám 3. shrill /~r1l/ (adj) (veà aâm thanh, gioïng noùi, v.v…) the theù, inh oûi, choùi tai 4. cicada /s1'k@:d6/ (n) con ve saàu 5. phospherescent /f4sf6'resnt/ (adj) phaùt ra aùnh saùng – laân quang 6. surf /s3:f/ (n) boït traéng treân soùng ñaùnh vaøo bôø

7. bonfire /'b4nfa16(r)/ (n) ngoïn löûa to ôû ngoaøi trôøi ñeå ñoát raùc hoaëc ñoát trong caùc dòp leã hoäi 8. kerosene /'ker6si:n/ (n) daàu hoûa 9. bask /b%sk/ (v) söôûi (löûa), phôi (naéng) 10. glisten /'9l1stn/ (v) long lanh, laáp laùnh

56. THE SCENE IN MY TOWN EARLY IN THE MORNING CAÛNH THÒ TRAÁN VAØO BUOÅI BAN MAI Six o'clock in the morning and the town is already astir.1 Newspaper vendors with loads of paper on their motorcycles make their rounds. Sometimes they can hardly be seen because the newspapers cover their headlights. They take some risks riding around like this, but I suppose they are used to it.

I am accompanying2 my mother to the Lake Gardens. She goes there every morning to practise Tai Chi with a group of friends. It is a good idea because the air is so fresh and cool in the morning. However it is still dark so I escort her there.

We walk under the street lights towards our destination. On the way we see people already on their way to work. Some are in their cars. Some ride motorcycles and some wait for their buses by the road. I can see some school children too. Some of them are waiting near the yet unopened gate of their school. They are so early. I too have to go to school but I do not have to go that early.

We pass a tea stall that have opened for business. I can see some dark figures huddled under the stall. I guess these people are having their breakfast. I can see the stall owner "pulling" a mug of tea. The stall is situated under the street lamp, so it is not completely dark. It is clever of the owner to position his stall thus. He saves on having to light up his stall.

Our destination nears as we leave the road and enter a small footpath. This is a shortcut3 to where my mother practises Tai Chi behind a government building. After walking a short distance past some tall trees we reach our destination.

A group of about fifteen to twenty people are already there. I can see them limbering4 up in the light of the street lamps. They are mostly older men and women in their fifties and above. They greet my mother. She begins to limber up too. As she is with her friends I tell her that I am going home to get ready for school.

I retrace5 my steps past the trees and come onto the road again. At the tea stall I stop to have a glass on ginger6 tea before going home. The eastern sky is beginning to light up. I can see the first crack of dawn against the dark sky. Soon the sun will rise and the day will begin.

From somewhere among the trees I can hear a magpie-robin7 sing its sweet song. It is so pleasant to hear it. Other birds start up too. Soon there is a chorus8 of twittering9 and chattering10 all around me.

However I have to leave these beautiful sounds behind. I finish my drink and pay for it.

I walk toward my house to get ready for school.

1. astir /6'st3:(r)/ (adj) ra khoûi giöôøng, trôû daäy 2. accompany /6'k^mp6n1/ (v) thaùp tuøng, hoä toáng 3. shortcut /'~0:tk^t/ (n) ñöôøng taét 4. limber (up) /'l1mb6(r)/ (v) laøm nhöõng ñoäng taùc khôûi ñoäng tröôùc khi chôi theå thao, v.v…

5. retrace /ri:'tre1s/ (v) trôû laïi hoaëc laëp laïi y heät (moät haønh trình, v.v…)

6. ginger /'d21nd26(r)/ (n) caây göøng, cuû göøng 7. magpie-robin /,m%9pa1 'r4b1n/ (n) loaøi chim aùc laø gioáng chim coå ñoû 8. chorus /'k0:r6s/ (n) daøn hôïp xöôùng 9. twitter /'tw1t6(r)/ (v) (veà chim choùc) keâu líu ríu 10. chatter /'t~%t6(r)/ (veà chim, khæ, v.v…) hoùt líu lo, keâu chí choùe

57. THE SOUNDS OF NATURE HEARD IN MY AREA AÂM THANH CUÛA THIEÂN NHIEÂN NÔI TOÂI ÔÛ The best time to hear the sounds of nature is late in the night when most human activities have stopped and nature is intimately present.

I have, on many occasions, stepped outside my house late at night. The very first thing that strikes2 me is the immense2 stillness3 of nature. Stillness is not silence. Rather it is a beauty that makes the environment seem so peaceful and perfect. Within the stillness many sounds can be heard, but the stillness is not disturbed.4 The shrill cries of the cicadas are very evident. These sharp high-pitched5 sounds pierce6 through the night, but as I said earlier, they do not disturb the peace. In fact they are part of the peace.

On a distant tree, a night-jar makes its "tok, tok" sound. Somewhere else the bark of a dog can be heard. Over by the stream, frogs sing out a croaking7 symphony.8 A breeze springs up and whistles9 through the stately coconut palms. The leaves of the huge angsana trees rustle in unison. All is peaceful, in perfect balance with one another. I take in the wonder of nature. Even the buzzing10 of mosquitoes around my head seems part of it all.

Suddenly a youth on a motorcycle whizzes by, shattering11 the stillness. My senses are jolted12 for a moment. This unnatural sound is certainly out of balance with nature. But as the sound of the motorcycle recedes into the distance, stillness reigns again.

Everything regains the balance.

I return to my house. Something inside me has been touched by the beauty of nature. I feel good. I go to sleep with the beautiful feeling.

In the daytime it is not so easy to hear the sounds of nature, but they can be heard if I am observant. Early in the morning just after the sun rises, the birds start to sing.

Magpie-robins, mynahs, spotted doves, sparrows and bulbubs all sing out their songs. It is a bit strange but the other members of my family do not seem to hear them. Perhaps their ears have been conditioned to hear only man-made sounds to the point the unobtrusive sounds of nature cannot be heard any more. But I do hear them. The sounds of nature are sweet and gentle, quite the opposite of man-made sounds.

To hear the sounds of nature in the midst of man-made sounds, all I have to do is to listen without trying. Man-made sounds force their presence onto our ears. The sounds of nature do not force, so we have to be attentive. They can be heard. The clicking13 of a gecko lizard, the patter14 of rain on the roof, the roar of thunder, the howl of the wind, the rustling15 of leaves - all are as alive as the ears that can hear them. I have ears that can hear the sweet sounds of nature and I am glad for it.

1. strike /stra1k/ (v) coù taùc ñoäng ñeán (ai), gaây aán töôïng (vôùi ai) 2. immensely /1'mensl1/ (adv) ôû möùc ñoä lôùn, heát söùc 3. stillness /'st1ln1s/ (n) traïng thaùi tónh laëng 4. disturb /'d1st3:b/ (v) laøm naùo ñoäng, khuaáy roái 5. high-pitched /ha1 p1t~t/ (adj) (veà aâm thanh) ôû bieân ñoä cao 6. pierce /'p16s/ (v) xuyeân qua, choïc thuûng

7. croak /kr6$k/ (v) (veà eách, nhaùi, v.v…) keâu oàm oäp 8. symphony /'s1mf6n1/ (n) baûn nhaïc giao höôûng 9. whistle /'w1sl/ (v) chuyeån ñoäng nhanh vôùi tieáng keâu nhö tieáng huyùt gioù – reùo qua 10. buzzing /'b^z17/ (n) tieáng keâu vo ve 11. shatter /'~%t6(r)/ (v) phaù vôõ, laøm tieâu tan 12. jolt /d26$lt/ (v) laøm xoùc leân 13. clicking /'kl1k17/ (n) tieáng taëc löôõi 14. patter /'p%t6(r)/ (n) tieáng loäp ñoäp (cuûa möa, v.v…)

15. rustle /'r^sl/ (v) keâu xaøo xaït, keâu soät soaït

58. THE SIGHTS, SOUNDS AND SMELLS ALONG A BUSY STREET CAÛNH VAÄT, AÂM THANH VAØ MUØI HÖÔNG DOÏC THEO MOÄT ÑÖÔØNG PHOÁ ÑOÂNG NGÖÔØI I walk out of the well-lit, peaceful, cool air-conditioned comfort of the book shop.

Immediately I was hit by a blast of hot air from the street. Wow, the difference is so great. Out on the five-foot way I break into a sweat.1 I walk down the five-foot way.

Next to the book shop are two sundry2 shops. The smell emanating3 from these shops tingles4 my nose. The mixture of onion, garlic, dried fish, pepper and spices make a potent combination. I hold my breath for a moment as I walk quickly past the sundry shops. I always wonder how the people working inside the shops can stand the smell.

Perhaps they are used to it.

There are many people walking along the five-foot ways on both sides of the street. It is about one o'clock in the afternoon and many office-workers are out for their lunch break. So I see these smartly dressed men and women hurrying towards the eating places further down the street.

The street has been made one-way some time ago to cater5 for the ever increasing traffic volume. Lunch hour finds the street uncrossable. I want to cross to the other side.

I look at the traffic. One look tells me that it is too dangerous to do so. The cars and motorcycles are moving at considerable speeds and they do not seem to be in the mood to make way for any pedestrian.6 I decide to cross the street via the lights-controlled crossing down the street.

On my way towards the crossing I pass many other shops. They were mainly shops selling clothes, shoes and watches. Near the crossing is a supermarket. Throngs of people can be seen at the entrance. A beggar sits on the steps, arms outstretched, eyes leading for alms.7 I drop 20 sen into his unwashed palm. He also stinks8 of cheap liquor.

I reach the crossing. The lights are red so I wait with a group of people. Cars speed by sending their obnoxious9 fumes into the waiting people. However no one flinches.10 A bit of smoke is not going to prevent anyone from crossing the street.

Presently the cars screech to a halt behind the white lines across the road except for one that makes a dash past even though the lights have changed to red for him. Some pedestrians shake their fists, but no one is hit. The pedestrians are too seasoned to trust the traffic lights completely.

I cross briskly with my group to the other side. The group from the other side cross over to our previous side.

Once across I make a bee-line for the bus-stand. There are too many people trying to crowd under the shade of the stand. There is no place for me. I stand under the sun.

The smell of food wafts over to the bus stand from the food stalls nearby. My stomach growls in response. My bus comes. I board it with several other people. There are no more seats available. So I stand on the aisle. Soon the bus picks up speed and leaves the busy street towards home where my lunch awaits.

1. sweat /swet/ (n) moà hoâi 2. sundry /'s^ndr1/ (adj) taïp nhaïp, ñuû thöù

3. emanate /'em6ne1t/ (v) toûa ra, baét nguoàn töø (caùi gì) 4. tingle /'t179l/ (v) coù caûm giaùc ngöùa ran nhö kieán boø 5. cater /'ke1t6(r)/ (v) phuïc vuï, cung caáp, ñaùp öùng 6. pedestrian /p1'destr16n/ (n) khaùch boä haønh 7. alms /@:mz/ (n) cuûa boá thí 8. stink /st17k/ (v) boác muøi noàng naëc vaø khoù chòu 9. obnoxious /6b'n4k~6s/ (adj) raát khoù chòu, kinh tôûm, ñaùng gheùt 10. flinch /fl1nt~/ (v) nao nuùng, chuøn böôùc, ngaàn ngaïi

59. THE SIGHTS, SOUNDS AND SMELLS ALONG A DESERTED COUNTRY LANE1 CAÛNH VAÄT, AÂM THANH VAØ MUØI HÖÔNG DOÏC THEO CON ÑÖÔØNG QUEÂ VAÉNG NGÖÔØI A cool breeze blows into my face. The air is fresh and clear. I hold my fishing gear in my hand as I trudge2 down the country lane towards my favourite fishing hole.

The lane is a narrow one seldom used by four-wheeled vehicles. It is more like a wellused foot-path but I can see motorcycle tyre marks on the exposed earth. Anyhow at the moment it is all very still except for the sounds of birds singing, insects screeching and mosquitoes buzzing.

The mosquitoes are a real nuisance. I keep having to hit them as they alight on my body to have a feed. There must be hundreds of them. Despite applying insect repellent3 on my clothes, these tiny horde4 of winged blood-suckers5 still come.

Both sides of the lane are covered with thick undergrowth.6 Behind the undergrowth is a rubber estate.7 Further back is the beginning of a virgin8 jungle. I can hear the distinct sounds of this jungle even from a distance.

A bird takes flight from the bushes as I walk past it. It squawks9 noisily. I pause a moment to watch it fly up and alight on the branch of a tree. It is a black bird with two long tail feathers trailing along prominently as it flies.

Behind me a hidden magpie-robin breaks into its sweet melodious song. It is always a pleasure to hear a magpie-robin sing. Its song has a refreshing whistle-tone to it. I whistle in reply.

We have a lively whistling exchange for a minute until my lips become tired. Then I admit defeat and leave the magpie-robin to sing on his own.

The smell of country air is very different from city air. There are no vehicle fumes here.

The only smell that can be considered a bit unpleasant is the smell of cow-dung. I spy10 some tell-tale greenish blobs11 along the lane. I tread12 carefully past them. Some cows have gone by this lane just a bit before me. The dung is still wet. In fact I can smell those fellows as well close by.

As if in direct response two bleary-eyed individuals appear before me. They look at me waving their tails to chase the flies away. I look at them. They seem harmless so I walk by. They watch me go as they chew on the grass in their mouths.

Finally I reach my fishing hole. It is about ten metres from the lane. I leave the lane and head towards the pond. Gleefully I put down my fishing gear and prepare to have a pleasant evening there.

1. lane /le1n/ (n) ñöôøng heïp ôû noâng thoân, giöõa caùc bôø giaäu hoaëc bôø ñaát – ñöôøng laøng 2. trudge /tr^d2/ (v) leâ böôùc 3. repellent /r1'pel6nt/ (n) chaát thuoác ñeå choáng coân truøng 4. horde /h0:d/ (n) baày, luõ, ñaùm 5. blood-sucker /bl^d 's^k6(r)/ (n) ñoäng vaät huùt maùu 6. undergrowth /'^nd69r6$8/ (n) taàng caây thaáp, buïi caây 7. estate /1'ste1t/ (n) khu ñaát roäng môû mang nhaèm moät muïc ñích cuï theå – ñoàn ñieàn 8. virgin /'v3:d21n/ (adj) nguyeân sinh, nguyeân sô, nguyeân si 9. squawk /skw0:k/ (v) (veà chim) keâu quang quaùc

10. spy /spa1/ (v) quan saùt, nhìn, chuù yù ñeán 11. blob /bl4b/ (n) khoái nhoû troøn hoaëc ñoám maùu 12. tread /tred/ (v) giaãm, ñaïp

60. THE SCENE AT A CROWDED FOOD CENTRE QUANG CAÛNH MOÄT TRUNG TAÂM BAÙN THÖÙC AÊN ÑOÂNG NGÖÔØI My favourite food centre comes alive only at night, every night. During the day it is a municipal1 council car park. At night food vendors2 are allowed to make use of the place to sell their food. They have to pay a small fee to use the place, but I am sure they can afford it.

With a couple of friends, I reach the food centre at about seven in the evening. The sky is already darkening and the vendors have their portable fluorescent3 lights switched on. I walk between two rows of food stalls.

The very first thing that strikes me is the mouth-watering smell coming from the satay stall. Ah, I can see the satay seller half hidden in the clouds of smoke from his charcoal4 fire. There are many people seated around the tables behind him obviously enjoying the very delicious satay. We are in luck. A group of people at a table is just leaving. So my friends and I quickly occupy the table before some other people do.

The satay seller knows me for I often come to have some satay to eat. He nods his head to acknowledge my presence. I wave in return. In a minute or two, a steaming plate of satay is placed on our table, followed by some pieces of cucumber and onion. Our gravy5 then arrives and we proceed to put the lovely pieces of meat into our mouths.

For five minutes or so I am oblivious of my surroundings. All I do is to eat and eat until nothing is left on the plates. When all the food is finished we order glasses of sweet sugar cane juice6 to drink. I finish off two glasses. How wonderful it is to have such food and drink.

We pay for the food and drinks and leave the satay stall. We decide to walk among the stalls to have a look.

It is about seven thirty and the tables around the stalls are nearly filled with people.

Young and old, fat and thin, people of all shapes and sizes come here to enjoy in the many varieties of food available. I see the mee seller feverishly at work trying to cope with the orders for his mee. Some of his customers are already eating. Chopsticks and spoons dig into the bowls of mee. Other customers wait patiently for their food.

Next to the mee stall is the tea stall. The fat man selling tea there is busy making teh tarik. He pours the tea from one cup to another with practised ease. Not a drop is spilled.

Some passsers-by stop just to watch him pouring the tea. He pours the tea from even higher. A small boy claps. The fat man is obviously very pleased. He grins happily.

I look around me. There are stalls selling rojak and mee goreng, sup kambing, sup ayam, koay teow, popiah, chicken rice, fried rice, rice with fish, fruits, drinks etc,. The variety is staggering. No wonder the place is so popular. The food is cheap and good. It is great to be able to eat them. It is great that we have food centres like this in our country.

1. municipal /mju:'n1s1pl/ (adj) thuoäc thaønh phoá hay thò xaõ coù chính quyeàn ñòa phöông rieâng 2. vendor /'vend6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi baùn 3. fluorescent /fl0:'resnt/ (adj) (ñeøn) huyønh quang, (ñeøn) neâon 4. charcoal /'t~@:k6$l/ (n) than cuûi 5. gravy /'9re1v1/ (n) nöôùc sauce laøm baèng nöôùc thòt tieát ra khi xaøo naáu 6. sugar cane juice /,su:96(r) ke1n 'd2u:s/ (n) nöôùc mía eùp 7. satay, mee, rojak, sup kamping, v.v. teân caùc moùn aên cuûa ngöôøi Thaùi

61. THE SCENE IN A SHOPPING COMPLEX QUAN CAÛNH MOÄT TRUNG TAÂM BUOÂN BAÙN In every large town now there are dozens of shopping complexes to cater for the ever increasing population. These complexes contain a variety of shops. They sell shoes, sports goods, clothes, computers, video and audio equipment, furniture, musical instruments, cameras and films, food, drinks and many other things.

There is one shopping complex in my town that is frequented by many people. I would say that it is the most popular one in town.

The moment I enter the shopping complex via its large entrance I virtually step into a different world from the street outside. The air in the complex is distinctly cooler. The air-conditioning is very effective. No wonder I see many youngster just loitering1 about the place. It gets pretty uncomfortable outside under the scorching sun.

There are armed guards in uniform stationed near a couple of goldsmith shops.2 Two of these guards look old and feeble.3 They must be retired army or police personnel. In the event of a robbery I doubt they would be of any use. Judging by the bored look on their faces, the shops might just as well have no guards at all.

On this ground floor of the complex there are many other shops. From where I stand near the goldsmith shops I can see people crowding near a computer shop. An audio tape shop blasts out the latest hits through two giant loudspeakers.4 A few metres away, behind the receptionist's counter,5 a pretty girl seems to be speaking into a microphone. I can hardly hear what she is saying. The music from the loudspeakers is too loud.

There is also a supermarket on the ground floor. From afar6 I can see that it is just like any supermarket. Shelves after shelves are stocked with cans, packets, bottles and tins of common items like milk, beverages, sweets etc. The salesgirls7 seem very busy stacking the goods onto the shelves. Shoppers seem very busy removing them from the shelves.

I walk towards the elevator that is going up. I pause to let two persons before me get on and then I get on too.

The first floor look similar to the ground floor except it has no supermarket. Instead there are many video arcades.8 I can see figures of youngsters inside hunched9 over the consoles feverishly working their fingers trying to beat the electronic machines. I used to be just as crazy as they but I have got over the madness. The machines are addictive and the addicts spend large amounts of money feeding them.

I proceed to the second floor via the elevator.

Again the air is filled with the sound of video games in progress. I walk past many arcades and other shops. Here on the second floor there are less people. Most of the shoppers are concentrated on the ground floor. That is where the bulk of the complex's business is done. Up here there is more room for walking and browsing. The shopkeepers also are friendlier. I walk leisurely around the whole floor.

I stop by at a music shop to have a look at the guitars on sale. They are too expensive for me. I leave.

Next I wander into my friend's sports shop. I chat with him about the coming Thomas Cup battle. He laments10 about the weaknesses of our team. He also laments about the

lack of customers in his shop up here on the second floor. He says he will move down if he can find a place.

Finally I leave my friend's shop and descend straight down to the ground floor. I notice the great difference in the number of shoppers compared to the higher floors. Perhaps my friend does have a point.

Anyhow I had come to the shopping complex to cool down a bit. I feel very much better now, good enough to go out under the scorching sun again.

1. loiter /'l01t6(r)/ (v) la caø, laûng vaûng 2. goldsmith shop /'96$ldsm18 ~4p/ (v) tieäm vaøng 3. feeble /'fi:bl/ (adj) yeáu ôùt 4. loudspeaker /'la$dspi:k6(r)/ (n) caùi loa 5. receptionist's counter /r1,sep~6n1sts 'ka$nt6(r)/ (n) quaày tieáp taân 6. afar /6'f@:(r)/ (adv) xa, caùch xa - from afar (idm) töø moät khoaûng caùch xa 7. salesgirl /'se1lz96:l/ (n) nöõ nhaân vieân baùn haøng 8. arcade /@:'ke1d/ (n) khu vöïc coù maùi voøm 9. hunch /h^nt~/ (v) cuùi xuoáng, khom xuoáng 10. lament /l6'ment/ (v) than vaõn (veà caùi gì)

62. THE SCHOOL MID-MORNING BREAK GIÔØ RA CHÔI TRONG BUOÅI HOÏC SAÙNG The lunch-bell peals.1 Pens and pencils are hurriedly pushed into their cases. Files click shut, satchels2 snap and chairs desks get dragged aside. Scuffling3 feet race towards the canteen.

The early birds are already seated on the benches, seriously eating away. An appetising blend of aroma floats about the canteen, but it is the strong smell of hot mee soup that pulls a large crowd to queue in front of its stall. The others discouraged by the long queue head to other stalls after casting wishful glances at the huge steaming pot of hot soup.

On the other side of the stall, helpers work feverishly to serve these hungry mouths.

Steaming bowls of soup, fried rice, fried chicken and sandwiches are passed in exchange for coins that are tossed into tinkling4 money baskets. The change from notes are thrust into ready palms that quickly pocket the jingling5 coins.

The canteen grows crowded. Orders are shouted above the constant drone of busy hungry people. Someone starts banging6 the automatic drink dispenset. Finally, something clicks, and his frustrated bangs are rewarded with a glass of thirst quenching7 drink.

People keep weaving8 their way through the crowd, cautiously carrying bowls of soup or plates of hot curry. Some push through the crowd and get yelled at. The benches are crowded and there is not a vacant seat left, so some people wait for others to finish their food. The benches are filled with all kinds of people. Some literally plough through their food, slurping9 away. Others eat slowly, licking every mouthful. Yet others sit very complacently10 with their home cooked packets of "nasi bungkus" or home-made sandwich loaves. Then there are the perpetual bookworms with a fork in their right hands and a book propped up11 in the left. The weight watchers determinedly sit in a corner nibbling12 at their crackers, sipping13 calorie free drinks and chatter and gossip14 to pass the time. Some of them group together and sing the latest hit tune with the throbbing beats blaring out of mini cassette players. Occasionally a small group gathers in a corner to try to recapture childhood thrills in a game of "chapteh" or marbles. These games, however, do not last long as they are promptly booed15 at by the onlookers who assume they are a "mature" lot. At the other corner hot debates on classroom projects and homework assignments take place as usual.

The bell peals again to signal that the lunch break is over. Stomachs belch,16 dieters sigh with relief, the bookworm who was so engrossed17 in his notes suddenly rushes to get himself a quick drink. The crowd disperses18 immediately back to the classrooms. A cat and a few birds appear quickly to scavenge19 the chicken and fish bones and crumbs20 felt behind on the table after yet another regular lunchbreak at school.

1. peal /pi:l/ (v) ñaùnh (chuoâng) töøng hoài; vang/ngaân/rung töøng hoài 2. satchel /'s%t~6l/ (n) tuùi ñeo vai cuûa hoïc sinh 3. scuffle /'sk^fl/ (v) aåu ñaû, tranh giaønh 4. tinkle /'t17kl/ (v) keâu leng keng

5. jingle /'d2179l/ (v) keâu leng keng, keâu xuûng xoeûng 6. bang /b%n9/ (v) ñaám, ñaùnh, neän, ñaäp (raàm raàm) 7. quenching /'kwent~17/ (v) (laøm) heát khaùt, ñaõ khaùt 8. weave /wi:v/ (v) len loûi, luoàn laùch 9. slurp /sl3:p/ (v) (nhai) nhoùp nheùp, (huùp) sì suïp 10. complacent /k6m'ple1snt/ (adj) töï maõn, thoûa maõn - complacently /-l1/ (adv) 11. prop (up) /pr4p/ (v) döïa, töïa, choáng, ñôõ 12. nibble /'n1bl/ (v) caén töøng mieáng nhoû: gaëm, nhaám 13. sip /s1p/ (v) nhaáp nhaùp, uoáng töøng hôùp 14. gossip /'94s1p/ (v) taùn gaãu, noùi chuyeän phieám 15. boo /bu:/ (v) bieåu thò söï phaûn ñoái hoaëc cheá gieãu (ai / caùi gì) baèng caùch la où 16. belch /belt~/ (v) ôï (hôi) 17. engrossed /1n'9r6$st/ (adj) maùt meû, bò cuoán huùt 18. disperse /d1'sp3:s/ (v) giaûi taùn 19. scavenge /'sk%v1nd2/(v) (veà thuù vaät hoaëc chim) ñaøo bôùi thöùc aên ñaõ boû ñi ñeå aên 20. crumb /kr^m/ (n) maûnh vuïn (baùnh mì hoaëc baùnh qui)

63. THE SCENE IN MY SCHOOL AFTER THE BELL RINGS FOR DISMISSAL1 QUANG CAÛNH TRÖÔØNG TOÂI KHI CHUOÂNG REO TAN HOÏC The bell punctures2 the silence in the school like a pin punctures a fully blown balloon.

The whole school explodes3 with loud cries of joy.

I quickly stuff my books into my bag and head out of the classroom. The teacher has already left. He is one of the first to leave. I am one of the last. We jostle4 and push to get through the narrow door. Outside the classroom, the whole school is alive with activity. Everyone has a smile on his or her face, and why not ? We are all going home after six hours of slogging5 in school.

The younger children run towards their waiting buses or cars. The older ones walk briskly. There is laughter in the air as we merrily make our way out of school. Some of us have transport waiting for us. Some walk home. I am one of those who head towards the bicycle shed to get our bicycles.

I wait for others to get their bicycles before I get mine. Then I mount up and slowly make my way between other riders and pedestrians. The horde of children heading towards the school's main gate is quite daunting.6 I have to be careful so that I do not knock into someone. I have missed a couple of times. Otherwise I manage to keep going although not as quick as I like.

I look around me. Like ants the children stream out7 of the classrooms towards the gate.

It is quite a sight watching this uniformed brigade. Someone shouts behind me. He asks me to go faster or get out of his way. I indicate to him that I cannot possibly move faster.

He sighs. I move forward a bit.

There are some richer kids on motorcycles. They make a lot of noise on their machines.

Obviously they have modified their exhaust pipes to make as much noise as possible.

They press their horns incessantly adding to the discomfort of breathing in their bluish exhaust smoke. A few heated words are exchanged.

Gradually, the stream of children peters8 out and movement becomes easier. The motorcycles disappear out of the main gate first, raising tempers and clouds of smoke. I pedal carefully in between those on foot. I stop to say something to a friend near the gate. The rest of the traffic stream past me.

When we finish talking, I look around. The school is virtually9 empty. Almost everyone has gone. Only a few children wait for their cars under the shade of the angsana tree.

Then the teachers begin to leave the school. Most of them have cars. I watch them come out of the staff room and enter their cars. One by one they make their way out of the school. Some of them smile or wave at me. I smile or wave back.

Finally everything is quiet around me. I say goodbye to my friend, give the bicycle a push and soon I am on the road home.

1. dismissal /d1s'm1sl/ (n) söï giaûi taùn 2. puncture /'p^7kt~6(r)/ (v) ñaâm, choïc thuûng 3. explode /1k'spl6$d/ (v) noå tung, buøng noå (ñoät ngoät) 4. jostle /'d24sl/ (v) chen laán, xoâ ñaåy 5. slog /sl49/ (v) mieät maøi, caëm cuïi

6. daunting /'d0:nt17/ (adj) laøm naûn loøng, laøm sôï haõi 7. stream (out) /stri:m/ (v) ñoå ra thaønh doøng 8. peter (out) /'pi:t6(r)/ (v) bieán maát daàn 9. virtually /'v3:t~$6l1/ (adv) haàu nhö, gaàn nhö

64. EVENINGS AT HOME BUOÅI TOÁI TRONG GIA ÑÌNH On weekdays, evenings at home are pretty tame affairs. When the sun sets and it gets dark there is nothing very much I can do outside. So I usually remain indoors.

Usually I complete whatever homework that has to be done. Sometimes there is no homework so I fool around1 with my baby sister. She is a load of fun and energy and there are a dozen things we can do together. She especially likes to read picture books and play with coloured pencils as any two-year-old would. So we go through her collection of pictures and colouring books. By eight in the evening, my mother would come and get her ready for bed.

After the baby has gone to sleep, my mother, my father, my elder brother, elder sister, younger sister and I would sit together in the dining room to have our dinner. My mother is a great cook and we enjoy our food tremendously. My elder sister is already a good cook. So she helps my mother with her cooking. I sometimes help out too, but I am not such a good one.

After dinner I wash up if it is my turn. The others adjourn2 to the living room. My father usually watches television. My mother usually has unfinished household chores like ironing clothes to do. So she does them. We, the children, sometimes watch television or listen to the radio. At other times, when we feel like it, we sit down and play some board games like Monopoly and Ludo.

At nine o'clock my elder brother locks up the main gate and other doors. He has the task of making sure all the doors and windows are secure before we retire for the night. At about nine thirty, we usually go to bed to have a good night's sleep. If we go to bed too late, then it will be really difficult to get up on time for school next morning. I always make sure I have enough sleep every night. If there is something really worth watching on television then we may stay up a bit later. However my father insists that we all get to bed by ten thirty at the latest. We are all in bed by the time regardless of anything good on the television.

On weekends, evenings at home are a bit different from the usual. My elder brother, who is already in Form Six, gets to go out with his friends for an evening in town. We, the younger ones, are not allowed to go out unless we have good reasons to. Usually then we stay at home.

Since the next day is a holiday, we do not bother3 to do any homework. We watch television as there are better shows during the weekend. Also our father allows us to stay up as late as we like as we do not have to get up early. At times we sit around our father while he tells us stories. He has many stories to tell about his younger days. We learn many things from what he tells us.

By midnight my elder brother will have to return from town as he is not allowed to come home later than that. Sometimes he buys back some supper4 which we all share in before going to bed. Finally, when the clock has gone past twelve we all go to bed.

1. fool around /fu:l 6'ra$nd/ (v) choøng gheïo, noâ ñuøa 2. adjourn /6'd23:n/ (v) dôøi sang (nôi khaùc) 3. bother /'b456(r)/ (v) daønh thôøi gian hoaëc chòu khoù laøm gì• 4. supper /'s^p6(r)/ (n) ñoà aên toái, böõa aên toái

65. THE BEAUTY OF NATURE VEÛ ÑEÏP CUÛA THIEÂN NHIEÂN In the evening I sit in front of my house and feel the soft gentle breeze caress my face and cool my body. The breeze is simply beautiful and nature gives it free to me.

Actually nature gives this free to everyone, but it seems that not everyone is aware of this.

Sometimes the sky is immensely blue. White silvery clouds glide1 almost imperceptibly2 against it. The clouds are never the same as they change their shapes continuously.

These things are more beauty that I perceive around me.

Some days when the sky turns black with thick heavy clouds, a distance curtain of falling rain can be seen. It appears as though some unseen hand is pouring water onto the land to nourish3 it. The sight is beautiful and it makes me feel closer to the beauty of the Earth.

After a thunderstorm, the air is crisp4 and cool. Birds come out and sing out their joy to life. I sing too as I frolic5 on barefoot on the cool wet grass beside my house. The drogs croak joyfully. Even the insects seem to buzz and shriek6 louder. I am sure they are all singing about how beautiful life is. Indeed it is.

In the night the stars make their appearane. Millions of these twinkling7 jewels can be seen in the black sky. How wondrous8 it is to gaze at the glory of the universe. No doubt I am just a tiny part of it, but to be able to take it in through my senses makes it even more wondrous.

At night the moon often makes its appearance. Sometimes it is round. Other times it is crescent-shaped.9 Nevertheless its presence adds to the beauty of the backdrop of stars in the far reaches of space. It is amazing that there are such things.

The little garden beside my house is filled with the things of nature. Little bees, butterflies and other insects fly among the flowers in search of food. The flowers themselves are brightly coloured with every possible combination of colours and hues. I feast my eyes on the scene of immense activity and again witness the beauty of nature's innumerable wonders.

1. glide /9la1d/ (v) (veà maây) troâi boàng beành 2. imperceptible /1mp6'sept6bl/ (adj) khoâng theå nhaän thaáy ñöôïc baèng caùc giaùc quan khoâng roõ reät - imperceptibly /-bl1/ (adv) 3. nourish /'n^r1~/ (v) nuoâi döôõng 4. crisp /kr1sp/ (adj) (veà khoâng khí) khoâ laïnh 5. frolic /'fr4l1k/ (v) noâ ñuøa vui veû 6. shriek /~ri:k/ (v) la heùt 7. twinkle /'tw17kl/ (v) nhaáp nhaùy, laáp laùnh 8. wondrous /'w^ndr6s/ (adj) kyø laï 9. crescent-shaped /'kresnt ~%pt/ (adj) coù hình löôõi lieàm

VAÊN TÖÔØNG THUAÄT Töôøng thuaät laø keå laïi nhöõng söï vieäc coù thaät vöøa môùi xaûy ra maø ngöôøi vieát tröïc tieáp chöùng kieán, nhaèm giuùp ngöôøi ñoïc hình dung ñöôïc dieãn bieán cuï theå cuûa nhöõng söï vieäc ñoù, ñoàng thôøi truyeàn ñeán ngöôøi ñoïc nhöõng yù nghó, caûm xuùc cuûa mình trong khi chöùng kieán söï vieäc.

Nhöõng yeâu caàu chính – Phaûi hoaøn toaøn toân troïng söï thaät (khoâng ñöôïc hö caáu) – Neâu ñöôïc dieãn bieán cuûa söï vieäc (theo trình töï thôøi gian hoaëc khoâng gian) – Choïn loïc söï vieäc, laøm roõ nhöõng söï vieäc chính, nhöõng chi tieát quan troïng, löôùt qua nhöõng söï vieäc phuï, töôùc boû nhöõng chi tieát ngaãu nhieân, giuùp ngöôøi ñoïc vöøa thaáy caû toaøn cuïc, vöøa thaáy ñöôïc chi tieát.

– Bieát keát hôïp kyõ naêng keå vôùi mieâu taû (taû caûnh, taû ngöôøi…), giuùp ngöôøi ñoïc thaáy ñöôïc söï vieäc cuï theå, soáng ñoäng, nhö ñang xaûy ra tröôùc maét.

– Tröïc tieáp hoaëc giaùn tieáp noùi leân yù nghó, thaùi ñoä, caûm xuùc cuûa ngöôøi töôøng thuaät.

66. A BURGLARY1 MOÄT VUÏ TROÄM It was a peaceful afternoon. I was doing my homework in my room when I heard a strange grinding2 noise coming from next door.

Out of curiosity,3 I looked out of my window. I was shocked to see my neighbour's metal gate lying on the ground and the door ajar.4 As no one else was at home, I called up my father at his office. He told me to stay at home and wait for him to come back. I went back to the window and peeped out.5 After a while, a burly6 man came out of my neighbour's house with a big bag and quickly ran away.

Just then, my father came back with four policemen. I told them what I had seen.

Immediately, two of the policemen went after the burglar. The rest of us went into my neighbour's house. The whole place had been ransacked.7 Drawers were lying all over the place and the bedrooms were in a real mess. My neighbour happened to come back at that time and she was most distressed8 to find her house broken into.9 The next morning, I saw the following headline in the newspaper : "Boy helps police catch burglar". I felt really proud of myself.

1. burglary /'b3:9l6r1/ (n) vuï troäm 2. grinding /'9r1nd17/ (adj) taïo ra tieáng ken keùt (nhö theå) do coï xaùt 3. curiosity /kj$r1'4s6t1/ (n) tính toø moø 4. ajar /6'd2@:(r)/ (adj) (veà cöûa) heù môû 5. peep (out) /pi:p/ (v) loù, nhuù leân töø töø hoaëc moät phaàn 6. burly /'b3:l1/ (adj) khoûe maïnh, löïc löôõng 7. ransack /'r%ns%k/ (v) cöôùp boùc, cöôùp phaù; luïc soaùt 8. distressed /'d1strest/ (adj) phieàn naõo, ñau ñôùn 9. break into /bre1k 1nt6/ (v) ñoät nhaäp

67. A PICKPOCKET MOÄT KEÛ MOÙC TUÙI I hate to travel on the MRT train in the evening because it is very crowded. I have to compete with other students and adults going home from work for seats.

This evening, I just managed to squeeze1 into the train. There were no seats available,2 so I stood by the door and looked at the people around me, trying to forget my discomfort. I looked at some of the passengers. One was sleeping, one was staring blankly into space and another kept putting his right hand in and out of his pocket. This last person has small shifty3 eyes and he kept looking around. I turned away immediately when he caught me staring at him.

Out of curiosity, I looked at him again some minutes later. At that instant, I saw him withdrawing4 his hand from a lady's handbag. In his hand was a purse ! Straight away, I pointed at him and shouted, "Pickpocket! Pickpocket!" Everyone was alerted, including the pickpocket.

As the pickpocket tried to get away, a few men quickly grabbed hold of him. He was caught and sent to the police-station. I was praised for my quick action and was glad that I had helped the lady get back her purse.

1. squeeze (into) /skwi:z/ (v) daán, ñaåy mình vaøo, chen laùch, v.v… qua moät khe heïp hoaëc moät khoaûng heïp 2. available /6've1l6bl/ (adj) coù saün 3. shifty /'~1ft1/ (adj) gian giaûo, coù veû khoâng löông thieän 4. withdraw /w15'dr0:/ (v) ruùt (caùi gì) trôû veà hoaëc ra xa

68. A ROBBERY MOÄT VUÏ CÖÔÙP It happened on one Saturday evening. My mother and I went shopping to buy a gift for my father. After much thought my mother decided to buy a gold ring.

We went to a goldsmith's shop. The Sales Assistant showed us a lot of gold rings in various designs.1 My mother was enchanted2 by a ring with a sparkling3 diamond on it.

As we were admiring the ring, four men wearing ski-mask4 rushed5 into the shop. They ordered all the people to stand up against the wall with their hands raised above their heads. The four robbers were armed with guns. They were dressed in black and wore gloves on both hands. One of the men placed a brief case on the counter and ordered one of the Sales Assistants to empty the trays of jewelleries into the briefcase. The Sales Assistant was shaking with fear, and quickly started to do what he was ordered to do.

I notice that the burglar alarm was not far from where I was standing. I slowly moved towards the alarm, and tried to reach it without being noticed. After much difficulty I managed to get close to the alarm. I cautiously lifted my right leg and pressed the button. The alarm started to ring loudly. The robbers panicked,6 they grabbed7 the briefcase and rushed to a waiting car and drove away. I rushed out of the shop to see the number of the car. I quickly memorised the number of the getaway car.8 A few minutes later the police arrived. I told them the number of the robbers' car. They immediately informed headquarters to put up road blocks. They questioned us before letting us go. Photographers took photos of the scene of the robbery.

Next day my father read in the papers that the robbers were caught and the stolen goods recovered.

1. design /d1'za1n/ (n) maãu maõ, kieåu maãu 2. enchanted /1n't~@:nt1d/ (adj) bò meâ hoaëc 3. sparkling /'sp@:kl17/ (adj) laáp laùnh, long lanh 4. ski-mask /ski: m@:sk/ (n) maët naï tröôït tuyeát 5. rush /r^~/ (v) xoâng tôùi, lao vaøo 6. panic /'p%n1k/ (v) (panicked) laøm hoaûng sôï, laøm hoát hoaûng 7. grab /9r%b/ (v) tuùm laáy, giaät laáy 8. getaway /9et6'we1/ (n) söï chaïy troán, nhaát laø sau khi phaïm toäi - getaway car : chieác oâ toâ (duøng ñeå) chaïy troán

69. ROBBERY AT A LATE COLD NIGHT VUÏ CÖÔÙP GIÖÕA ÑEÂM KHUYA One late cold winter night, we heard the moan1 of an old lady from the nearby house.

The old lady was living alone with her ailing2 husband who is also bedridden.3 Her sons were living in Australia. The old couple refused to leave their homeland and therefore live alone. We left sorry for them and as neighbours we often help them in any way possible. It seems on that cold winter night some burglars had entered their house through the kitchen window which was not properly grilled4 and locked.

The burglars had overpowered5 the old people, tied them to the chair and cot respectively, took away six hundred dollars and their jewels. The old lady managed to free herself from the bonds6 and crawled7 to the corridor with a moan which we all heard. Several people rushed over immediately and the men tried to untie the old man and then to inform the police. The women were helping the old lady by applying cold water to the bruises8 and rearranging the furniture. The rope was very tight and the old man suffered bruises on his skin.

Two of us ran out to see if the culprits9 were still around. Soon we heard police sirens,10 two patrol11 cars screeched to a halt in front our house and we saw policemen running up the stairs. The policemen made a thorough search and got statements from the old people. The old people's monthly pension money and some of the jewels which they valued were gone.

Messages were sent to their sons abroad. One week later one of their son returned to Singapore and brought the old people to Australia. Despite the robbery the old couple were reluctant to leave Singapore. Finally, they were persuaded12 by us to accept their son's offer.

On the date of their departure, the old couple thanked all those who came to help them in their hour of need.

1. moan /m6$n/ (n) tieáng reân ræ, tieáng than van 2. ailing /'e1l17/ (adj) oám ñau, beänh taät 3. bedridden /'bedr1d6n/ (adj) naèm lieät giöôøng 4. grilled /9r1ld/ (adj) coù löôùi baûo veä 5. overpower /6$v6'pa$6(r)/ (v) aùp ñaûo, cheá ngöï 6. bonds /b4ndz/ (n) daây hoaëc xích troùi tuø nhaân 7. crawl /kr0:l/ (v) boø, leát, tröôøn 8. bruise /bru:z/ (n) veát thaâm tím, veát baàm daäp 9. culprit /'k^lpr1t/ (n) keû phaïm toäi 10. siren /'sa16r6n/ (n) coøi 11. patrol /p6'tr6$l/ (n) haønh ñoäng tuaàn tra 12. persuade /p6'swe1d/ (v) thuyeát phuïc

70. A DARING ROBBERY MOÄT VUÏ CÖÔÙP TAÙO BAÏO The pilgrims1 never dreamt that it would happen. They were hopefully thinking of reaching the place of worship2 before the day dawned.3 As the place of worship was about 75 kilometres from their homes, they had left at 2.00 a.m. in the night. They were about a dozen of them including men and women. Since they were going in their own van4 they had many trunks5 and suitcases stuffed6 with valuables like costly clothing, jewels and ornaments. They belonged to the rich, and were a bit showy.7 The road lay through a barren8 country covered here and there with hillocks.9 It was a road that did not have any heavy traffic and that too in the early hours it was practically deserted. The area was notorious for10 daring robberies as the hillocks gave the robbers a good cover. The robbers heard the van on the road and they expected a good booty11 from it. The moon was not bright as the clouds were sweeping over its face and was ideal for the gang to operate. The gang was made up of unemployed educated young men who had grown desperate. It was master-minded by an old hand who had been convicted12 several times.

The gang had placed big boulders13as road blocks and were hiding nearby. As soon as the van came near, the driver saw the block. He could not negotiate14 the road this way or that as it was completely blocked and so came to a screeching halt. When the male occupants of the van got down to see what had happened, the gang pounced15 upon them. They were told to keep their mouth shut. When the driver wanted to strike, he was given a stunning16 blow by one of the robbers. The male occupants were then marched to the foot of a hillock and were commanded to stand still or face severe consequences to their person. While two or three of the robbers stood guard, others ransacked the van, took out the trunks and suit cases, broken them open and poured out the contents onto blankets and tied them up. The women were so stunned that they could not even cry out.

Their throats felt parched17 suddenly because of the shock they were in. With a flourish the robbers left the place with their booty and disappeared into the night.

It was some time before the pilgrims recovered from the shock.18 The womenfold began to wail.19 As it happened in such cases each one started complaining that the others was to blame. The van driver lost no time in driving them to the nearest town where they lodged20 a complaint with the police.

This was not the first time the police were getting reports about robberies in that part of the country. The higher authorities swung into action immediately when they got a clue from a tea shop in a neighbouring village. The net was spread and soon a few of the gang were apprehended.21 Since they were habitual offenders, it was easy to bring them to book. The press and the public appreciated the prompt22 action taken by the police.

1. pilgrim /'p1l9r1m/ (n) ngöôøi haønh höông 2. worship /'w3:~1p/ (n) haønh ñoäng hoaëc nghi leã thôø cuùng 3. dawn /d0:n/ (v) baét ñaàu saùng, raïng saùng 4. van /v%n/ (n) xe taûi

5. trunk /tr^7k/ (n) röông, hoøm 6. stuff /st^f/ (v) leøn, nhoài nheùt chaët (caùi gì vaøo caùi gì) 7. showy /'~6$1/ (adj) khoe khoang 8. barren /'b%r6n/ (adj) (veà ñaát ñai) caèn coãi 9. hillock /'h1l6k/ (n) ñoài nhoû, moâ ñaát 10. notorious (for) /n6$'t0:r16s/ (adj) kheùt tieáng 11. booty /'bu:t1/ (n) chieán lôïi phaåm 12. convict /k6n'v1kt/ (v) keát toäi, keát aùn 13. boulder /'b6$ld6(r)/ (n) ñaù cuoäi 14. negotiate /n1'96$~1e1t/ (v) baêng qua hoaëc vöôït qua thaéng lôïi (moät chöôùng ngaïi, v.v…)

15. pounce /pa$ns/ (v) taán coâng baát ngôø baèng ñoät kích hoaëc nhaûy xuoáng 16. stunning /'st^n17/ (adj) gaây choaùng vaùng, ñieáng ngöôøi 17. parched /p@:t~t/ (adj) bò khaùt khoâ 18. recover (from the shock) /r1'k6$v6(r)/ (idm) hoaøn hoàn 19. wail /we1l/ (v) keâu gaøo, than khoùc 20. lodge (sth with sb) /l4d2/ (v) trình baøy vôùi nhaø chöùc traùch ñeå ñöôïc chuù yù giaûi quyeát 21. apprehend /%pr1'hend/ (v) toùm laáy, baét giöõ 22. prompt /pr4mpt/ (adj) nhanh choùng, ngay laäp töùc

71. KIDNAPPED !1 BÒ BAÉT COÙC! My chauffeur was sick and I was told to take a cab2 home. I decided to walk instead and took the shortcut through a rubber plantation.

As I was walking, I noticed four men in dark glasses following me. I became frightened.

I started running and was horrified to hear footsteps close behind me. Suddenly, I felt myself jerked3 back roughly. The next thing I knew, I was blindfolded4 and gagged.5 I struggled wildly to free myself but to no avail.6 I was dumped7 onto some rough sacks.

Then I heard an engine start. The kidnappers must be driving me to their hideout !

In their hideout, the kidnappers called my father and demanded a ransom8 of one hundred thousand dollars for my release. They warned him that my life would be in danger if the police were notified. They also arranged to meet my father at a jetty9 at three o'clock in the morning.

At the appointed time, the men brought me to the jetty. My father was there, waiting anxiously. After collecting the money, the four men released10 me.

As the kidnappers were about to leave in a boat, the policemen, who were lying in ambush,11 ran out to arrest them. After a short struggle, the four kidnappers were caught. My family was thankful that I was safe and sound.12 I was glad that my father had notified the police.

1. kidnap /'k1dn%p/ (v) baét coùc 2. cab /k%b/ (n) xe taxi 3. jerk /d23:k/ (v) giaät, ñaåy, keùo, v.v… ñoät ngoät 4. blindfold /'bla1ndf6$ld/ (v) bòt maét (ai) baèng baêng vaûi v.v…

5. gag /9%9/ (v) bòt mieäng 6. to no avail /6've1l/ (idm) voâ ích, voâ hieäu 7. dump /d^mp/ (v) neùm phòch xuoáng, quaêng xuoáng 8. ransom /'r%ns6m/ (n) tieàn chuoäc 9. jetty /'d2et1/ (n) ñeâ chaén soùng, caàu taøu 10. release /r1'li:z/ (v) giaûi thoaùt, phoùng thích 11. ambush /'%mb$~/ (n) cuoäc mai phuïc, cuoäc phuïc kích 12. safe and sound (idm) bình yeân voâ söï

72. A KIDNAP MOÄT VUÏ BAÉT COÙC One evening, I was alone at home, when a smartly dressed couple knocked on my door.

The woman smiled and asked me if she could see my parents. I told her that they had gone out but would be back soon. I invited them into the house.

I was surprised when they suddenly grabbed me. They tied up my hands, gagged my mouth and blindfolded me. I was huddled1 into a car and driven off to an unknown destination. I was too frightened to do anything. After driving for about two hours the car came to a stop. They dragged me out of the car and pushed me into a corner. When my blindfold was removed, I found myself in a dark hut.2 I slowly moved towards the locked door and I heard them saying that they were going to ask a ransom of $20,000 from my father in exchange for my return. When I heard this I was very frightened.

Finally I decided that I had to escape from these kidnappers. I looked around the dark room. There was no means of escape except for a small window, which was locked. I waited till the kidnappers had fallen asleep before I tired to open the window. I managed to prise3 open the window with my penknife,4 which I carried in my pocket.

Quitely I slipped out of the house and ran as fast as my legs could carry me. Since it was very dark I stumbled5 and fell a couple of times. Finally I reached the main road. I saw a car approaching. I waved and stopped the car. I told the driver what had happened. He took me to the nearest police station, and made a report. Then I led the police to the place where I was held captive earlier. The kidnappers were arrested.

My parents were happy to see me safe and sound. The police officer praised me for my courageous deed.

1. huddle /'h^dl/ (v) nheùt vaøo moät caùch loän xoän 2. hut /h^t/ (n) tuùp leàu, caên nhaø taïm bôï 3. prise /pra1z/ (v) naäy, baåy leân 4. penknife /'penna1f/ (n) dao díp 5. stumble /'st^mbl/ (v) saåy, tröôït chaân

73. A FIRE IN THE HOSPITAL HOÛA HOAÏN TRONG BEÄNH VIEÄN I was visiting my friend Sally in the hospital. She had a bad fall a few days ago, and she was being treated for shock and bruises. I was chatting with her when suddenly a shrill1 alarm went off2.

We saw the doctors and the nurses huddled together. Then a nurse or a doctor went to speak to each patient. A doctor approached Sally's bed and told us that a fire had started on the seventh floor of the hospital and the fire brigade had been summoned.3 He told us to remain calm and we would get out of the building quickly.

However some of the patients started to panic and we heard some of them crying. We also heard the siren of the fire engines. The head nurse announced that the stronger patient would have to use the emergency stair exit, while the firefighters4 would use special equipment to lift the injured patients through the windows.

A nurse helped to guide Sally down the staircase. The nurse asked me to help another patient. I went to the next bed and helped guide a woman with a bandaged5 arm towards the staircase.6 She was sobbing7 quietly. I assured her that since we were on the fourth floor, we would escape without any andger.

When we reached the second floor, a group of policemen and firefighters rushed to meet us. They led us to the gorund floor and out of the building.

The patients drew together, as though happy to see each other again. A nurse told us that the fire was under control. All the patient had been saved ; and only a few suffered minor injuries. The patients clapped for they were thankful for the courage and the skill of the hospital staff, the firefighters and the policemen.

1. shrill /~r1l/ (adj) (veà aâm thanh, gioïng noùi, v.v…) rít leân, nhöùc oùc, choùi tai 2. go off /96$ 4f/ (v) vang leân 3. summon /'s^m6n/ (v) goïi ñeán, trieäu taäp 4. firefighter /'fa16fa1t6(r)/ (n) (cuõng fireman) lính cöùu hoûa 5. bandage /'b%nd1d2/ (v) quaán baêng 6. staircase /'ste6ke1s/ (n) caàu thang gaùc 7. sob /s4b/ (v) (khoùc) nöùc nôû, thoån thöùc

74. A FIRE ACCIDENT I HAVE WITNESSED MOÄT VUÏ HOÛA HOAÏN TOÂI ÑAÕ CHÖÙNG KIEÁN Fires are mainly caused by carelessness on the part of the occupants1 of a house, factory, office or a shop. Sometimes, fire can be caused by electrical short circuit2 or lightning.

Last week, I visited my friend in Jurong. There I had the opportunity to witness a terrible fire which gutted3 almost the entire row of small factories. It was around 8 pm, my friend and I were practising our guitars for the forthcoming music competition.

Suddenly, we were attracted by shouts and sirens. There were also cries of distress. We rushed out of the house and saw a huge fire engulfing the factory situated some four hundred metres from our block.

With horror filled eyes, my friend and I ran towards the place. We saw a plastic factory on fire and the workers were helpless. By then, a big crowd had gathered and nobody could do anything but to express sorrow. Within minutes of our arrival at the scene, several fire engines arrived. It was a tragic4 event which I cannot easily forget. I saw fear and panic everywhere.

The firemen were engaged5 in a heroic battle with raging6 fire. They seemed helpless as the jets of water from the hoses were not able to control the fire. The firemen struggled for nearly six hours before the fire was subdued.7 By then nearly four factories were completedly gutted.

I will never forget this fire incident.

1. occupant /'4kj$p6nt/ (n) ngöôøi ôû moät ngoâi nhaø, hoaëc sôû höõu vaø cö nguï treân moät thöûa ñaát 2. short circuit /'s3:k1t/ (n) ñoaûn maïch 3. gut /9^t/ (v) phaù huûy beân trong hoaëc ñoà ñaïc cuûa (nhaø cöûa, xí nghieäp, v.v…)

4. tragic /'tr%d21k/ (adj) bi thaûm 5. engage (in) /1n'9e1d2/ (v) (laøm cho moät ngöôøi) tham gia vaøo moät vieäc 6. raging /'re1d217/ (adj) döõ doäi 7. subdue /s6b'dju:/ (v) khuaát phuïc, chinh phuïc

75. A EMBARRASSING1 MOMENT GIAÂY PHUÙT BOÁI ROÁI I could recall an event which happened four years ago. My father gave me a hundred dollars, for the good grades I scored in my P.S.L.E.. To enjoy it, I invited some of my closest friends to a restaurant for a meal.

At the restaurant, I asked my friends to order2 as much as they liked. The food was delicious, the service was efficient and the food was served fast. All of us began to eat.

We ate, talked and laughed at the jokes we made in school.

After we had finished our food, the waiter brought us the bill. I opened my purse to take out the money. To my surprise I found my money missing. Only then I realised that I had left the money at home. I was in such a hurry that I had forgotten to put the money in my purse. I wanted to borrow the money from my friends, but none of them could help me. They had brought only enough money for bus fare.3 I told the waiter that I had forgotten to bring my money. The waiter was very angry and told me to see the manager. The manager was a kind gentleman. He allowed me to go home and get the money, but I had to leave my identity card4 with him. I immediately telephoned my sister and told her to bring the money to the restaurant. Ever since that day I have stopped patronising5 the restaurant. I am afraid that some of the waiters might remember my face. I was the most embrarrasing moment in my life.

1. embarrassing /1m'b%r6s17/ (adj) gaây luùng tuùng, gaây boái roái 2. order /'0:d6(r)/ (v) goïi moùn aên 3. fare /fe6(r)/ (n) tieàn xe, tieàn ñoø, tieàn veù 4. identify card /a1'dent6t1 k@:d/ (n) theû caên cöôùc, giaáy chöùng minh nhaân daân 5. patronise /'p%tr6na1z/ (v) lui tôùi thöôøng xuyeân

76. A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE MOÄT KINH NGHIEÄM ÑAÙNG SÔÏ It was almost midnight. I was going home on a bus. There was only one other passenger - a middle-aged man.

I leaned1 back on my seat and closed my eyes, enjoying the cool night breeze.

Suddenly, I felt a tap2 on my shoulder. I turned around and found the other passenger grinning3 at me. The man looked rosy in the cheeks and reeked4 of liquor. He was drunk !

Before I knew it, he started running his fingers through my hair. I was terrified. The next moment, he sat himself beside me. The bus-driver seemed too preoccupied5 with driving to notice what was happening.

The man looked angry suddenly and began to talk loudly. I was at my wits' end6 and wished that I had not stayed out so late. Finally, I plucked up courage7 and rushed to a seat near the driver so that he could help me should anything happen. Luckily the man did not follow me.

After some time, the bus reached my housing estate. Before I alighted from the bus, I stole a glance at the drunk man. He was fast asleep. I was thankful that I was not harmed. However, I was badly frightened and made up my mind never to travel at late hours without company again.

1. lean /li:n/ (v) ôû trong tö theá nghieâng, cuùi 2. tap /t%p/ (n) caùi voã nheï, caùi ñaäp nheï 3. grin /9r1n/ (v) cöôøi nhe raêng, cöôøi toe toeùt 4. reek /ri:k/ (v) coù muøi noàng naëc 5. preoccupy /pri:'4kj$pa1/ (v) thu huùt taâm trí ai 6. be at one's wits'end (idm) khoâng bieát phaûi laøm gì• 7. pluck up courage /pl^k ^p 'k^r1d2/ (idm) laáy heát can ñaûm

77. LOST IN A STRANGE PLACE BÒ LAÏC ÔÛ MOÄT NÔI XA LAÏ During my school holidays, I went to stay with my cousin's family in Penang for a week.

They live in a hut in a kampong.1 One fine morning, my cousin, Andy, and I went to fish in a stream near the outskirts2 of the kampong. Andy caught a lot of fishes. I was not as lucky and decided to move further upstream to try another fishing spot. I managed to catch many small fishes there.

When I went back to look for Andy, he was nowhere to be found. Thinking that he might have moved downstream,3 I followed the stream to look for him.

After some time, I realized that I had lost my way. I began to panic when I could not even find a public telephone to make a call. At that moment, I saw a signpost with a Malay word "Polis".

"Perhaps it means 'Police'," I thought and ran quickly in that direction.

I was right. Ahead was a police-post. I told the policemen what had happened. They listened patiently to my description of my cousin's kampong. Then one of the policemen brought me back to my cousin's hut. How glad I was to find myself safe with my relatives again. It was certainly horrifying to have lost my way in a strange place.

1. kampong /'k%mp47/ (n) ngoâi laøng 2. outskirts /'a$tsk3:ts/ (n) ngoaïi oâ 3. downstream /da$ns'tri:m/ (adv) xuoâi doøng ≠ upstream /^p'stri:m/ (adv) ngöôïc doøng

78. AN UNLUCKY INCIDENT MOÄT SÖÏ COÁ RUÛI RO I am a healthy person and do not normally fall ill. My baby sister is often ill. My parents and grandparents are all deeply concerned1 about her health and take great care of her.

She goes to bed early. We have to turn down the television and lower our voices so that she gets a good night's sleep.

My uncle, my aunt and my two cousins came from Malaysia as our guests during the school holidays. We had planned to have a small party followed by a movie by my favourite actor, Sylvester Stallone. We were playing till 10 pm and my mother asked me to take my cousins to my bed room.

Next day when my mother woke me up, I did not feel like getting up. I had a slight headache. Mother felt my forehead and found that I was having a fever. How sad I was !

All our plans were upset.2 I did not like the pitiable stares of others, in particular, from my cousins. My mother brought me milk and porridge.3 She asked my brother and my cousins to leave me alone. She asked my cousins not to play the hi-fi stereo as I needed complete rest.

It was indeed a boring time lying in bed. Little did I know that the day would be so long.

Soon my temperature started to rise and I felt hot and restless. My head started to get heavy. It was really troublesome. To make matters worse my brother and my cousins were preparing to go to the movie. The worst part was not being able to enjoy the feast my mother was preparing for the guests. I was ordered to live on a liquid diet and pills and tablets. In frustration I spent the whole day in bed.

Luckily, the temperature was back to normal. I promised myself that I shall not allow myself to fall ill again.

1. concerned (about) /k6n's3:nd/ (adj) lo aâu, baên khoaên 2. upset /^p'set/ (v) ñaûo loän, xaùo troän 3. porridge /'p4r1d2/ (n) chaùo ñaëc

79. INCIDENT IN A SLEEPLESS NIGHT VIEÄC XAÛY RA TRONG MOÄT ÑEÂM KHOÂNG NGUÛ It was a hot night and I could not sleep, I got up and looked out of the window. The sky was very beautiful to look at. There was half-moon in the west and many stars were burning bright in the firmament.1 While being absorbed2 in this lovely night scence, I became aware of a moaning sound from the next flat. I listened for a while. I thought at first that somebody there was snoring or crying in his dream. But no, it was distinctly3 a moaning sound. It was soon followed by other sounds. They were of people talking loudly. I could not make out4 as to what they were talking.

The quarreling noise increased. Now and then, I could identify a voice that appeared to be begging. Very soon, I heard the noise of blows and a shrill cry of a woman. Still I hesitated to move out of my cozy5 bed to see what the matter was. The neighbour was only an acquaintance of mine and at that hour of the night I was reluctant to go and interfere.

While my thoughts were running along that strain,6 I heard a sudden crash, as though something heavy had fallen. This was followed by a fearful shriek, and then silence followed. I feared something horrible had happened. So, I went to the neighbour's door and knocked at it. It was opened by my neighbour, who appeared a picture of dismay7 and bewilderment.8 After some excuses I enquired of him what the matter was.

He took me in and showed me a scene. There lay his wife curled up9 on her bed. One or two chairs had been turned upside down. Things were in a disarray.10 The neighbour showed me the chairs. After seating himself, he told me that his wife had been a hysterical11 patient and would now and then create scenes in the night. The voices had been theirs when he had tried to quieten her. She had pushed the chairs which had caused the crash. And after shrieking, she lay down in a swoon.12 It was a frequent occurrence. While I sought his excuse for disturbing him, he begged my pardon for having disturbed my peace at night. I bade him goodnight and returned to my room.

1. firmament /'f3:m6m6nt/ (n) baàu trôøi 2. absorbed /6b's0:bd/ (adj) thu huùt söï chuù yù hoaøn toaøn, meâ maûi 3. distinct /d1'st17kt/ (adj) rieâng bieät, roõ raøng - distinctly /-l1/ (adv) 4. make out /'me1ka$t/ (v) hieåu, nhaän ra 5. cozy /'k6$z1/ (adj) aám aùp vaø thoaûi maùi 6. strain /stre1n/ (n) tình traïng caêng thaúng 7. dismay /d1s'me1/ (n) caûm giaùc choaùng vaùng vaø maát tinh thaàn 8. bewilderment /b1'w1ld6m6nt/ (n) traïng thaùi boái roái, luùng tuùng 9. curl up /k3:l ^p/ (v) cuoän troøn 10. disarray /d1s6're1/ (n) traïng thaùi loän xoän, maát traät töï 11. hysterical /h1s'ter1kl/ (adj) ôû vaøo traïng thaùi cuoàng loaïn gaây ra bôûi chöùng icteri 12. swoon /swu:n/ (n) tình traïng ngaát ñi

80. AN AIR ACCIDENT MOÄT TAI NAÏN MAÙY BAY The air hostess announced that all passengers should fasten1 their seat belts and hold on firmly to their chairs. She tried her best to assure us that everything would be all right.

However, her efforts at calming the panic-stricken2 passengers were in vain.

The passengers had themselves seen the sudden appearance of dark clouds and heard the sound of heavy rain pattering3 ferociously4 on the aircraft so much so that children and women were harshly thrown from side to side.

The aircraft was then zooming down almost perpendicular5 to the ground. Eerie,6 hysterical cries could be heard from almost every corner of the aircraft. The lights suddenly went off and the aircraft spinned7 rapidly. Then, there was a tremendous explosion that put a sudden end to the cries of woe.8 The aircraft had crashed9 in a deep valley between two block mountains.

I woke up near a tree and was rudely reminded of the tragic happening by the terrible sight of blood and badly disfigured, hardly recognizable bodies. There was not even the slightest sign of life. The wreckage10 extended over a large area, the sight of which made me feel sick. I was tortured by hunger, thirst and fear of death. I managed to carry myself up and walk laboriously with my sore feet. The walk seemed to be endless and I was then dizzy11 with exhaustion.

The sight of a small village on the hillslope12 made me rub my eyes in disbelieve. I saw a woman fetching water from the well and I quickened my steps towards her. Before I even reached her, I fell down unconscious. When I woke up, I found myself lying here, on this very bed.

1. fasten /'f%sn/ (v) buoäc chaët 2. panic-stricken /,p%n1k 'str1kn/ (adj) trong traïng thaùi hoaûng sôï, kinh haõi 3. patter /'p%t6(r)/ (v) keâu loäp coäp, rôi loäp ñoäp 4. ferocious /f6'r6$~6s/ (adj) döõ doäi - ferociously /-l1/ (adv) 5. perpendicular /p3:p6n'd1kj$l6(r)/ (adj) vuoâng goùc, thaúng ñöùng 6. eerie /'16r1/ (adj) sôï haõi 7. spin /sp1n/ (v) quay troøn, loän voøng 8. woe /w6$2/ (n) noåi thoáng khoå lôùn - a cry of woe : tieáng keâu khoùc thaûm thieát 9. crash /kr%~/ (v) va, ñuïng, ñaâm vaøo 10. wreckage /'rek1d2/ (n) maûnh vuïn, vaät ñoå naùt 11. dizzy /'d1z1/ (adj) choùng maët, choaùng vaùng 12. hillslope /'h1lsl6$p/ (n) söôøn ñoài

81. A FREAK1 ACCIDENT MOÄT TAI NAÏN KYØ DÒ I sat on the back seat of the bus with a couple of friends. We were on our way to school.

It was early morning and the cool air hitting against my face was very refreshing.

Slowly the old amber-coloured bus made its way towards the main road that led to our school. The driver stopped the bus at the junction2 as the lights were red. We waited for the lights to change.

Suddenly the bus lurched3 to one side ! I literally saw school-children in front of me float up in the air for a split-second. The next moment we were all either on the floor of the bus or desperately clinging4 to our seats. I was one of the former. What happened ?

For a few seconds, there was pandemonium5 in the bus. I could hear screaming and yelling. I tried to stand up but I found it difficult. Then I realized that the bus was aslant6 at such an angle that we were almost stacked7 against the right side of the bus.

Then we heard the bus driver shouting at us to get out. We scrambled out through all available exits including the windows. Schoolchildren are pretty agile.8 So, soon all of us were out of the bus.

We stood on the road and gaped9 at the sight before us. The bus had fallen into a huge hole ! Well, most of the right front end of the bus anyway, for there right in front of us was a huge hole of about 2 metres diameter and a metre deep !

The right front wheel of the bus was right smack in the hole while the rest of the bus hung precariously at the edge.

Miraculously,10 except for a few bruises, none of us was badly hurt. The driver was worst off. He lost a tooth when he hit his face against the steering wheel.

How did the bus fall into a hole while standing still ? The only answer must be that the road underneath the bus must have given way.

Closer examination of the hole showed that it was actually part of an underground drain.

The collapsed part must have been weakened through prolonged use and it was just our luck that it gave way when we were on top of it. What a freak accident it was!

Anyway, we waited patiently while a passerby called for a towtruck via his mobile telephone. After half an hour it arrived and soon the bus was standing on firm ground again.

We climbed in and in a while we arrived at our school. We were late, but we had a good reason to tell our teachers. As for the driver, he had to pay a visit to his dentist.

1. freak /fri:k/ (n) haønh ñoäng hay söï kieän raát khaùc thöôøng 2. junction /'d2^k~n/ (n) giao loä 3. lurch /l3:t~/ (v) nghieâng hoaëc laên ñoät ngoät 4. cling /kl17/ (v) baùm chaët vaøo (ai / caùi gì) 5. pandemonium /p%nd1'm6$n16m/ (n) söï hoãn loaïn vaø huyeân naùo 6. aslant /6'sl@:nt/ (adv) theo moät höôùng xieân hoaëc cheùo qua 7. stack /st%k/ (v) xeáp thaønh cuïm, choàng leân nhau 8. agile /'%d2a1l/ (adj) nhanh nheïn, lanh lôïi 9. gape /9e1p/ (v) haù hoác moàm nhìn chaèm chaèm 10. miraculous /m1'r%kj$l6s/ (adj) kyø laï, nhö coù pheùp thaàn - miraculously /-l1/ (adv)

82. ACCIDENT IN THE LABORATORY TAI NAÏN TRONG PHOØNG THÍ NGHIEÄM After classes on Monday, we are passing near the chemistry laboratory when we saw a strange figure1 running out of the chemistry lab. The stranger was tall with stooping2 shoulders. His hair was below his dirty shirt collar. The left leg of his dark blue jeans was rolled up to his knees.

At first we thought that he was Mr. Tan, the laboratory assistant, but he was too shabbily dressed to be Mr. Tan. While we were deciding who he was, we suddenly heard an explosion in the lab. Without second thoughts, we rushed into the lab to investigate.3 We were greeted by thick black smoke when we opened the door of the lab. We covered our mouths and noses with our handkerchiefs and with much difficulty, found the source of the fire.

The three litre can of kerosene was undoubtedly the fire initiator.4 We took the little pails5 at the corner of the lab to put out6 the fire. While we were struggling with this little fire-fighting, we were rudely interrupted by a series of loud explosions behind us.

We turned around and to our horror we saw flames near the front door and also the small fire exit by the left side of the lab.

We were trapped and the only way of escaping was through the narrow windows which were barred7 with thick wire. We realized the hopelessness of the situation as we were completely engulfed in thick fumes and smoke. The acid compartment8 of the cabinet exploded and also caught fire. The smell was unbearable.

In between desperate gasps9 of breath, we shouted for help. In a few minutes we heard the windows being broken. Then excited voices were heard outside. We could not see even our own hands which were held in front of your eyes, let alone the crowd which must have already gathered outside.

Our hearts beat vigorously as we waited patiently to be rescued. We controlled our breaths and tried not to inhale much of the possibly poisonous fumes. Then, before we realized it, we were pulled out of the lab, through the windows by fire-fighters.

Now that I'm feeling better, I can recall that my friends and I have seen the man, possibly the culprit, loitering in the canteen outside during the break. We really hope that the man can be traced10 and proper action be taken against him.

1. figure /'f196(r)/ (n) hình daùng con ngöôøi 2. stoop /stu:p/ (v) khoøm xuoáng, gaäp xuoáng veà phía tröôùc 3. investigate /1n'vest19e1t/ (v) khaùm phaù vaø kieåm tra (taát caû söï kieän veà caùi gì) ñeå tìm ra söï thaät 4. initiator /1'n1~1e1t6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi (vaät) khôûi xöôùng, khôûi ñaàu 5. pail /pe1l/ (n) caùi xoâ 6. put out /p$t a$t/ (v) daäp taét (ngoïn löûa, v.v…)

7. bar /b@:/ (v) caùi then (cöûa, coång) 8. compartment /k6m'p@:tm6nt/ (n) buoàng, ngaên, gian 9. gasp /9%sp/ (n) söï hít hôi daøi vaø nhanh 10. trace /tre1s/ (v) tìm ra daáu veát, truy nguyeân

83. CLASS DUTY TRÖÏC NHAÄT Today, I went to school earlier than usual. When I stepped into the classroom, my two classmates, Jason and Xiaoqiang, were already there. The other classmates had not come in yet and this was the best time for us to do our class duty.

We divided our workload accordingly. I was put in charge1 of sweeping2 the floor, so I stacked the chairs on the tables to make the job easier. After sweeping the floor. I took down the chairs and arranged the tables. Meanwhile, Jason and Xiaoqiang dusted the top of the cupboards with feather-dusters. They also used damp3 rags4 to wipe the windows and the blackboard. After we had completed our jobs, the classroom looked spick and span.

Besides the morning cleaning, the three of us also had to run errands5for our teachers that day. We took turns to carry books for them. In between classes, we also made sure that the blackboard was clean before the next teacher came in.

At the end of the day, our form teacher praised us for doing a good job. We were very proud of ourselves. We felt that it was worth the effort to wake up a little earlier to do our part for the class.

1. in charge /1n t~@:d2/ (idm) phuï traùch, chòu traùch nhieäm 2. sweep /swi:p/ (v) queùt (buïi, raùc, v.v…)

3. damp /d%mp/ (adj) öôùt, aåm öôùt 4. rag /r%9/ (n) gieû, gieû raùch 5. run errands /r^n 'er6nds/ (idm) chaïy vieäc vaët

84. A WEEK BEFORE EXAMINATION MOÄT TUAÀN TRÖÔÙC KYØ THI Sundays are generally a fixed routine determined by the TV programmes. But the last Sunday before the examinations was completely different. Of all the subjects, English and Mathematics are the ones I fear most. I was determined not to waste the Sunday before the exam and to spend the day on revision.1 I set the alarm clock at 4.30 am so that I can get up early and start my revision. But the alarm did not ring and I got up very late. So I had to choose between English and Mathematics for I was not worried about English. So I started on the Mathematics problems, and I was stuck on my seventh problem. I was still trying to solve the problem when I heard commotion2 at the front hall. My uncle has come with his family. My room door burst open and my cousins came barging3 in. They sat in the side of the bed and they started asking questions. My mother asked me to take my counsins to the market. I went out in anger. It was almost lunchtime when I started again.

My cousins pestered4 me to take them around. I had no choice but to be obliged5 and completely wasted all my time until the evening. I had some spare time after dinner. I was still stuck with the seventh problem. In desperation,6 I threw away the book. The sound must have jolted everyone and my uncle came in, sensing my inability, he patiently explained the problem. I could not continue further due to shame and anger.

Thus the whole Sunday was totally wasted. Instead I could have watched television and played with my cousins. I have lost both.

1. revision /r1'v12n/ (n) söï oân laïi 2. commotion /k6'm6$~n/ (n) söï chaán ñoäng, söï huyeân naùo 3. barge /b@:d2/ (v) xoâng böøa vaøo, xen vaøo moät caùch thoâ loã 4. pester /'pest6(r)/ (v) laøm phieàn, quaáy raày baèng nhöõng ñoøi hoûi lieân tuïc 5. oblige /6'bla1d2/ (v) baét buoäc, cöôõng baùch 6. desperation /desp6're1~n/ (n) traïng thaùi tuyeät voïng

85. THE DAY I WAS SICK NGAØY TOÂI NGAÕ BEÄNH I was completely drenched in the heavy downpour. When I reached home, I sneezed1 continuously and shivered2 with cold. That night, I felt weak and feverish.

The next morning, I did not go to school. My mother brought me to the doctor. He said I had the flu3 and gave me an injection4 to speed up recovery. He also prescribed5 some big white tablets for me. I was advised to drink more water, take more fresh fruits and have plenty of rest.

When I reached home, I went straight to bed. I felt so weak that my mother had to carry my meals and medicine to my bed. For lunch, my mother made me a light soup to go with some bread. She also peeled an orange for me. After the simple but nutritious6 meal, I slept the whole afternoon away.

My best friend, Sufen, called me in the evening. She sounded concerned and asked me to get better soon. She also told me some of the funny things that happened in school that day to cheer me up.

That night, I felt much better. "Perhaps I can go back to school tomorrow," I thought before falling asleep.

1. sneeze /sni:z/ (v) haét hôi 2. shiver /'~1v6(r)/ (v) run (do laïnh hoaëc sôï haõi) 3. flu /flu:/ (n) (= influenza) beänh cuùm 4. injection /1n'd2ek~n/ (n) vieäc tieâm thuoác 5. prescribe /pr1'skra1b/ (v) keâ toa (thuoác) 6. nutritious /nju:'tr1~6s/ (adj) boå, dinh döôõng

86. THE DAY I WAS LATE FOR SCHOOL NGAØY TOÂI TREÃ HOÏC It was well past midnight but I was still up watching the World Cup Soccer Finals. My mother was away on a tour, so I was free to stay up as late as I liked.

The next morning, even the two alarm clocks ringing loudly did not wake me up ! I finally woke up from a nightmare in which my favourite football team was defeated. It was already eight in the morning ! I jumped out of bed and quickly washed my face.

Then slipping into1 my school uniform, I ran out of the flat.

I ran to school as fast as my legs could carry me. In my haste,2 I tripped3 and fell, bruising my knees. When I finally reached school, I was a sorry sight. Before I could catch my breath to greet my teacher, she asked me, "Who won the World Cup Germany or Argentina ?" The whole class roared with laughter. Weekly, I apologized for being late and added, "Germany won."

I was not allowed to sit for4 the class test because I was too late. I felt ashamed5 of myself and resolved never to stay up so late again.

1. slip into /'sl1p 1nt6/ (v) maëc vaøo thaät nhanh, maëc voäi 2. in haste /he1st/ (idm) moät caùch nhanh choùng voäi vaøng 3. trip /tr1p/ (v) vaáp chaân vaøo caùi gì vaø tröôït hoaëc ngaõ 4. sit for /s1t f6(r)/ (v) tham döï (moät kì thi) 5. (be) ashamed (of) /6'~e1md/ (adj) caûm thaáy hoå theïn

87. THE HAPPIEST DAY IN MY LIFE NGAØY HAÏNH PHUÙC NHAÁT TRONG ÑÔØI TOÂI It was Prize-presentation1 Day. I was chosen to be the model student of the year on the recommendation2 of my teachers and class-mates. I was happy that they thought so well of me.

When I went up the stage to collect the prestigious3 medal and cash award, I was filled with pride and joy. All my teachers and friends congratulated4 me warmly. My parents beamed5 widely. They were very proud of me.

After the prize-giving ceremony, my parents brought me to a 'Toys-R-Us' shop. There, they bought me a remote-controlled6 model aircraft as a reward for being such a good student. I was overjoyed because I had wanted the model for a long time.

In extremely good moods, we proceeded to MacDonalds for dinner. We had Big Macs, french fries, milk-shakes and my favourite, chicken Mcnuggets.

That night, I played with my model aircraft before going to bed. For once, my puppy was allowed to sleep with since it was such a special day. Even the night was filled with sweet dreams. It was probably the happiest day in my life.

1. presentation /prezn'te1~n/ (n) quaø bieáu / taëng trong buoåi leã chính thöùc 2. recommendation /rek6men'de1~n/ (n) söï giôùi thieäu, söï ñeà cöû 3. prestigious /pre'st1d26s/ (adj) coù uy tín, ñem laïi uy tín 4. congratulate /k6n'9r%t~$le1t/ (v) chuùc möøng 5. beam /bi:m/ (v) töôi cöôøi raïng rôõ 6. remote-controlled /r1,m6$t k6n'tr6$ld/ (adj) ñöôïc ñieàu khieån töø xa

88. A DAY WHEN EVERYTHING WENT WRONG NGAØY MOÏI VIEÄC ÑEÀU HOÛNG It was a bright and sunny day. Little did I expect it to be an unlucky one for me.

I went to school early because I was on class duty. I stepped into the classroom and was surprised to find it spick and span.1 I was pleased that I did not have to clean the classroom and went off cheerfully for the flag-raising ceremony. When I returned to my classroom later on, my teacher scolded2 me for not cleaning the classroom. It was then that I realized I had gone into the wrong classroom earlier on. My teacher put me on duty again the next day as punishment.

Just then, the school dental nurse walked into the classroom. To my dismay, I was called up for a dental check-up.

The dentist found a badly decayed3 tooth and pulled it out mercilessly.4 I was close to tears. The dentist advised me to take porridge during recess. However, I ended up scalding5 my tongue because I ate the hot porridge in a hurry.

After school, I missed the bus and reached home later than usual. In the kitchen, I found a note from my mother saying that she had brought my brother to a funfair. They had left without me after much waiting. What hard luck ! I would not want to live through another such day !

1. spick and span /sp1k 6nd sp%n/ (idm) saïch seõ vaø ngaên naép 2. scold /sk6$ld/ (v) raày la, chöûi maéng 3. decayed /d1'ke1d/ (adj) (veà raêng) bò saâu aên 4. merciless /'m3:s1l1s/ (adj) taøn nhaãn, khoâng thöông xoùt 5. scald /sk0:ld/ (v) laøm boûng (baèng chaát loûng soâi hoaëc hôi nöôùc)

89. AN UNLUCKY DAY NGAØY KHOÂNG MAY I woke up with a pain in the back of my neck. I could hardly turn my head. I strained to look at the clock on the table. It showed six fifty. My goodness, I must have overslept. It looked like I would be late for school.

Quickly I ran to the bathroom only to find it occupied. I waited impatiently for another five minutes before my sister appeared. I dashed1 into the bathroom to have a shower.2 My goodness, the water was freezing cold. Those who had their shower before me had used up all the hot water. So I had no choice but to have a really quick cold shower.

After washing up I felt a bit better. I returned to my room to dress up for school. It seemed to take such a long time to dress up when I had to hurry. Finally I managed to and hurried downstairs to the kitchen to grab3 something to eat.

There was nothing but cold coffee and bread crusts left. My greedy brothers and sisters had eaten everything. My mother told me it served me right4 for getting up late. I sighed and got out of the house. I mounted5my bicycle and moved two metres before I realised that I had forgotten my school bag. I dismounted and hurried upstairs to get it. I moved another two metres after remounting the bicycle before I realised I had a flat6 tyre.

It was so infuriating.7 I wanted to scream. My neck hurt, I took a cold shower, had no breakfast and now the tyre had to be flat. But I calmed myself, got down and pushed the bicycle to a shop half a kilometre away.

As though expecting things to turn out wrong, I was not surprised to find the shop closed.

It was seven thirty. I was late for school but was too early for the shop to open. So I left the bicycle in front of the shop. They would know that it was my bicycle.

I walked to the bus stand a stone's throw away and waited. The bus came at eight. I was really late for school.

When I finally arrived at school, classes were in full session. In fact the first period was over. The headmaster caught me coming late and gave me a terrific scolding, but I was in no mood to argue. I just wanted to get to class.

I entered my class when the mathematics teacher was there. I received another scolding for being late. Five minutes later I received yet another for forgetting to bring my instrument box. Of all days, we were having geometry8 and I had no intruments. So I spent the period watching the others do their sums.

The rest of the day in school was one big mess. I could not concentrate. I sort of9 went through the lessons half-aware of them. When the bell finally rang to signal the end of the day I was so glad to go home.

However that was not the end yet.

After lunch I wanted to take a nap, but I could not get to sleep because of the pain in my neck. So I tossed and turned which made the pain worse. Finally I gave up and went into the garden to relax.

Evening came and I did not even bother to go and play games. I just wanted to have dinner and go to bed.

After what seemed to be a long wait my sister told me dinner was ready. I had a quick dinner as I did not have an appetite. After dinner I rested for a while, had a shower and

then went to bed. It was not even nine yet but I was so glad to get into bed and let sleep embrace me. It had been a hard day when nothing went right.

1. dash (into) /d%~/ (v) xoâng vaøo, lao vaøo 2. shower /'~a$6(r)/ (n) vieäc taém döôùi voøi hoa sen 3. grab /9r%b/ (v) coù hoaëc laáy (caùi gì) moät caùch voäi vaõ 4. serve sb right (idm) ñaùng ñôøi ai 5. mount /ma$nt/ (v) leo leân, treøo leân ≠ dismount /d1s'ma$nt/ (v) leo xuoáng 6. flat /fl%t/ (adj) (veà loáp xe) bò xeïp 7. infuriating /1n'fj$6r1e1t17/ (adj) laøm noåi giaän ñieân ngöôøi 8. geometry /d21'4m6tr1/ (n) moân hình hoïc 9. sort of /s0:t 6v/ (idm) ôû chöøng möïc naøo ñoù

90. A DAY I SPENT IN STRANGE SURROUNDINGS MOÄT NGAØY TRONG MOÂI TRÖÔØNG XA LAÏ I have a cousin, Brian, who is a writer for a newspaper in Kuala Lumpur. Last year when I visited him, he told me that he had an assignment1 to write about life in a remote village in the national forest reserve in Pahang. He challenged2 me, a city boy, to accompany him and experience a day in totally unfamiliar surroundings.

We drove to a small town where we boarded a boat for the ride down the river. The boat was a long one with just a few seats. Most of the passengers sat on the floor.

The journey was a thrilling adventure. The boat had to pass through a number of rapids, and at certain points the boatman used a long pole to steer it. Brian and I were obviously excited but the other passengers took it in a casual, even bored, way. To them, it was an usual occurrance. "They have to take this journey every time they need to go to town.

Look at you, you have the MRT and you complain if the journey is longer than 40 minutes !" Brian teased3 me.

After three hours in the boat, we reached our destination. After getting off at the pier, the first building that we saw was the village shop. Actually, it was a small shop crammed with canned and dry food. Brian chatted with the owner and we found out that the shop was also the only place in the village where people buy their stamps and newspapers. However the postal service and the newspaper delivery came only once a week.

He then showed us the direction to the headman's house. The headman's name was Tok Kassim. When we found his house, he invited us in and told us stories about himself and his village. Then he took us for a tour around the village. Since bicycle was the only form of transport, people walked from place to place.

The village was very peaceful and green. The river was the focal4 place of the villagers.

We saw people fishing in the river and women washing their clothes there. But what struck me most was the way the children enjoyed it. They swam in it, and they rode in rafts5 which they put together from bamboo poles.

Tok Kassim recounted6 the time when his father and the other villagers rebelled against British rule. The river was often the battlefront between the two opponents. He talked about the river as though it was an old friend. He explained how it had seen them through the worst of times like the starvation7 they experienced during the Japanese occupation of Malaya, and how the river has helped them throughout their lives.

That night we had a wonderful dinner at Tok Kassim's house. Many of the villagers came and brought some food. A neighbour even brought fresh money still attached to pieces of honeycomb. It was one of the most natural food I have ever tasted.

The next morning, we left on the boat. During the journey, I thought about how strange the life of this village and the surroundings seemd to me and my friends in Singapore.

Despite the simplicity of their lives, they are strong people who could weather bad times.

But most of all, while we talk about "green" living, these people are quietly practising it.

1. assignment /6'sa1nm6nt/ (n) nhieäm vuï ñöôïc giao 2. challenge /'t~%l1nd2/ (v) thaùch, thaùch thöùc 3. tease /ti:z/ (v) choøng gheïo, treâu choïc 4. focal /'f6$kl/ (adj) thuoäc veà hoaëc vò trí tieâu ñieåm 5. raft /r@:ft/ (n) beø, maûng 6. recount /r1'ka$nt/ (v) thuaät laïi, keå laïi 7. starvation /st@:'ve1~n/ (n) söï ñoùi, söï cheát ñoùi

91. A SMALL QUARREL MOÄT CUOÄC TRANH CAÕI NHOÛ NHAËT People these days are become quite quarrelsome. They have very little tolerance1 and small incidents which should be accepted with a smile can make them lose their tempers. Quarrelling have become more and frequent. I have personally witnessed a quarrel.

My friends and I were at the park. There was also a small field for the children. I saw two boys quarrelling over a ball. I tried to stop them, to my surprise I saw two ladies approaching, I thought they were going to thank me for having stopped the boys from quarrelling. Instead of thanking me and take their kids home, they started quarrelling themselves. They started screaming at each other.

The passers-by were astounded and soon gathered around, none tried to stop them.

Instead some added fuel to the fire2 by their comments. Soon they seemed to be exhausted by their verbal warfare and were about to exchange blows when suddenly two policemen appeared.

The policemen refused to listen and in their authoritative manner, silenced the both of them. The police questioned them about the fight. To everyone's surprise, they pointed to me as the witness and alleged3 that one of the boys had taken the other's ball. The policemen looked at me for an answer. I tried to explain that I was in no way concerned.

Suddenly one of the policeman pointed at the two boys who were now playing happily and not paying much attention to what was going nearby. The two women were ashamed of themselves and left immediately.

1. tolerance /'t4l6r6ns/ (n) söï chòu ñöïng, söï dung thöù 2. add fuel to the fire (idm) chaâm daàu vaøo löûa, noùi voâ laøm ngöôøi ta phaûn öùng maïnh meõ hôn 3. allege /6'led2/ (v) tuyeân boá (caùi gì) laø söï thaät nhöng khoâng chöùng minh

92. A QUARREL AMONG FRIENDS VUÏ CAÕI COÏ GIÖÕA BAÏN BEØ I saw John and Rajoo shouting at each other near the school field. A few students had gathered around them. I walked towards them so that I could find out what was happening.

John appeared to be more angry than Rajoo. He kept saying that his composition was the better one, and that it was not fair. Whenever John shouted at him, Rajoo also lost his patience and shouted back. He said that John was a bad loser.

After listening for a while, I gathered that the argument was about the prize for the best English composition in class. Rajoo had won it. But John felt that his composition was better and that Rajoo had won it because he was the favourite of Miss Chan, the English teacher. Of course, Rajoo denied1 this and was angry at John for making the accusation.2 Their argument grew louder and a student called Miss Chan to the scene. When she arrived, she scolded them for making such a commotion, and asked them what was the argument about. When they had finished explaining, she turned to John and told him that his accusation was unfair.3 There were two other teachers besides Miss Chan who judged the compositions. John's composition was a close second to Rajoo's.

Ms Chan added that they were both good students and that she was proud of them.

Rajoo's winning composition would appear in the yearbook representing the class. Since John's composition was very good, she would try to include his in the yearbook as well.

Both boys seemed to accept Miss Chan's explanation. John then apologised to Rajoo for shouting at him. Rajoo accepted his apology and offered his hand. John grasped4 it and, with friendly smiles on their faces, they shook hands.

1. deny /d1'na1/ (v) phuû nhaän, töø choái 2. accusation /%kju:'ze1~n/ (n) söï buoäc toäi 3. unfair /^n'fe6(r)/ (adj) khoâng coâng baèng, baát coâng 4. grasp /9r@:sp/ (v) naém chaët laáy (baèng tay, v.v…)

93. MY EXPERIENCE IN RIDING A BICYCLE KINH NGHIEÄM CHAÏY XE ÑAÏP CUÛA TOÂI I have a memorable experience when I was five years old. My father bought for me a medium sized learner's bicycle, with two side wheels. I was very happy. For a year, I practised every morning and evening. But, after that I envied1 other boys who could ride their bicycles without the two side wheels. I wanted to be able to ride a normal bicycle.

So one day, I asked my father to remove2 the side wheels.

At first, he hesitated,3 fearing I might fall and get myself injured.4 I was his only child.

But my mother persuaded and nagged5 him everyday. Finally, but reluctantly he removed the side wheels for me. Initially, my father hold the seat, I had nothing to worry about. As I started to pedal,6 the wheels responded beautifully, I was thrilled7 and I kept pedalling for quite a distance. Suddenly, I realised that my father was not beside me. I pressed the brakes and I fell on my side. My father started laughing and came running towards me. He helped me up and asked me to try again, I tried and slowly I gained confidence. But I was only able to move straight.

Within a week of continuous practice, I was able to pedal without help. The feeling of achievement was so immense that my heart was filled with pride and joy. In two weeks, I was able to ride my bicycle with the other boys.

I had many falls, but they were worth it. Now I can ride my bicycle well and have no fear at all. I am now eagerly looking forward to the day when I can ride my own motorcycle.

1. envy /'env1/ (v) ganh tî 2. remove /r1'mu:v/ (v) thaùo ra 3. hesitate /hez1'te1t/ (v) ngaàn ngöø, do döï 4. injured /'1nd26d/ (adj) bò thöông, bò toån thöông 5. nag /n%9/ (v) quaáy raày (ai) lieân tuïc 6. pedal /'pedl/ (v) ñaïp (baèng baøn ñaïp) 7. thrilled /8r1ld/ (adj) xuùc ñoäng, hoài hoäp

94. MY FIRST AIR TRAVEL CHUYEÁN DU LÒCH BAÈNG MAÙY BAY ÑAÀU TIEÂN CUÛA TOÂI My first experience in air travel was at the age of nine. My father and mother were planning the trip. When I asked them where we were going, they told me that we are all going to Hongkong by flight. I was so excited and waited nervously for the day of departure.

It was a Wednesday. My father had booked1 three tickets on the Singapore Airlines flight to Hongkong. The flight was leaving at noon. We arrived at Changi airport around 10 a.m. to check in our luggage and confirm2 our seats. We completed the routine check up and passed the brightly lit duty free shops to board our plane. The air hostess smiled and said "hello" and directed us to our seats. It was a Bigtop aircraft and I occupied the window seat. All seats were soon occupied and the air hostess demonstrated3 the emergency procedures.4 In the meantime5 the aircraft started to move along the runway. We checked whether we had fastened our seat belts. Then the aircraft started to take off6 at high speed. As I looked through the window I saw the beautiful landscape, houses, cars and ships became very tiny within minutes that we were airborne.

In about fifteen minutes we were invited to undo our seat belts. The air hostess served us drinks. I looked outside and I could see nothing but clouds. In a short while, they served a delicious lunch. The air hostesses were nice and polite. I was just simply enjoying every moment of my first air travel. More than three hours passed before the plane began to descend. We were asked to fasten our seat belts once again. Suddenly the plane began to shudder7 mildly. My father told me it is due to air turbulence8 and there was nothing to worry. In a few minutes I was able to see the magnificent view of Hongkong's coastline and the sea. All of a sudden the building looked very near and in no time the flight landed smoothly at Kai Tak airport. The plane finally parked at the end of the runway and we disembarked.9 My first experience on a plane was a memorable one which I shall never forget.

1. book /b$k/ (v) mua tröôùc (veù, v.v…)

2. confirm /k6n'f3:m/ (v) khaúng ñònh, xaùc nhaän 3. demonstrate /'dem6nstre1t/ (v) trình baøy vaø giaûi thích (caùch vaän haønh cuûa caùi gì, v.v…)

4. procedure /pr6'si:d26(r)/ (n) thuû tuïc 5. in the meantime /mi:nta1m/ (idm) trong luùc ñoù 6. take off /te1k 4f/ (v) caát caùnh 7. shudder /'~^d6(r)/ (v) laéc, giaät maïnh, rung leân 8. turbulence /'t3:bj$l6ns/ (n) söï nhieãu loaïn (cuûa khoâng khí, nöôùc) 9. disembark /d1s1m'b@:k/ (v) rôøi taøu thuûy hoaëc maùy bay

95. MY FIRST RIDE ON A HORSE CHUYEÁN CÔÕI NGÖÏA LAÀN ÑAÀU CUÛA TOÂI My first ride on a horse dispelled1 forever whatever previous notions2 I had about riding horses. I had thought that it was easy to ride a horse just like the cowboys on television.

I realised how wrong I was through a rather painful experience.

I was down in Australia visiting my relatives when they decided to take me horse-riding one Sunday. I was thrilled. So we hopped into my cousin's car and headed towards one of the many riding schools on the outskirts of Melbourne.

We managed to book five horses at a riding school. The man in charge asked whether we knew how to ride a horse. Everybody said yes except me. I had never seen a live horse before that time, let alone3 ridden one. The man asked me to mount the smallest one.

I mounted up surprising myself at my ability. I thought I was already an expert. The man gave me the reins4 and said, "Pull the reins to the right to turn right, pull to the left to turn left".

I nodded confidently and took the reins. Next moment I lost the reins as the horse pulled them from my hands. The silly horse had reached down to graze5 on the grass making me lose my grip.6 The man laughed and returned the reins to me.

After a while, my cousins started to move their horses slowly towards a large field. My horse followed. Initially I felt myself wobbling7 a bit but I kept my balance. This was not going to be easy, I thought. How right I was !

Gradually the other horses picked up the pace. My horse followed suit. I felt my bottom bump8 up and down against the saddle.9 Still it was manageable. Soon the bumping became uncomfortable as the horses moved faster and faster.

Suddenly I saw my cousins begin to gallop10 their horses. I wanted to protest11 for I was definitely losing control of my horse. Before any words left my mouth the silly horse of mine began galloping too. I hung on for dear life12 as I was bounced up and down on the saddle. However hanging on for dear life was not enough. I lost my right stirrup13 and immediately began to slide down the horse's left flank.14 I clutched15 desperately on the horse's mane16 but it was no good. The next moment I fell off the horse.

I landed with a mighty thud17 onto the ground. For a moment all I saw was white clouds against blue sky. Then I realised I was lying flat on the ground. I picked myself up.

Except for being winded a bit, I was otherwise unhurt. I was lucky. I looked around and saw fours riders and five horses galloping into the distance. They did not even know that I had fallen.

I turned around and headed back to the riding school on foot. I had had my share of riding that day. Before I reached the school I heard horses behind me. My cousins had discovered my disappearance and promptly returned to look for me. They laughed loudly at my misfortune but were glad that I was not hurt. They urged me to remount the horse but I declined.18 I told them to carry on without me. Then I took the reins of my horse and led it back to the school.

For the rest of the week I had to rest my sore bottom and aching muscles. My first ride on a horse was certainly an unforgettable one.

1. dispel /d1'spel/ (v) xua tan 2. notion /'n6$~n/ (n) khaùi nieäm, yù nieäm 3. let alone /let 6'l6$n/ (idm) khoâng keå, ñöøng noùi gì ñeán, huoáng chi laø 4. rein /re1n/ (n) daây cöông 5. graze /9re1z/ (v) (veà gia suùc, v.v…) gaëm coû 6. grip /9r1p/ (n) haønh ñoäng naém chaët, giöõ chaët 7. wobble /'w4bl/ (v) laéc lö, laûo ñaûo 8. bump /b^mp/ (n) va chaïm hoaëc ñaäp (boä phaän cuûa cô theå) 9. saddle /'s%dl/ (n) yeân ngöïa 10. gallop /'9%l6p/ (v) (veà ngöïa hay ngöôøi côõi ngöïa) phi nöôùc ñaïi 11. protest /pr6'test/ (v) phaûn khaùng, phaûn ñoái 12. for dear life (idm) thuïc maïng 13. stirrup /'st1r6p/ (n) baøn ñaïp ngöïa 14. flank /fl%7k/ (n) söôøn (vaät hoaëc ngöôøi) 15. clutch /kl^t~/ (v) giöõ chaët laáy trong baøn tay 16. mane /me1n/ (n) bôøm (ngöïa, sö töû, v.v…)

17. thud /8^d/ (n) tieáng thòch, tieáng uîch 18. decline /d1'kla1n/ (v) töø choái

96. A CRUISE1 MOÄT CUOÄC DU NGOAÏN TREÂN BIEÅN It was a sunny day. My father drove the whole family to Clifford pier. We were going on a cruise on board the Equator Dream. My brother and I were very excited as we had never been on a cruise before.

The Equator Dream is a big ship with four storeys. It has a huge dining room and a lounge.2 On the lowest level is a discotheque3 which my father said is not a suitable place for children. On the highest level is a sun deck4 where most people will gather during the day.

We cruised around Singapore. We were served a buffet lunch on board. Then, we went up on the deck to enjoy the sunshine and the sea breeze. The scenery was beautiful.

In the evening, we were treated to a delicious Chinese meal. After dinner, we went to the lounge to chat and laze about. Of course, we also went up on the deck again to look at the captivating5 night scene of Singapore. We could see the lights on the island flickering6 from afar.

Slowly, the lights became larger and brighter. The Equator Dream docked and we disembarked at World Trade Centre. It had been an interesting trip and all of us went home feeling satisfied and happy.

1. cruise /kru:z/ (n) chuyeán daïo chôi treân bieån 2. lounge /la$nd2/ (n) phoøng ngoài chôi coâng coäng (ôû khaùch saïn, caâu laïc boä, v.v…)

3. discotheque /'d1sk6tek/ (n) phoøng nhaûy disco, nôi moïi ngöôøi nhaûy theo caùc ñieäu nhaïc pop treân ñóa haùt, v.v…

4. deck /dek/ (n) boong taøu 5. captivating /'k%pt1ve1t17/ (adj) quyeán ruõ, meâ hoaëc 6. flicker /'fl1k6(r)/ (v) nhaáp nhaùy, laäp loøe

97. A CLASS EXCURSION1 CHUYEÁN ÑI CHÔI CUÛA LÔÙP It was a bright Saturday morning. The school holidays had just begun and my form teacher, Mrs Zhang, had promised to bring the whole class on an excursion to the Botanic Garden.

A bus was chartered2 to take us there. We assembled at school punctually and Mrs Zhang did a head count before we boarded the bus. It was a long way to Botanic Garden and we sang songs merrily on the way.

Soon, we reached our destination. It was a beautiful place. We made a short tour round the garden and snapped3 some pictures of the whole class. We then found a spacious piece of grassland and played some games there. Even Mrs Zhang joined in the fun.

When it was one o'clock, we unpacked the food we brought and tucked into4 the noodles, sandwiches, fruits and barley drink.

In the afternoon, we went to listen to a choral performance by the National Junior College choir at the garden. They sang very well.

All too soon, it was time to leave. However, we cheered when Mrs Zhang promised to bring us on another excursion during the December holidays.

1. excursion /1k'sk3:~n/ (n) cuoäc ñi chôi ngaén ngaøy cuøng vôùi moät nhoùm ngöôøi 2. charter /'t~@:t6(r)/ (v) thueâ (moät phöông tieän vaän chuyeån vì moät muïc ñích ñaëc bieät) 3. snap /sn%p/ (v) chuïp nhanh (moät böùc aûnh) 4. tuck into sth /t^k/ (v) aên (caùi gì) moät caùch ngon laønh, aên ngaáu nghieán

98. A PICNIC MOÄT CUOÄC PICNIC My father came from his office one day and told us that we were going to the nearby island for a picnic. He asked us to guess the island. My brother and I shouted together "Sentosa !" He gave us a smile. He then asked my mother to prepare food for the picnic.

My elder sister, younger brother and I started to plan for the trip. We were so excited that we could hardly sleep that night.

My father took us in his car. He chose Saturday as the island will not be overcrowded.

We arrived at the World Trade Centre and took the cable car to Sentosa. We reached Sentosa cable car station and took a monorail1 to the beach.

Soon after arrival my mother spotted a thick shady tree and spread out a large cloth beneath the tree. She then arranged food and drinks on it. Unable to control our anxiety we started pestering our father to take us for a swim. He gladly accepted, leaving my younger brother in my mother's custody.2 We dashed into the blue waters.

The water was cool and refreshing, we splashed and frolicked in the water. Several people bathing nearby gave cold stares. Sensing their irritation3 at our mischief my father apologized to them and ordered us not to be too naughty.4 My mother was cooling herself lying under the tree feeding my younger brother.

It was nearly an hour, we came out of the water fearing that we may get a sunburn. We applied5 oil lotion over our body and we played in the water for another half an hour.

Meantime my mother had arranged our food and called us up to eat. We realised that we had to stop playing and came out of the water half heartedly.

It was simly too hot by then and after lunch we felt too tired to continue laying. So we helped our mother to pick up our things and prepared to go home.

1. monorail /'m4n6$re1l/ (n) ñöôøng xe löûa moät ray 2. custody /'k^st6d1/ (n) (quyeàn hoaëc nhieäm vuï) coi soùc ai / caùi gì• 3. inrritation /1r1'te1~n/ (n) söï noåi caùu hoaëc chòu 4. naughty /'n0:t1/ (adj) nghòch ngôïm 5. apply /6'pla1/ (v) boâi hoaëc pheát (caùi gì leân caùi gì)

99. AN EXCURSION TO NEARBY ISLANDS CUOÄC ÑI CHÔI ÑEÁN NHÖÕNG HOØN ÑAÛO LAÂN CAÄN Excursions are a part of education. One day we had a pleasant surprise when our teacher told us that we are going on an excursion to the nearby islands around Singapore. The coming Sunday was chosen and we were asked to be at school around 6.30 am. We were very happy and waited eagerly for the day. In the meantime we planned the programme for the trip.

On that day everyone were present as early as 6 o'clock. A bus had been arranged to take us to the World Trade Center pier1 to take the launch for the islands. There was a big crowd of holiday makers buying tickets. But our tickets had been arranged and one launch had already been reserved for us. We all rushed in, I and my friends took seats so that we can have a better view. My teachers cautioned us about the danger of leaning on the boat's rail and looking over the sea. The boat left the pier around 8 am and we enjoyed scenes of huge ships anchored at the harbour and some big tankers in the deep seas.

The boat moved faster into the sea where it was rough. The boat started swinging from side to side. The early morning breeze was so cool and very soon the boat berthed2 at Kusu island, which is known for its Chinese temple. We then had our breakfast and snacks and we wasted no time to explore3 the beach.

We left the island in an hour time and our next stop was St. Johns islands. The sea was clear crystal blue and even at that time we saw many swimmers and some were resting under the tree. Some holiday makers were watching us play and some were irriated by our mischief. We finished our lunch there and our next stops were Pulau Pinane, Sentosa and other islands. Our boat merely passed by the island and we were not allowed to disembark as time was running short.

We returned to the World Trade Centre pier around 5 pm, and quickly the bus took us home.

1. pier /p16(r)/ (n) beán taøu, caàu taøu 2. berth /b3:8/ (v) (veà con taøu) ñeán nôi buoäc, thaû neo 3. explore /1k'spl0:(r)/ (v) thaêm doø, thaùm hieåm

100. AN EVENING IN A LUXURIOUS1 BOAT MOÄT BUOÅI TOÁI TREÂN CHIEÁC THUYEÀN SANG TROÏNG A journey by boat is a pleasant experience, but think of a journey in the most luxurious boat. I had a chance to enjoy such an experience.

My father and his friends decided to go on a cruise with the family. They collected some money between them. The company also paid a share and they booked an evening in the luxury boat named Sealiner. A cruise covering a round trip of Singapore with a dinner and dance was arranged.

The invitation allowed for five members of each family. The boat was to leave around 5 p.m. sharp so we were asked to be at the pier before 4 p.m. Entrance was by invitation only. People started gathering at the quay2 around 4 p.m. One by one, we were allowed inside the boat. Before boarding we were asked to take a lucky number.

The boat left the quay exactly at 5 p.m. Light music was played and the guests were asked to help themselves with the drinks. The boat sailed along the coast and we could see Pulau Pinani, Sentosa and even Johore from the boat. Dance started at around 6 p.m. and the youngsters danced to their heart's content. At about 7.30 p.m, the boat anchored3 in mid sea, and everyone was asked to come to the top deck for a buffet dinner. There were more than ten varieties of delicious food.

When the dinner was over, the boat started to sail again. In the meantime, the lucky numbers were drawn. I won a prize of a hi-fi stereo cassette recorder for my lucky number 12. It was the third prize. The boat arrived at the starting point around 9 p.m. and we went home very happy.

1. luxurious /l^9'2$6r16s/ (adj) sang troïng, loäng laãy 2. quay /ki:/ (n) ke, beán caûng 3. anchor /'%7k6(r)/ (v) thaû neo

101. A JOURNEY BY CAR TO A DISTANT TOWN CUOÄC HAØNH TRÌNH BAÈNG XE HÔI ÑEÁN MOÄT THAØNH PHOÁ XA XOÂI When considering the distance a train journey ought to have been preferred, but my family decided this time to go by car. Our family friend offered his Sedan at our service.

The car was a well-maintained one and could stand the long journey. We wanted to avoid the morning rush on the road and so we started early morning after having tea. All our luggage was packed in and the four of us left. Besides ourselves there was of course the driver.

Even before we were on the road the day was breaking. There was not much traffic on the road, except for stray1 animals and the early risers. We sped along the road for nearly 50 km. We stopped at a hotel where we had a hearty breakfast with hot rolls, cheese, fried eggs and muffins. By the time we left the sun was up and the day was becoming hot. We talked of many things, from the latest film to the forthcoming election2 and many joke to cut the boredom.

Though we were a family we had different views and opinions on a number of things. If one could swear by the hippie cult,3 another could equally speak about the value of transcendental4 meditation.5 It is a wonder that such a disparate6 group could occur in a family.

After sometime we switched over to the cassette player and enjoyed the song, hits of some famous musicians. This invention is a great boon7 to a lonely traveller. Unlike the record player, the cassette is handy and the tape has a longer space and can be erased and recorded.

We stopped at a way side petrol kiosk for refuelling.8 The road we took was the national highway and so travel was not particularly tedious. We drove past many vehicles, lorries, buses, vans and trucks. One the way we saw a coconut vendor. It was so tempting that we stopped for a few drinks. The cool, sweet drink was like ambrosia.9 As we were nearing our destination, we just stopped to get out of the car in order to tidy up.10 After that we continued our journey till we reached our hotel where rooms had been reserved. We were happy that we were able to cover such a distance in a car without any event.

1. stray /stre1/ (adj) thaû rong 2. election /1'lek~n/ (n) cuoäc baàu cöû 3. cult /k^lt/ (n) söï suøng baùi hoaëc ngöôõng moä ñoái vôùi ai / caùi gì• 4. transcendental /tr%nsen'dentl/ (adj) tieân nghieäm 5. meditation /med1'te1~n/ (n) söï suy ngaãm 6. disparate /'d1sp6r6t/ (adj) khaùc nhau, taïp nham 7. boon /bu:n/ (n) moái lôïi, lôïi ích 8. refuel /ri:'fj$6l/ (v) tieáp nhieân lieäu 9. ambrosia /%m'br6$z16/ (n) cao löông myõ vò 10. tidy (up) /'ta1d1 ^p/ (v) söûa soaïn teà chænh

102. A DARING RESCUE MOÄT CUOÄC GIAÛI CÖÙU DUÕNG CAÛM It was a seven storeyed buiding that had caught fire. The lower floors were used for offices and shops. In the three upper floors people were living with their families. There were several families living in the flats.

The fire started in a paint godown1 on the first floor. How it all started nobody knew.

The fire was notice only when it began to rage. It was an ungodly2 hour when the fire broke out. The fire was noticed first by a night watch man who raised an alarm. He phoned up promptly for the fire service and police. It was sometime before the fire engines came to the scene. By then the fire had spread to the other floors. Between fire and smoke there were cries of anguish3 and despair. People were at first rescued with the help of ladders and lifts. In the confusion4 that prevailed5 nobody knew who was rescued. In such circumstances people tend to be very selfish.

The fire fighters though they had rescued all. Then suddenly a lady remembered that her child who was sleeping in the cradle6 had not been rescued. One can understand her anguish and pain. She began beating her breast and wailing7 thinking that her baby would have perished8 by then in the fire. One of the firemen did not lose hope. He told the lady assuringly that if the child was still alive he would go and surely save it.

He drenched himself with water, got up the ladder in spite of the warning given by his colleagues. Walls were crumbling9 down and beams were falling and tongues of fire were still to be seen. Worst of all there was a thick pall of smoke. The man managed to get a foothold on a window. He got into the room and with great difficulty he was able to locate the cradle. It was a miracle that the fire had not done much damage to the side where the cradle was located. He took the screaming child and rolled it in a wet blanket which he had brought. He quickly strode to the window and called his colleagues who were waiting anxiously below with a foam mat. He threw the valuable bundle down. His colleagues caught it with dexterity10 and the child was moved to a place of safety. No words can explain the joy of the mother.

In the meantime the fireman slipped down the ladder. In spite of the precautions he had taken, there were burns on his body. He was promptly taken to the hospital and given proper treatment. In appreciation of his service the authorities rewarded a medal to him.

That was the proudest moment in the life of the fireman. Everybody was saying that he was worthy to accept the Medal for his courageous act.

1. godown /'96$da$n/ (n) kho chöùa haøng 2. ungodly /^n'94dl1/ (adj) raát baát tieän, phieàn phöùc 3. anguish /'%79w1~/ (n) noåi thoáng khoå, söï khoå naõo 4. confusion /k6n'fju:2n/ (n) söï roái loaïn, söï hoãn ñoän 5. prevail /pr1've1l/ (v) toàn taïi hoaëc xaûy ra phoå bieán 6. cradle /'kr%dl/ (n) caùi noâi 7. wail /we1l/ (v) keâu gaøo, than khoùc 8. perish /'per1~/ (v) cheát, thieät maïng 9. crumble /'kr^mbl/ (v) vôõ vuïn 10. dexterity /dek'ster6t1/ (n) söï kheùo leùo

103. THE NATIONAL DAY PARADE1 CUOÄC DIEÃU HAØNH VAØO NGAØY QUOÁC KHAÙNH I could hear the fast beating of my heart as I put on the knee-high boots which distinguished me from the other members of my group. As the drum majorette2 of my school's brass-band, I felt responsible for the success of our performance in the National Day Parade which is going to begin in ten minutes time.

As the huge clock at the Town Hall struck three o'clock in the afternoon of the ninth day of August, we were commanded to take our positions at the Padang. Our Prime Minister arrived followed by the President in his stately Rolls Royce. They took their positions at the grandstand3 and the National Anthem was sung.

A pompous4 display of colours pervaded5 the padang. Then began the march-past in earnest. One by one the contingents6 represented groups of government servants from various departments. Then came the others such as the groups representing the Post Office Savings Banks, the nurses, the flight stewardess from Singapore Airlines, student teachers from Institute of Education and many more.

After these, I eyed a few groups of cadets7 in green. They marched smartly and in perfect co-ordination. They were the few selected groups of National Cadet Corps members who had won the interschool competitions. Following them were three groups of National Police Cadet Corps members, the Girl Guides in their pleasant blue and the Red Cross and St. Johns in white.

My heart beat even faster as I clenched8 my mace.9 The Buona Vista combined band group was already half way through their performance. They were loudly applauded ; and then a moment of suspense, as I gave the command for my group to move forward to the performing ground. We made three formations and we were applauded by our school mates who were sitting together visibly in their dark green uniform. Then came my final performance. I threw my mace high into the air, positioned myself to a half kneel and caught my staff majestically. The round of applause I received was tremendous. After that, we formed our marching rows again and moved on in the procession.

We had to march for another two kilometres to the dispersal area. As we marched, we could sense thousands of pairs of eyes looking at us, observing and admiring. I was elated10 and pleased with the performance that did us credit. I felt rightly proud for having availed myself of the opportunity to represent my school in our country's most auspicious11 occasion. I knew that my parents watching the procession over the television, must have felt the same way too.

We reached the dispersal ground at exactly five-thirty in the afternoon. We waited for the other contingents to arrive. The beautifully coloured floats came in last. We were told that this year's procession had been a real success as hardly anybody could sense any flaw. After our refreshments, we went home, feeling proud and happy, not to mention, extremely exhausted.

1. parade /p6're1d/ (n) cuoäc dieãu haønh 2. drum majorette /dr^m 'me1d26ret/ (n) thaønh vieân cuûa moät ñoäi muùa gaäy dieãu haønh

3. grandstand /'9r%ndst%nd/ (n) khaùn ñaøi roäng coù caùc daõy gheá ngoài cho khaùn giaû trong caùc cuoäc ñua, bieåu dieãn theå thao, v.v…

4. pompous /'p4mp6s/ (adj) khoa tröông, phoâ tröông 5. pervade /p6've1d/ (v) lan khaép, traøn ngaäp khaép 6. contingent /k6n't1nd26nt/ (n) nhoùm ngöôøi coù ñaëc ñieåm chung tham döï moät cuoäc taäp trung 7. cadet /k6'det/ (n) hoïc vieân tröôøng só quan 8. clench /klent~/ (v) sieát chaët, baáu chaët, naém chaët 9. mace /me1s/ (n) gaäy quyeàn 10. elated /1'le1t1d/ (adj) raát phaán chaán, raát haïnh phuùc, raát töï haøo 11. auspicious /0:'sp1~6s/ (adj) coù trieån voïng

104. AN UNNECCESSARY ACCIDENT MOÄT TAI NAÏN KHOÂNG ÑAÙNG COÙ My friend, John and I were walking through the school grounds, near the outer fence at 09.30. Suddenly, I spotted1 an object which looked rather like a coloured rope. The object moved when we got nearer to it.

Convinced that it was a snake, John insisted that we should move away from the place.

However, I wanted very much to report our find, but John feared that we might be punished for being at a place where we shouldn't be found and what was more, when it was during school hours.

The thought of somebody being killed by the snake or a possible reward if the snake had escaped from the zoo made me insist on reporting it. I suggested that we should take it to the police station but John disagreed saying that the police station was too far and that we would miss our subsequent classes.

I then suggested that we hand the snake in to the gardener as his assistant knew a lot about snakes. John agreed to this suggestion and John grabbed an old bucket2 while I pushed the snake in with a stick. Then, John covered the bucket with a mat which he had found, to prevent the snake from getting out.

We walked towards the gardener's house but unfortunately he spotted us first, with the bucket and the mat in between us. Thinking that we had stolen these things from his house, he shouted angrily at us. We tried to deny his accusations and warned him of the poisonous reptile3 in the bucket. He refused to believe in what we say and so he grabbed the bucket from our trembling hands.

Before we could do anything, the much-provoked reptile thrust its head out and bit the gardener. He screamed in pain and released the bucket and I saw the terrible attacker glide swiftly into the long grass by the gate. His cries brought his wife to the scene and we asked her to hurry and call for a doctor.

While John stayed with the unconscious victim, I rushed to the office to inform the police but no one was in. I left a message with the clerk and returned to the tragic scene.

I realized that we could have avoided the mishap if we had reported about the snake immediately. We regret that this happened and we take this opportunity to express our sincere apologies.

1. spot /sp4t/ (v) troâng thaáy, nhaän ra, phaùt hieän 2. bucket /'b^k1t/ (n) caùi xoâ 3. reptile /'repta1l/ (n) ñoäng vaät thuoäc loaøi boø saùt

105. AN UNUSUAL INCIDENT MOÄT SÖÏ COÁ KHAÙC THÖÔØNG A most unusual incident took place recently at the Times House grand hall. It was on the occasion of our thirty-fourth anniversary and we had invited a guest speaker from the Times House advisory1 committee2 to present to speech.

It was 2.30 p.m. and the huge crowd was already waiting at the huge, old and yet reputable3 hall. Outside, it was drizzling and this caused some uneasiness among the organizers as they have planned to have the reception out in the front lawn.

The speaker arrived on stage at 2.45 p.m. He began his speech promptly. The rain got heavier and dark, a damp patch4 appeared on the ceiling directly above the speaker who was then engrossed in his speech. Tiny drops of water began to fall from the patch on the ceiling. The speaker pretended5 to ignore6 this but he couldn't do this for long as the sudden downpour outside caused water to really fall down from the ceiling.

The speaker was drenched from head to toe. A few of the organizers rushed up onto the stage. There was confusion on the stage as people tried to persuade the speaker to come down. Before he could do so, the ceiling collapsed7 directly above him. The unfortunate speaker was hurt very badly and was given first aid treatment on the spot. Panic in the hall continued as the speaker was taken away.

While the commotion was continuing, a voice announced over the public address system that the meeting which was scheduled after the reception was to be cancelled.

The relevant authorities are now still in the midst of their investigations of this seemingly deliberate "accident". Police are still waiting for more information.

1. advisory /6d'va1z6r1/ (adj) (coù chöùc naêng) tö vaán 2. committee /k6'm1t1/ (n) uûy ban 3. reputable /'repj$t6bl/ (adj) coù danh tieáng ñaùng tin 4. patch /p%t~/ (n) veát, maûng, ñoám lôùn 5. pretend /pr1'tend/ (v) giaû vôø, giaû boä, laøm ra veû 6. ignore /19'n0:(r)/ (n) boû qua, lôø ñi 7. collapse /k6'l%ps/ (v) ñoå, saäp, suïp

VAÊN KEÅ CHUYEÄN Keå chuyeän keå duøng moät caâu chuyeän ñeå phaûn aùnh ñôøi soáng (hoaëc moät lónh vöïc, moät khía caïnh cuûa ñôøi soáng), töø ñoù giuùp ngöôøi ñoïc hieåu bieát ñôøi soáng vaø töï mình ruùt ra moät thaùi ñoä, ngaãm nghó moät baøi hoïc veà tö töôûng, tình caûm, ñaïo ñöùc…

Nhöõng yeâu caàu chính – Phaûi coù moät caâu chuyeän ñeå keå. Caâu chuyeän coù theå ñôn giaûn chæ coù moät tình tieát, coù theå phöùc taïp vôùi nhieàu tình tieát. Dieãn bieán caâu chuyeän phaûi töï nhieân, hôïp lí, thuù vò, haáp daãn.

– Chuyeän phaûi coù nhaân vaät (coù theå laø ngöôøi, cuõng coù theå laø loaøi vaät hoaëc vaät voâ tri).

Tính caùch nhaân vaät ñöôïc boäc loä trong quaù trình dieãn bieán cuûa caâu chuyeän, qua ngoaïi hình, haønh ñoäng, cöû chæ, lôøi noùi, yù nghó… cuûa nhaân vaät.

– Caâu chuyeän coù theå hoaøn toaøn coù thaät, coù theå do hö caáu, töôûng töôïng, nhöng phaûi hôïp lyù, phaûn aùnh söï thaät cuûa ñôøi soáng, phuø hôïp vôùi quy luaät cuûa cuoäc soáng.

– Töø caâu chuyeän phaûi toaùt ra moät vaán ñeà boå ích trong ñôøi soáng, giuùp ngöôøi ñoïc töï ruùt ra moät ñeà nghò veà caùch soáng, moät baøi hoïc veà tö töôûng, tình caûm…

– Ngöôøi vieát khoâng ñöôïc töï mình xen vaøo caâu chuyeän, töï mình phaùt bieåu caûm nghó trong khi keå (tröø nhöõng chuyeän maø ngöôøi vieát cuõng chính laø moät nhaân vaät) maø ñeå cho caâu chuyeän töï noùi leân.

106. DAYLIGHT ROBBERY VUÏ CÖÔÙP NGAØY My neighbour Mrs Wu and her daughter Lily are rather vain.1 They are fond of wearing expensive jewelleries and displaying them in public. Whenever any friends drop in2 to visit them, Lily enjoys showing them her collection of jewelleries.

One afternoon as I was returning home from the library, I noticed a strange looking man lurking3 outside Mrs Wu's house. I was curious to find out what he was up to. So I hid myself behind a huge tree. When it was time for Mrs Wu to go for her stroll, the man quickly hid himself behind some bushes. When she walked to the gate and was about to open it, the man rushed up and pointed a knife at her. Mrs Wu screamed. When I saw what was happening I quickly ran to get help.

I managed to stop a passing patrol car. When I told them what had happened, two burly policemen followed me. Mrs Wu was slowly taking off her jewellery and giving them to the thief. The two policemen overpowered and arrested him. Mrs Wu thanked me for my help. She learned a good lesson. After that terrible incident she never wore her jewelleries.

1. vain /ve1n/ (adj) töï cao töï ñaïi, kieâu ngaïo, hôïm mình 2. drop in /dr4p 1n/ (v) taït vaøo thaêm 3. lurk /l3:k/ (v) naáp (ñeå chôø ñôïi)

107. AN ACCIDENT MOÄT TAI NAÏN I was talking to a friend over the telephone when I heard the kettle1 singing. Calling out to my six-year-old sister, Leela, I told her to turn off the switch.

Suddenly, I heard a loud crash and Leela yelling2 at the top of her voice. I immediately rushed into the kitchen. I was horrified to see Leela holding the electric cord3 and sitting in a puddle.4 The kettle was overturned on the floor. I realized that after turning off the switch, Leela had tried to pull the cord out of the kettle. However, she must had pulled so hard that the kettle fell.

I quickly carried Leela to the sofa. Frantically,5 I grabbed my father's hair cream and applied it on Leela's scalded legs, hoping that it would help to soothe6 the pain. Just then, our mother came back from the market. When she knew what had happened, she quickly took Leela to the hospital.

Luckily, the doctor said that Leela was not seriously hurt. She would be fine after a few applications of the cream he prescribed.

I felt very sorry for indirectly causing the accident. I apologized to my family and promised to be more responsible in future.

1. kettle /'ketl/ (n) aám ñun nöôùc 2. yell /jel/ (v) la heùt, theùt leân 3. cord /k0:d/ (n) daây gai, daây beän 4. puddle /'p^dl/ (n) vuõng nöôùc nhoû 5. frantic /'fr%nt1k/ (adj) lo laéng vaø sôï haõi toät ñoä 6. soothe /su:5/ (v) laøm ñôõ ñau

108. AN ACCIDENT AT HOME TAI NAÏN TAÏI NHAØ John is my neighbour. He is a naughty and mischievous boy. He often comes to my house to play with my skate board.1 I knew something would happen to him one day and it really happened in my house one weekend.

One Saturday morning John came to my house to complete some homework. At that time my parents were not at home. John saw my skate board. He begged me to allow him to play with it.

At first I did not approve of it, but John persisted.2 He pleaded3 and pleaded. In the end I gave in to him and he was happy. He played with the skate board and while he was riding on the skate board, he accidentally tripped over a big piece of stone. To my horror he knocked himself against the wall. His forehead was bleeding. I quickly telephoned for the ambulance.

After a while the ambulance came and took John to the hospital. I was miserable because John was in hospital with a bleeding forehead. When my parents came home, I told them what had happened. Together we went to the hospital to visit John. John was not asleep and his parents were there. John apologised for being naughty and promised to be good in future.

1. skate board /ske1t b0:d/ (n) vaùn tröôït 2. persist /p6's1st/ (v) kieân gan, khaêng khaêng 3. plead /pli:d/ (v) van naøi, naøi næ, caàu xin

109. A BAD HABIT MOÄT THOÙI QUEN XAÁU When I was younger, I used to tell lies to make people panic and laugh at them.

However, an incident happened two years ago which made me kick the bad habit.

That afternoon, I thought I was alone at home. Taking out a big empty tin, I put it near the door and burnt some papers in it. The smoke of the flames was blown out to the corridor by the breeze. Hoping that the smoke would fool my neighbours, I started shouting, "Fire ! Fire !"

I hid behind the door to see what the fierce fat lady next door would do. To my surprise, I heard a loud "bang" coming from my bedroom, followed by my granny's cry. I rushed into the room and saw her lying on the floor, holding her left arm and groaning1 in pain.

The fat neighbour heard the cry and came in. She immediately sent my granny to the hospital. I went along. The doctor told us that my granny had fractured2 her left arm.

I felt very guilty. If not for my lie,3 my granny would not have jumped out of bed, knocked against the table, fallen and fractured her arm. I was severely punished by my dad. Since that incident, I have never told a lie.

1. groan /9r6$n/ (v) reân ræ 2. fracture /'fr%kt~6(r)/ (v) (laøm cho caùi gì) gaõy hay raïn nöùt 3. lie /la1/ (n) lôøi noùi doái

110. A BLACKOUT1 MOÄT LAÀN MAÁT ÑIEÄN We were all watching a humorous2 television programme and laughing gaily. The next moment, it was pitch-dark. I was too surprised to open my mouth, but my little sister, Alice, screamed shrilly.

My elder brother immediately told her to shut up.3 Our parents had gone for a show, so big Peter was to take charge. He felt his way into his room to get his torch. Bang !...

"Ouch!" Peter must had knocked into his big chair. Soon, we saw a beam of light and Peter came out of his room, rubbing his left knee.

He told us to follow him to the kitchen to hunt for candles4 and matches.5 We rummaged6 through the drawers and found twelve small coloured candles and a box of matches. I realized the candles were the ones used for my birthday a few days ago.

Together, we went back to the sitting-room and lit the candles. Peter arranged the candles in a semi-circle on the glass table and they gave a warm and cheerful glow.

To while away7 the time, Peter told us a fairytale. However, before the tale ended, the lights came on. We felt proud that we had handled the situation well and looked forward to telling our parents about it.

1. blackout /'bl%ka$t/ (n) thôøi ñieåm toái do maát ñieän 2. humourous /hju:m6r6s/ (adj) vui, haøi höôùc, khoâi haøi 3. shut up /~^t ^p/ (v) im moàm, caâm mieäng laïi 4. candle /'k%ndl/ (n) neán, ñeøn caày 5. match /m%t~/ (n) dieâm queït 6. rummage /'r^m1d2/ (v) luïc loïi 7. while away /wa1l 6'we1/ (v) gieát thôøi giôø (khi ñang chôø ñôïi caùi gì)

111. A NARROW ESCAPE THOAÙT NAÏN TRONG GANG TAÁC I was in hot water.1 I could not stop my sister, Jill, from crying. We had been fighting over which television programme to watch and in the course of the struggle, I had accidentally twisted2 her arm.

Jill ran complaining3 to Mum. Mum was furious as this was not the first time we had fought over trivial4 things. She scolded me harshly and went to fetch5 a cane. Cold perspiration trickled6 down my forehead. I dreaded7 the thought of having to suffer the painful strokes of the cane. I wished I had given in my sister earlier on.

I prayed for Dad to come home early to save me from Mum's wrath.8 Just then, the doorbell rang. Jill went to answer it. We were surprised to see Aunt Polly at the door.

She had come to ask Mum to show her how to make "sambal chicken".

Mum then became busy entertaining Aunt Polly in the kitchen and forgot all about punishing me. In the meantime, I apologized to Jill and applied some ointment9 on her arm. Before long, we were on speaking terms again. Aunt Polly had certainly come at the right time. What a narrow escape !

1. in hot water (idm) : trong tình theá cöïc kyø raéc roái 2. twist /tw1st/ (v) xoaén, vaën, quay 3. complain /k6m'ple1n/ (v) keâu ca, oaùn traùch 4. trivial /'tr1v16l/ (adj) vaët vaõnh, nhoû nhaët 5. fetch /fet~/ (v) ñi vaø tìm caùi gì ñem veà 6. trickle /'tr1kl/ (v) chaûy thaønh moät doøng maûnh 7. dread /dred/ (v) kinh sôï, khieáp sôï 8. wrath /r%8/ (n) söï phaån noä, côn töùc giaän toät böïc 9. ointment /'01ntm6nt/ (n) thuoác môõ

112. COURTESY1 BEGETS2 COURTESY LOØNG TOÁT LUOÂN ÑÖÔÏC ÑEÀN BUØ One afternoon, my cousin and I went for a movie. Before the movie started, I went to the public washroom. It was very crowded. I joined the queue and waited patiently for my turn.

When I was about to enter an empty toilet, the girl who was standing behind me asked me if she could use the toilet first. Her face was pale and she seemed to be having a terrible stomach upset.

"Sure!" I said without hesitation. I could tell from her face that she was very thankful.

After the movie, my cousin and I were supposed to3 meet my uncle at the airport. We decided to catch a cab there. At the taxi-stand, I saw the girl whom I met in the washroom. This time, she was ahead of me in the queue.

We started a friendly conversation while waiting for our cabs. My cousin and I began to get worried when we had waited for quite some time and no cab had passed by. Finally a cab came. We waved good-bye to the girl but she offered to let us go in the cab first.

We thanked her for being so considerate.4 She even helped us carry our shopping bags into the cab. From this incident, I fully agree that "courtesy begets courtesy". It certainly pays to be courteous.

1. courtesy /'k3:t6s1/ (n) haønh ñoäng, thaùi ñoä lòch söï 2. beget /b1'9et/ (v) gaây ra (caùi gì), daãn ñeán keát quaû laø 3. be supposed to do sth /s6'p6$zd/ (idm) coù nhieäm vuï, phaûi laøm gì 4. considerate /k6n's1d6r6t/ (adj) chu ñaùo, yù töù

113. HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY THAÄT THAØ LAØ THÖÔÏNG SAÙCH One fine day, while I was on my way to school, I found a wallet.1 It was lying outside the lift.

Opening the wallet, I found two hundred dollars and some coins inside. There were some pieces of paper but no identity card. I was tempted2 to keep the money, but I remembered what my teacher had taught us. She said, "It is wrong to take things which do not belong to3 us." I scolded myself for harbouring4 such dishonest thoughts. Then, instead of going to school, I went to report what I had found to the neighbourhood police.

The policeman was very kind and listened to me patiently. As I was about to finish my story, I was my neighbour, Mr Song, walk into the police-station. He looked surprised to see me. After much explanation,5 we discovered that the wallet belonged to Mr Song.

What a coincidence6 !

My neighbour thanked me over and over again. The policeman praised me for being an honest boy. He also called up my school to inform7 my principal of the incident. I am glad that I had not kept the wallet. Indeed, honesty is the best policy.

1. wallet /'w4l1t/ (n) caùi ví (thöôøng cuûa nam giôùi) 2. tempt /tempt/ (v) caùm doã 3. belong to /b1'l47 t6/ (v) thuoäc veà 4. harbour /'h@:b6(r)/ (v) nuoâi döôõng, aáp uû (moät yù nghó, v.v…)

5. explanation /ekspl6'ne1~n/ (n) söï giaûi thích 6. coincidence /k6$'1ns1d6ns/ (n) söï vieäc truøng hôïp ngaãu nhieân 7. inform /1n'f0:m/ (v) thoâng baùo, baùo cho bieát

114. A LESSON LEARNT BAØI HOÏC ÑEÅ ÑÔØI I was shopping for a wallet in a large shopping centre. Suddenly, a naughty thought ran through my mind.

The counter where the wallets were sold was at a corner of the store. There was nobody around me then. Stealthily,1 I put one of the wallets into my pocket. I felt guilt written all over my face. As I was about to leave the shop, a pair of arms grabbed me by my shoulders.

"We have to refer2 you to the police for shop-lifting,3" the man said. I was horrified.

My parents were notified and they were furious to learn what I had done. However, they pleaded with the shop manager on my behalf.4 The shop manager finally decided to drop the charge against me. I truly regretted stealing the wallet and promised to turn over a new leaf. He nevertheless referred the case to my school principal. I was given a demerit5 point as punishment and my teachers explained to me the seriousness of shoplifting.

It had indeed been a painful lesson. I resolve6 never to commit7 the same mistake again.

1. stealthy /'stel81/ (adj) roùn reùn, leùn luùt - stealthily /-l1/ (adv) 2. refer /r1'f3:(r)/ (v) gôûi ñeán, ñöa ñeán, chuyeån ñeán 3. shop-lifting /~4p 'l1ft17/ (n) haønh ñoäng aên caép haøng hoùa trong cöûa haøng 4. on one's behalf /b1'h%f/ (idm) nhaân danh, thay maët 5. demerit /di:'mer1t/ (n) loãi laàm, khuyeát ñieåm 6. resolve /r1'z4lv/ (v) quyeát taâm, kieân quyeát 7. commit /k6'm1t/ (v) phaïm (sai laàm, toäi loãi, v.v…)

115. A GOOD DEED1 MOÄT VIEÄC LAØM TOÁT There is an overhead bridge in front of the block of flats where I live. An old lady sits there selling sweets and peanuts. She told me that she had been abandoned2 by her grown-up children. Out of sympathy, I buy a packet of peanuts from her whenever I cross the bridge.

One day, as I was crossing the bridge, it started to drizzle. The old lady packed her things and hurriedly went down the stairs. Before I could run forward to give her a hand3 she missed a step and fell. By the time I reached her, she had already fainted4 I was shocked to see her head bleeding. Unfortunately, there was no one around to help.

Thus, I left her and ran to the nearest telephone booth to call for an ambulance.

In the hospital, the doctor told me that the old lady would soon be well again as she had not lost too much blood I was relieved. As her family would not care for her. I asked my father for help. Soon, she was sent to live in an Old Folks Home.

I feel glad to have been of help to the old lady. I intend to visit her often at the Old Folks Home.

1. deed /di:d/ (n) haønh ñoäng, vieäc ñaõ laøm 2. abandon /6'b%nd6n/ (v) boû rôi 3. give sb a hand (idm) giuùp ñôõ ai 4. faint /fe1nt/ (v) ngaát ñi, xæu ñi

116. A TREASURE1 HUNT CUOÄC SAÊN TÌM KHO BAÙU One afternoon, I received a letter which contained a map of the park near my house. A big cross was marked at a corner. Right at the bottom of the piece of paper were two rows of strange words: frut eht rednu gid evresed uoy tahw dnif lliw uoy It must be a secret code2 ! After looking at it for a long time, I realized that the message could be found if I read it backward. The secret message3 was : Dig under the turf4 You will find what you deserve Immediately, I ran to the park. I found the corner where the turf was and started digging with a fallen tree branch. Soon, I saw a small box. In a state of great excitement, I opened it and found a piece of paper. It said : Dig harder !

I shouted with frustration5 and started digging again. I began to perspire and I felt my arms aching. I was about to give up when I spotted another box. Holding my breath in excitement, I opened the box... and found another piece of paper. This time, there was a picture of an idiot6 and the words : This is what you deserve. Hee ! Hee !

I was mad with anger. However, when I calmed down, I realized that I had indeed been a fool, wasting one afternoon on dreams of getting rich without working for it.

1. treasure /'tre26(r)/ (n) (kho) vaøng, baïc, ñaù quí, v.v…

2. code /k6$d/ (n) maät maõ 3. message /'mes1d2/ (n) thoâng ñieäp 4. turf /t3:f/ (n) lôùp ñaát maët coù coû 5. frustration /fr^'stre1~n/ (n) söï thaát voïng, söï naûn loøng 6. idiot /'1d16t/ (n) keû khôø daïi, ngöôøi ngu ngoác

117. A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY MOÄT VUÏ NHAÄN DIEÄN LAÀM A strange incident happened to me one year ago.

It all started at a fast-food restaurant where I was having lunch with my friends.

Suddenly, a woman walked up to us and called, "Lisa". We all turned and looked at her.

I was surprised to find that she was talking to me. She even asked me why I did not go home. When I told her that she had made a mistake, she became agitated1 and started crying loudly.

At that moment, a man came up to her and tried to calm her down. Then, turning around, he saw me and was startled.2 Gravely,3 he explained to me why his wife had behaved that way. They had had a daughter who looked like me. She had been killed in a road accident recently. His wife had not learnt to accept the mishap and that was why she insisted that I was her daughter.

I felt sorry for her. Therefore, I decided to visit her often, hoping that it would help her recover faster. My parents' supported my decision. Since that incident, I have been visiting the couple weekly. They dote on me as if I were their daughter. I believe the woman is getting better.

1. agitated /'%d21te1t1d/ (adj) bò kích ñoäng 2. startled /'st@:tld/ (adj) giaät mình, söûng soát 3. grave /9re1v/ (adj) (veà ngöôøi) trang nghieâm hoaëc long troïng - gravely /-l1/ (adv)

118. AN AMUSING INCIDENT MOÄT VIEÄC BUOÀN CÖÔØI It was April Fools' Day.1 My identical twin brother,2 Jack, and I thought of a mischievous trick.3 As we were in different classes, we decided to exchange places and pretend to be each other for a day.

I walked into Jack's class confidently4 and mingled5 with his friends. Nobody suspected6 that I was not Jack. Only our parents could tell us apart. One of Jack's classmates happened to celebrate his birthday that day and had brought a big ice-cream cake to class. Of course, I took Jack's share of the ice-cream cake. What a treat !

Jack's classmates tried hard to make one another the biggest fool of the day. However, I was careful not to be tricked. Jack's closest friends were surprised and remarked,7 "Jack is strangely alert today." I almost burst out in laughter but managed to keep a straight face.

Pretending to be Jack seemed fun until Jack's teacher scolded me for failing a maths test. It was so shameful ! However, instead of feeling angry, I felt sorry for Jack and decided to help him with his maths in future.

At the end of the day, Jack and I told each other what happened. The next day, we laughed at our class-mates for being fools not to smell a rat.8 1. April Fools' Day : ngaøy caù thaùng Tö (1/4), ngaøy moïi ngöôøi coù quyeàn noùi doái ñeå ñuøa vui vôùi nhau 2. twin brother /tw1n 'br^56(r)/ (n) anh (em) sinh ñoâi 3. trick /tr1k/ (n) troø bòp, troø chôi xoû 4. confident /'k4nf1d6nt/ (adj) töï tin - confidently /-l1/ (adv) 5. mingle /'m179l/ (v) hoøa vaøo, traø troän 6. suspect /s6'spekt/ (v) nghi ngôø, ngôø vöïc 7. remark /r1'm@:k/ (v) nhaän xeùt 8. smell a rat (idm) nghi ngôø coù aâm möu, coù söï doái traù

119. A PRICELESS GIFT MOÙN QUAØ VOÂ GIAÙ I have had this little wooden pencil case with me for about two years. It is the most precious gift that I have because it was made for me by my late grandfather for my tenth birthday.

My grandfather was a carpenter.1 After he retired,2 he continued to spend his time on woodwork. He liked to work in the garden where it was cooler. I used to sit beside him and watch him while he hammered away.3 One day, I could not find my grandfather in his usual place in the garden. After hunting high and low,4 I found him in his room. His head was bent over a rectangular5 object and his hands were busy carving6 something. As soon as he saw me, he hid the object behind his back and smiled guiltily, like someone caught in a naughty act.

Just before my birthday, my grandfather fell sick. On the eve of my birthday, he passed away.7 The next day, I found the wooden pencil case in his drawer. There were some words carved on it : "Happy birthday to my beloved grandson". I was touched. So that was what my grandfather had been so secretive about. Since that day, I have always cherished8 the birthday gift from my grandfather. To me, it is a priceless gift.

1. carpenter /'k@:p6nt6(r)/ (n) thôï moäc 2. retire /r1'ta16(r)/ (v) veà höu, nghæ höu 3. hammer away /'h%m6(r)/ (v) laøm (vieäc gì) moät caùch tích cöïc 4. high and low (idm) khaép moïi nôi 5. rectangular /rek't%79j$l6(r)/ (adj) coù hình chöõ nhaät 6. carve /k@:v/ (v) chaïm, khaéc 7. pass away /p%s 6'we1/ (v) qua ñôøi, khuaát nuùi 8. cherish /'t~er1~/ (v) yeâu thöông, gìn giöõ caån thaän

120. A PLEASANT SURPRISE MOÄT SÖÏ BAÁT NGÔØ THUÙ VÒ The door bell rang and I went to answer it. At the doorway stood a fair and pretty girl with rosy cheeks.

"You Mona ? Me Yoko, you pen-pal1 from Japan," she said in broken2 English. I could not believe my ears. What a surprise! Yoko explained, with difficulty, that her family was stopping over in Singapore for two days before flying off to Australia for holidays. I was glad that my elementary3 Japanese helped in our conversation.

I was also surprised to see the many beautiful presents Yoko had brought for me from Japan. It included a kimono, a Japanese paper lantern,4 some beautiful badges with faces of popular Japanese singers and lots of delicious Japanese foodstuff.

She also took me to Hotel New Otani where her family was staying in a suite.5 Her parents, Mr and Mrs Tanaka, were very friendly and generous. They treated me to a sumptuous6 Japanese meal in a cosy Japanese restaurant.

I took the Tanaka family on a brief tour round Singapore before inviting them to my home for dinner. Meeting Yoko and her parents had certainly been a pleasant surprise.

1. pen-pal /'penp%l/ (n) (cuõng pen-friend) baïn qua thö töø 2. broken /'br6$k6n/ (adj) (veà ngoân ngöõ) noùi sai, khoâng troâi chaûy 3. elementary /el1'mentr1/ (adj) cô baûn, cô sôû 4. lantern /'l%nt6n/ (n) ñeøn loàng, ñeøn xaùch 5. suite /swi:t/ (n) daõy phoøng trong khaùch saïn 6. sumptuous /'s^mpt~$6s/ (adj) xa xæ, xa hoa

121. A PLEASANT DREAM MOÄT GIAÁC MÔ THUÙ VÒ My story book entitled1 "Fairy tales" slipped off from my fingers and fell onto the carpet. I felt too sleepy to pick it up.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. I went to answer it and was surprised to see seven dwarfs2 standing at the door. One of them was holding a glittering shoe. When I put it on, I was immediately transformed into a beautiful princess in a lovely gown.3 The dwarfs then took me to the palace in a pumpkin-carriage to see the king.

The king gave me a warm embrace. "Cinderella, my daughter, you're finally home," he said. "The maids4 will see to5 your every need." Jane, who was always quarrelling with me in class, became very submissive6 as my maid. I tried on many beautiful dresses and shoes and thought that I had never looked so pretty before. There were also many cooks who prepared all my favourite dishes.

One day, I was riding my horse to visit a duke7 when I heard my mum saying, "Cindy, hurry up! You'll be late!" She started shaking me so hard that I almost fell off8 my horse.

I woke up and found myself in my bedroom. It had only been a dream, but it was certainly a wonderful start to my day.

1. entitle /1n'ta1tl/ (v) ñaët teân, ñaët töïa ñeà 2. dwarf /dw0:f/ (n) chuù luøn 3. gown /9a$n/ (n) aùo daøi cuûa phuï nöõ duøng ñeå maëc trong caùc dòp ñaëc bieät 4. maid /me1d/ (n) ngöôøi haàu gaùi 5. see to /si: t6/ (v) chaêm lo (ai / caùi gì) 6. submissive /s6b'm1s1v/ (adj) ngoan ngoaõn, deã baûo, deã phuïc tuøng 7. duke /dju:k/ (n) coâng töôùc 8. fall off /f0:l 4f/ (v) ngaõ khoûi, rôi khoûi (caùi gì)

122. AN UNEXPECTED MEETING CUOÄC GAËP GÔÕ BAÁT NGÔØ There was a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and was surprised to see Huiling. My greetings were so loud that everyone stared at me. Only then did I realize that I was still in the library. Hastily,1 we went out to the corridor to talk.

Huiling is my former neighbour. We used to be very close friends. We were in the same class in school and attended the same church together. But since we shifted2 to new HDB flats, we had drifted apart. Both of us were busy trying to adapt3 to our new environment. Hence, we stopped writing to each other and lost contact.4 I never dreamt that I would meet her in the library. We were eager to know about the well-being of each other's family. We loaded each other with questions. Sweet reminiscences5 of the past also came to our minds. We reminded each other of the games we had played - paper dolls and hide-and-seek. We also laughed as we recalled how we both got scolded at the same time when we were naughty. What delightful recollections !

After conversing for almost an hour, Huiling had to go because she had to meet a friend.

However, before we parted, both of us reached an agreement. We would make an extra effort to renew and maintain our friendship.

1. hasty /'he1st1/ (adj) voäi vaõ, haáp taáp - hastily /-l1/ (adv) 2. shift /~1ft/ (v) chuyeån ñi 3. adapt /%'d%pt/ (v) thích nghi 4. contact /'k4nt%kt/ (n) söï tieáp xuùc 5. reminiscence /rem1'n1sns/ (n) hoài öùc

123. RECALLING MY FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL NHÔÙ LAÏI NGAØY ÑAÀU TOÂI ÑI HOÏC I am a Primary Six student in De La Salle School. I enjoy going to school because I have many friends. However, I still remember how frightened and lonely I felt on my first day at school.

That morning, my mother drove me to school. I felt frightened when I saw so many students running about in the school field.

I joined a queue and was brought into Class 1A by my teacher, Mrs Devi. I was in tears when my mother left. Many of my class-mates were also crying and Mrs Devi had a hard time pacifying1 us. She played some games with us to make us talk about ourselves. Soon, I got to know a few friends.

Suddenly, we heard a bell ringing loudly and we started packing our things. However, Mrs Devi told us it was only a break2 and led us to the canteen. I was glad to see my mother waiting for me with a bowl of prawn noodles.3 As I ate, I told her about my new friends.

After recess,4 another teacher came into our class and we sang nursery rhymes.5 At the end of the day, I was no longer frightened or lonely. My parents were glad when I told them I was looking forward to going to school the next day.

1. pacify /'p%s1fa1/ (v) laøm nguoâi 2. break /bre1k/ (n) söï taïm nghæ 3. prawn noodle /pr0:n 'nu:dl/ (comp. n) mì toâm 4. recess /r1'ses/ (n) giôø giaûi lao 5. nursery rhyme /'n3:s6r1 ra1m/ (n) baøi thô hoaëc baøi haùt daønh cho treû nhoû

124. THINGS I REMEMBER DOING AS A CHILD NHÖÕNG VIEÄC TOÂI ÑAÕ LAØM KHI COØN BEÙ I can't understand how and what I did when I was younger could interest anybody. Since it has been asked I can try to recollect.1 My first recollection were about my living in my uncle's house. Those were the days when family ties were strong and relatives mingled as often as possible. I was the first grandson to come into the family, hence I was a favourite. I had nice things to eat and children of my age could come to our house and play all sorts of childish games. We used to dress in simple clothes.

The monthly ritual2 of being given castor oil3 by my grandmother has brought bad memories even today. I used to rebel at it but my uncle and others would force the cupful of heated castor oil down my throat of which half would have spilled on my body.

So the whole day would be spent purging.4 Modern children are never subjected to5 this awful ritual.

The next event I remember is going to school for the first time. It was a play school and the teacher coaxed6 me to sit and learn the mystery of writing. We started writing on sand. The child felt and the finger learnt. After all we spelt with the fingers. There were very few books. Learning the tables in Arithmetic was common and the copy books were universally used. There were not many of the aids of today in the classroom. The teacher rarely used the board because rote memory was insisted upon. We were having only indigenous7 games and since the school closed by 5 o'clock in the afternoon, games were very rarely organized at schools. The day when the Inspector visited used to be very important but I can't exactly remember the things that might have happened then.

My going to the high school was an event by itself. I was called as they say to fit myself into the high school. My uncle took me to the school and presented me to the Headmaster who was an august8 person. I almost shuddered when I stood before him and looked like a liliputian.9 The Headmaster was the Gulliver who gave a dictation and a few sums in arithmetic in which I did well. So I was admitted.

I never forgot the old teacher who pushed us through the complex ways of English Grammar. He pumped it into our poor heads and those who were slow had a tough time.

Corporal punishment10 was not frowned upon in those days for they did not believe in the dictum11. "Spare the rod and spoil the child12." With the cinema not in the advent13, we spent our time between the home, the school and the play field.

We were not innocent either ; we had our share of pranks but we never broke the law.

One funny incident was that we drew the figure of the teacher on one side of the board which could be rolled and the other side had some problems. We rolled the problem side to the front - When the teacher came in and rolled the board to use the cleaner side he had a shock to see his caricature.14 The class roared but nobody admitted who had drawn that picture. One of the boys who was a bit timid gave the name. The furious teacher thrashed the culprit but we boycotted15 the informer for a few days until he tearfully apologised.

Now I look back on my young days with nostalgia.16

1. recollect /rek6'lekt/ (v) hoài töôûng, nhôù laïi 2. ritual /'r1t~$6l/ (n) nghi leã 3. castor oil /,k@:st6r '01l/ (n) daàu thaàu daàu (laøm thuoác xoå) 4. purge /p3:d2/ (v) uoáng thuoác xoå 5. subject to /s^b'd21kt t6/ (v) buoäc phaûi tuaân theo (ai / caùi gì) 6. coax /k6$ks/ (v) thuyeát phuïc nheï nhaøng; doã daønh 7. indigenous /1n'd1d21n6s/ (adj) thuoäc ñòa phöông, baûn xöù 8. august /0:'9^st/ (adj) oai nghieâm, ñöôøng beä 9. liliputian /l1l1'pju:~n/ (n) ngöôøi tí hon 10. corporal punishment /,k0:p6r6l 'p^n1~m6nt/ (n) nhuïc hình; hình phaït theå xaùc 11. dictum /'d1kt6m/ (n) tuïc ngöõ, chaâm ngoân 12. spare the rod and spoil the child (idm) yeâu cho voït, gheùt cho chôi 13. advent /'%dv6nt/ (n) söï tôùi gaàn cuûa moät ngöôøi, söï kieän v.v…

14. caricature /'k%r1k6tj$6(r)/ (n) tranh bieám hoïa 15. boycott /b01'k4t/ (v) taåy chay 16. nostalgia /n4'st%ld26/ (n) noãi luyeán tieác quaù khöù; nieàm hoaøi coå

125. MY MOST PRECIOUS POSSESSION TAØI SAÛN QUYÙ GIAÙ NHAÁT CUÛA TOÂI My most precious possession is a bullet.1 Well, to be more accurate,2 it is a bullet that has been fired from a revolver.3 It no longer has the normal shape of a bullet. It looks more like a twenty sen coin now. It became shaped like this after it hit a metal post in the shooting range.4 Our possessions are usually what we intentionally went out to get. In the case of this misshapen bullet it was not so. I never intended to get it nor think it would become my most precious possession. Things sort of just happened without my trying.

It began one day about a year ago when my brother took me to the shooting range. He is a keen member of the local gun club and sometimes I tag along with him when he goes for shooting practice. It was on one of these occasions that I got this precious possession.

I was watching him shoot some targets5 with his 0.38 revolver when he asked me whether I would like to have a go. I grabbed the opportunity. I had never fired a gun before in my life and was always waiting for an opportunity like this. First he showed me the safety procedure. Then he showed me how to shoot the pistol.6 So I followed his instructions and held the revolver in both hands. I took aim at a manshaped target some distance away and pulled the trigger.7 I heard a loud crack even though I was wearing earmuffs. I saw the bullet hit a metal post way off the target. I even heard a soft "ting" as the bullet struck the post and rebounded.8 My brother reminded me to hold the gun more firmly so that the bullet went where I was aiming at.

I corrected myself and tried again. The second time I was more successful. I hit the target. Feeling a bit more confident I fired the revolver until it was empty. Out of five shots I hit the target with three. It was quite good for my first go at shooting.

My brother took the revolver back and continued his shooting practice. After the practice we went over to the target to see how well he had done. He did not do too bad at all.

While we were examining the target my eyes came upon a tiny grey object on the ground. Out of curiosity I picked it up. It was a flattened bullet, the result of the bullet's collision9 with a metal post. I showed it to my brother. He said it was the first one I fired that hit the metal post. I looked at it with disbelief. Here was the result of my first shot with a pistol. How many people get to keep the first bullet they ever fired ? Perhaps I was the only one.

So I decided to keep the bullet as a memento.10 It is still with me to this day.

1. bullet /'b$l1t/ (n) vieân ñaïn 2. accurate /'%kj6r6t/ (adj) chính xaùc 3. revolver /r1'v4lv6(r)/ (n) suùng luïc oå quay 4. shooting range /'~u:t17 re1nd2/ (n) baõi taäp baén 5. target /'t@:91t/ (n) bia (ñeå nhaém baén), muïc tieâu, ñích 6. pistol /'p1stl/ (n) suùng luïc, suùng ngaén 7. trigger /'tr196(r)/ (n) coø suùng 8. rebound /r1'ba$nd/ (v) doäi laïi, naåy laïi 9. collision /k6'l12n/ (n) söï va chaïm, söï va vaøo nhau 10. memento /m1'ment6$/ (n) vaät löu nieäm, kyû vaät

126. AN UNUSUAL BET1 CUOÄC CAÙ CÖÔÏC KHAÙC THÖÔØNG Challenge2 is a word made familiar today whether it be breaking a record at the Olympics or getting solar energy to work for us. Everything is a challenge. Betting is also a challenge. Here one uses one's sense of speculation.3 From time immemorial betting has been in vogue.4 Betting is for fun and profit is not uncommon. In gambling betting is usual especially in horse racing and in international football. Sometimes there are occasions of unusual betting. There was once a musician who was a tough guy.

When it came to a matter of challenge he would rather break than bend. So people who knew him did not dare get into an argument with him. This man had a problem with his roof which was leaking.5 The tiles had to be removed and replaced and some minor repairs made. So he called a mason6 and discussed the problem. The mason agreed to do the job provided he was given a certain amount by way of his wages. It was exorbitant7 and there was a lot of higgling8 and both parties were stubborn, one demanding a higher wage and the other for reducing it considerably.

In this zigzag9 affair the mason threw a challenger to the professional musician. He said that the other might know something of music but he didn't know anything about a mason's work and so couldn't do his job. The musician rose up to the challenge and said that he would show the mason how well he could do the job.

The next morning the musician was seen on his roof. He had tucked up his loins, bared his shoulders and was removing the tiles. His fingers which used to keep time10 now lifted the tiles, which was a hard job indeed. But the musician would not back out. He removed the tiles, cleaned the roof, replaced the tiles in their place with a professional touch and applied cement and mortar11 to keep the tiles in their place. Thus he toiled and moiled12 for three days and had done the job to the wonder of his neighbours who were watching the man at his job. People who were at first pessimistic came forward vociferously to congratulate him. They said he was indeed a nut13 and had showed that he could do anything once he made up his mind. The mason admitted his defeat and thence forward he became staunch admirer of the musician. He had lost his earnings by throwing a challenge to a man who meant business.

1. bet /bet/ (n) cuoäc caù ñoä, cuoäc caù cöôïc 2. challenge /'t~%l1nd2/ (n) söï thaùch thöùc 3. speculation /spekj$'le1~n/ (n) söï suy ñoaùn 4. vogue /v6$9/ (n) moát, thöù ñang thònh haønh 5. leak /li:k/ (v) roø ræ 6. mason /'me1sn/ (n) thôï neà 7. exorbitant /19'z0:b1t6nt/ (adj) (veà giaù caû) caét coå 8. higgle /'h19l/ (v) maëc caû 9. zigzag /'z19z%9/ (adj) ngoaèn ngoeøo 10. time /ta1m/ (n) (trong aâm nhaïc) nhòp 11. mortar /'m0:t6(r)/ (n) vöõa, hoà 12. toil and moil /t01l 6nd m01l/ (idm) laøm vieäc caëm cuïi, laøm quaàn quaät 13. nut /n^t/ (n) ngöôøi gaøn dôû

127. HONESTY PAYS IN THE END CUOÁI CUØNG TÍNH TRUNG THÖÏC LUOÂN CHIEÁN THAÉNG We shall call him Mr.X. He was a brilliant young man, an all-rounder1 and was popular.

No wonder he chose to become a teacher and he did become one. He put himself to his tasks with heart and soul and no wonder he became popular very soon. He could be seen in the field, he would be called to address a students' audience, and he would be the foremost in organizing any school function. Thus he became the favourite of the Headmaster, and the envy of some of his seniors.

To mar2 his reputation something serious happened. It was the annual examination and the question papers were being set. Naturally, Mr. X being the confident of the Headmaster was helping the latter in collecting the question papers and sending them to the press.

But suddenly like a bolt from the blue,3 two days before the Mathematics examination, the question paper was out and it was in the hands of every boy. At first the news was a whisper and then it became public. There was commotion in the school and the matter reached the ears of the Headmaster. Indeed it was a shock to him and he could not rush into any conclusion. He was a mature person but the teachers began to view Mr. X with suspicion and, though they never blamed him openly, they spread rumours4 that Mr. X had a hand in the pilfering5 of the question papers.

The rumour reached the ears of the Headmaster. Formally he spoke to Mr. X about the leakage of the question papers and secretly arranged for a fresh set of papers to be also printed through Mr. X. So on the day of the examination the new set of papers was given to the surprise and shock of all.

Mr. X had been worried when his colleagues looked upon him with suspicion and the boys too began talking about his alleged complicity6 in the leakage. The matter didn't stop there. It had reached the ears of the management and so the Secretary wanted the Headmaster to hold on enquiry into the conduct of Mr. X in this affair. Poor Mr. X had been spending sleepless nights and wanted to clear his name.

Mr. X started enquiring from the boys how they had got the paper. But the clue was not easily forthcoming as the boys refused to talk. Mr. X would not take defeat.7 After all he was popular and there were a few boys who were devoted to him. So Mr. X caught hold of one such boy and promised him complete secrecy and protection. The boy was reluctant at first but at last began slowly yielding8 to persuasion. He told Mr. X how he got hold of the copy of the question paper and also the modus operandi9 behind the de bˆcle.10 It had all happened this way. The question paper packets had been sent by post to the press to be printed. The packets were sent through the peon11 to the post office. One of the boys who was poor in Mathematics and who wanted to pass bought the peon with a bribe and got the question paper packets from him. He had it copied and then repacked the original packet and posted it.

The boy with the question paper could not keep his secret contained. He circulated copies of it to his intimate friends who in their turn gave it to other boys until every student was having one copy of the Mathematics paper.

The information from the boy was passed on discreetly to the Headmaster who enquired very tactfully. The boy who had actually master-minded the plan refused to speak the truth, but the peon under threat of dismissal amitted his having parted with the question papers to the boy. When confronted12 by the guilty peon, the boy could not hold his fort.

He had to admit his guilt. Mr. X was relieved and now he could go about his duties with a clear mind.

His honour was restored by the management of the school as well as the public. Thus honesty always pays.

1. all-rounder /'0:l ra$nd6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi toaøn naêng 2. mar /m@:(r)/ (v) laøm haïi, laøm hoûng 3. like a bolt from the blue (idm) nhö seùt ñaùnh ngang tai 4. rumour /'ru:m6(r)/ (n) tin ñoàn, lôøi ñoàn ñaïi 5. pilfer /'p1lf6(r)/ (v) aên caép vaët 6. complicity /k6m'pl1s6t1/ (n) söï ñoàng loõa 7. to take defeat /te1k d1'fi:t/ (idm) chòu thaát baïi 8. yield /ji:ld/ (v) chòu thua, ñaàu haøng 9. modus operandi /,m6$d6s 4p6'r%nd1/ (n) caùch laøm vieäc, caùch hoaït ñoäng 10. de bˆcle /de1'b@:kl/ (n) söï thaát baïi ñoät ngoät vaø hoaøn toaøn 11. peon /'pj:6n/ (n) ngöôøi laøm coâng 12. confront /k6n'fr^nt/ (v) ñoái ñaàu

128. RETELLING AN OLD STORY KEÅ LAÏI MOÄT CAÂU CHUYEÄN COÅ The Master Swordsman In old Japan, the ultimate1 weapon was the sword. It was a much respected weapon often carried by a samurai2 and other people of Japan's violent past. There have been many stories told about these skilful swordsmen and their incredible feats of valour.3 The following is about how a man became one of the most skilful swordsmen in Japan.

A brash4 young man approached a renowned master swordsman and beseeched5 the master to teach him how to use the sword. The master refused and asked him to go away, but the young man was very persistent. Finally the master relented6 and accepted the young man as a pupil.

For the next two years the master forbade7 the young man to even touch a sword and was given all sorts of chores to do. He had to cut firewood, fetch water, sweep the floor and attend to the master's every need. The young man did everything as told but as time went on he grew impatient.

One day he asked the master why he still never received any sword-fighting lesson. In reply the master took a stick and hit him so hard that he had to run away.

From that day on the master would come up on him when he least expected it and beat him with a stick. He could not fight back for the master was far better a fighter than he.

The beatings continued while he had to carry out his chores. But gradually he learned to dodge8 and parry9 the master's blows. After a year of this harsh beatings he became very adept10 in anticipating11 and avoiding the blows. Soon he could cope with anything the master threw at him.

As his skill in avoiding the beatings increased he realised that this was the master's way of teaching him how to deal with being attacked ! What a strange way the master used, but it worked, for now he could handle any attack.

The master, on seeing that this young man had become so adept in avoiding being attacked, then gave him a sword and taught him how to handle a sword properly.

After a short time the young man became very skilful in handling a sword. So the master told him that it was time for him to leave. The young man knew now that the master had first taught him to be humble12 by making him do all sorts of chores. Next he learned how to cope with being attacked and finally he learned how to handle a sword. All these things he learned without really realising it. So with a heart full of gratitude to the master, he left and continued to be one of the greatest swordsmen Japan had ever known.

1. ultimate /'^lt1m6t/ (adj) toái öu, toái thöôïng 2. samurai /'s%m$ra1/ (n) kieám só Nhaät Baûn 3. feat of valour /fi:t 6v 'v%l6(r)/ (n) haønh ñoäng cao thöôïng vaø duõng caûm 4. brash /br%~/ (adj) xaác laùo, lì lôïm 5. beseech /b1'si:t~/ (v) caàu khaån, van naøi 6. relent /r1'l6nt/ (v) bôùt nghieâm khaéc, xieâu loøng 7. forbid /f6'b1d/ (v) (forbade-forbidden) caám, khoâng cho pheùp

8. dodge /d4d2/ (v) neù traùnh 9. parry /'p%r1/ (v) gaït, ñôõ 10. adept /'%dept/ (adj) thaønh thaïo hoaëc tinh thoâng caùi gì 11. anticipate /%n't1s1pe1t/ (v) ñoaùn tröôùc 12. humble /'h^mbl/ (adj) khieâm toán, nhuùn nhöôøng

129. AN UNFORGETTABLE CHILDHOOD INCIDENT MOÄT SÖÏ VIEÄC KHOÙ QUEÂN THÔØI THÔ AÁU I was about four or five years old at that time. My family lived in a wooden house bordering a coconut plantation. The coconut trees loomed1 tall and straight. Many animals and insects could be found scurrying2 up and down the trunks. Occasionally we could see flying lizards gliding from tree to tree.

Sometimes the older coconut trees would collapse whenever there was a storm. It was with one of these fallen trees that I had a most unforgettable and painful experience.

My brothers, sisters and I were playing near the trunk of a tree that had fallen the previous day. As young children we were very curious and wanted to have a close look at it. I was more inquisitive3 than the others. Also I was more foolish. I climbed onto the trunk and started to walk along it. It seemed fun and I had to show off how well I could keep my balance.

The tree trunk was not totally straight. It inclined4 upwards near the fronds. Bravely I walked up along the inclination. I felt very confident and sure. Higher and higher I walked. By then I was so cocksure5 of my ability that I started to shake the trunk. That was my undoing for the next moment down I came with a thud on the ground.

I felt excruciating6 pain and could not get up. I cried out. My elder brother tried to lift me but he was not strong enough. So one of my sisters ran home and fetched my father.

My father came hurriedly and carried me back to the house.

He put me down on the sofa. I was still in great pain and I could not move my left arm.

My mother came and examined me. She said my elbow was dislocated7 and told my father to take me to the hospital at once.

Quickly my father reversed out the family car, bundled me into it and drove quickly to the hospital. My mother could not come for she had to look after my brothers and sisters.

What anxiety she must have felt.

Nevertheless we reached the hospital in double quick time and I was attended to by a doctor in the emergency room. He carefully manipulated8 my arm and finally put the elbow joint back into place again. All the time I was in a sort of a daze9 as the pain was really terrible even after the doctor gave me a jab10 to lessen11 it.

I had to stay in the hospital for a couple of days for the injury to heal a bit. Fortunately there were no bones broken. So after two days I left the hospital and was greeted happily by my family. What an unforgettable but painful experience it had been. I learned not to repeat the foolish climbing act again.

1. loom /lu:m/ (v) hieän ra lôù môù 2. scurry /'sk^r1/ (v) chaïy nhanh, chaïy thoaên thoaét 3. inquisitive /1n'kw1z6t1v/ (adj) toø moø, hieáu kyø 4. incline /1n'kla1n/ (v) nghieâng hoaëc doác veà phía caùi gì 5. cocksure /'k4k~$6(r)/ (adj) töï phuï ñeán möùc kieâu ngaïo hoaëc chöôùng tai gai maét 6. excruciating /1k'skru:~1e1t17/ (adj) (veà côn ñau theå chaát hoaëc tinh thaàn) nhöùc nhoái, ñau buoát 7. dislocate /'d1sl6ke1t/ (v) laøm sai khôùp, laøm traät khôùp 8. manipulate /m6'n1pj$le1t/ (v) ñieàu khieån hoaëc söû duïng caùi gì baèng tay coù kyõ naêng

9. daze /de1z/ (n) traïng thaùi choaùng vaùng 10. jab /d2%b/ (n) muõi tieâm 11. lessen /'lesn/ (v) laøm giaûm bôùt, laøm dòu bôùt

130. AN ODD1 INCIDENT SÖÏ VIEÄC LAÏ LUØNG It was very odd. There were no people on the bus, but the engine was running and their belongings were there. But the bus stop was deserted.

I had just visited my aunt who lived in the countryside. The bus that would take us back to town came only once every hour. I thought I would miss it so I ran all the way from my aunt's house. But when I reached the bus stop, this strange sight confronted me.

Where were the driver and the passengers ?

There was a sandy field behind the bus stop and I went there to investigate. I saw footprints2 on the sand which were probably made by the passengers. The footprints were all leading to one direction - towards the centre of the field.

I plucked up my courage and ran towards it. As I was about to reach it, an unusual sight caught my eyes. There was a big crater3 in the sand, and a bright light, as though from an explosion, shone upwards. People stood at the edge of the crater, looking into it.

I continued to run towards it. Then I felt a hand grabbed my arm, and I screamed. "Hey, don't be frightened. Don't run to the crater, or you will be like them," said the stranger. I turned to face him, and saw that it was an old man whom I had seen in the village.

"Look at those people," the old man continued." If you look carefully, you can see that they are not moving. They are frozen4 like statues5." He told me that when the bus was about to leave, a glowing, bright object crashed into the field and formed the crater. The pull of the light was so strong that everyone seemed drawn and rushed towards it. Even the young children were not frightened by it. The old man could not keep up with the rest of them because of his weak leg. He noticed that whoever looked at the object in the crater became immovable, as though transfixed6 by it.

I asked the old man what should we do. I wanted to run back to the village for help.

"Wait," he said. "I think something is about to happen that will save them. The sky is dark. I hope the gods will bless us with rain."

We waited for the rain to fall. I could not help7 stealing looks at those immovable figures surrounding the bright light. It was very eerie.

Then it rained, followed by a heavy downpour. The old man and I watched an incredible sight. The bright light grew weaker and disappeared, and at that moment, the people started to come "alive" again. We approached them and they seemed not to have any knowledge of what had happened to them. They were all busily talking about the crater, and had no memory that some minutes of their lives had been frozen by an alien8 force.

I looked into the crater and saw that there was a smooth globe inside it. But when the rain wiped out9 the light, it lost its power. The old man looked at me, and I nodded at him. We both understood that we would not tell the passengers the truth about the incident. They were better off not knowing, and besides they might not believe us, anyway10.

1. odd /4d/ (adj) kyø quaëc, laï luøng 2. footprint /'f$tpr1nt/ (n) veát chaân, daáu chaân 3. crater /'kre1t6(r)/ (n) hoá treân maët ñaát do bom hoaëc thieân thaïch rôi xuoáng

4. frozen /'fr6$zn/ (adj) bò ñoâng cöùng; söng laïi vaø baát ñoäng 5. statue /'st%t~u:/ (n) böùc töôïng 6. transfix /tr%n'sf1ks/ (v) laøm cheát ñöùng, laøm söõng sôø 7. can't help + gerund khoâng theå khoâng 8. alien /'e1l16n/ (adj) xa laï 9. wipe out /wa1p a$t/ (v) xoùa saïch 10. anyway /'en1we1/ (adv) duø sao ñi nöõa

131. THE DISCOVERY OF A HUGE OIL FIELD1 HAS CAUSED MANY CHANGES AND DISAGREEMENTS. WRITE A STORY VIEÄC KHAÙM PHAÙ MOÄT MOÛ DAÀU LÔÙN ÑAÕ GAÂY RA NHIEÀU THAY ÑOÅI VAØ BAÁT ÑOÀNG. HAÕY VIEÁT MOÄT CAÂU CHUYEÄN The day was winding down in the desert community2 in Saudi Arabia. Men were resting, smoking their pipes and exchanging jokes. The women were sipping tea while the children were playing in the sand.

Suddenly, Talib, one of the villagers and a Caucasian man were seen running towards them. "We have discovered oil in our village. We'll be rich !" Talib shouted to the villagers in an excited voice.

Everyone became excited and there was a lot of commotion. One of them told the others to calm down so that Talib could explain the situation to them. They then sat around in a circle while Talib explained that an American company represented by the Caucasian man had been drilling for3 oil in their village. Today, they discovered, that underneath the land, there was a huge oil field. The company wanted to develop it and would buy the villagers' land for a great sum of money.

The Caucasian man mentioned the sums that the company was willing to pay. A few people gasped with wonder. He then left, and the villagers started to argue.

A majority of them, especially the younger men, agreed with Talib that they should sell their land and, with the money, start a new life. "After all, what do we have here ?" said one young man. "Nothing except goats, sand and mud houses."

That remarks angered some of the people. Ben Ahmad, a respected member of the community stood up and said that this was ancestral4 land which had supported them and their ancestors for many generations. "How dare you look down on you community," he continued. "Do not be blinded by money. Here we all care for each other, and our culture must always remain strong." The whole room was silent for a while. Then it was agreed that they would vote on5 the matter in a week's time.

From that time onwards, the oil field discovery was the main topic of conversation.

Some people started dreaming of moving to the city and buying a lot of gold. While others could not bear to imagine leaving their beloved homes. People who wanted to sell their land were constantly arguing with those who did not want to sell. Old friends became enemies over the issue6.

Then the day of voting came. Those who had decided to sell their land outnumbered7 those who wanted to stay by a slim majority.

The American company quickly arranged the sale and purchase of the land, and soon it was time for the villagers to leave. Since it would be their last time together, they put aside their disagreements and bade each other farewell.

Two years later, Ben Ahmed came back to his old village to pay a visit. He could not believe what he saw. Huge oil rigs8 had been built on the land. Instead of the music of the desert wind and the rustle of the sand, pounding noises from the rigs fill the air. He realised that the black oil is powerful that it could change so many lives.

1. field /fi:ld/ (n) khu vöïc khai thaùc, moû 2. community /k6'mju:n6t1/ (n) coäng ñoàng

3. drill (for) /dr1l/ (v) khoan (ñeå tìm caùi gì) 4. ancestral /%n'sestr6l/ (adj) thuoäc veà hoaëc thöøa höôûng cuûa 5. vote (on) /v6$t/ (v) boû phieáu cho moät vaán ñeà gì 6. issue /'1~u:/ (n) vaán ñeà ñang ñöôïc baøn ñeán 7. outnumber /a$t'n^mb6(r)/ (v) ñoâng hôn (ai) 8. oil rig /01l r19/ (n) daøn khoan daàu löûa

132. A MISUNDERSTANDING MOÄT SÖÏ HIEÅU LAÀM "If only he would listen to me," she sobbed1, "I could explain everything." May Ling reread the note. Her son Raymond had left it on her dressing table. Raymond wrote that he was leaving their home because he was disappointed in his mother. It had been only six months since his father's death and he had seen his mother dating2 another man. He felt that she did not care for him as well as his younger brother.

May Ling blamed herself. She remembered last night when Raymond was sulking in the living room. She had asked him what was the matter. He started to mumble3 something about a man, but did not continue. She tried to talk to him, but he became angry and left the flat. But May Ling blamed herself even more for keeping the truth away from her sons. She had wanted to surprise them, but it turned out to be a disaster4.

Raymond had apparently seen her with Seck Whee. She had met him at the restaurant near their home a couple of times. But there was nothing romantic about the meetings. Seck Whee was a car dealer5 and May Ling wanted to buy a car for herself and her family.

May Ling thought that a car would help her with her errands as well as cheer up the boys. They had missed their father badly. With the car, they could go to more places together. Raymond had also obtained his driving licence and May Ling wanted to give him the pleasure and the responsibility of looking after the car.

But she wanted to surprise them. The last six months, she had been very busy working and saving for the car. She also spent the evening taking driving lessons as she and her late husband never knew how to dirve. "I was wrong," she said to herself," I neglected the boys. I should have explained to them what I was trying to achieve".

She had planned with Seck Whee to have the car delivered6 to them next month. They were going to celebrate Raymond's nineteenth birthday at the restaurant near their home. Seck Whee would then deliver the car to them when they were at the restaurant.

Now, because of the secret she kept, Raymond had left home. May Ling was determined to find her son. She tried to think of all his favourite places, and somehow she felt that he would be at the lake where he used to go fishing with his father.

She hurried to the place, and sure enough, she saw him sitting by the lake. May Ling approached him. Raymond refused to listen when she first tried to explain. But when she showed him the purchase contract for the car and explained the situation, his anger cooled down.

May Ling was thankful that she was given the opportunity to mend the problem. She hoped that they could rebuild their lives and be a happy family again.

1. sob /s4b/ (v) khoùc (nöùc nôû) 2. date /de1t/ (v) heïn hoø 3. mumble /'m^mbl/ (v) noùi lí nhí, noùi laàm baàm 4. disaster /d1'z@:st6(r)/ (n) tai hoïa 5. dealer /'di:l6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi buoân baùn 6. deliver /d1'l1v6(r)/ (v) phaùt, giao

133. THE TRIAL1 PHIEÂN TOØA Andy felt his heart thumping as the policeman led him to the courtroom2. He looked for his family and saw them sitting in the second row. The policeman told him to stand in the dock3 with the other accused, his friend Beng Lee. When he was in the dock, Andy felt that everyone in the room was staring at him.

The judge walked into the courtroom, and everyone stood up. Soon, the proceedings started. Andy and Beng Lee were charged with shoplifting. They were caught trying to leave a department store with a small radio which had not been paid for.

Beng Lee's lawyer told the judge that it was Andy's idea to steal the radio. Andy was shocked to hear this. It was, in fact, the other way around. He never thought that Beng Lee, his good friend, would make up4 such a lie to save himself !

Then Andy's lawyer stood up to address the court. He said that it was true that Andy had accompanied Beng Lee to the department store that day. When they passed the counter which displayed the radio, Beng Lee suddenly whispered5 that he was going to take it and see if they could get away with it. Before Andy had a chance to react or protest, Beng Lee snatched6 the radio. He also grabbed Andy by the arm and rushed him towards the exit of the store. When they stepped out, the store's security guard caught them and called the police.

When both lawyers finished addressing the court, the judge studied the papers in front of him before he made a judgement.

Some minutes later, which felt more like hours to Andy, the judge announced his decision. He said that Beng Lee had previously been convicted of two other offences of shoplifting. For this offence, he would be fined7 and sent to a correction school so that he could change his ways. As for Andy, the judge reprimanded8 him for mixing with bad company. He said that Andy's school record had been good so far. Since Andy had no previous criminal record, the judge imposed a fine on him, and he would be free. But he had to report to a probation9 officer once a month to make sure that he would stay out of trouble.

Andy was very relieved to hear this. He did not have to go to jail10, and could go home after this terrible ordeal11.

But when he got home, things were not quite as before. His family seemed somewhat uncomfortable with him. He knew that he had disappointed them by being involved in such a situation. His mother was her usual loving self. She kept reminding him to use this experience as a lesson, and to concentrate on his studies.

But Andy knew that not only his mother, but the whole family loved him. They had given him so much support and hope throughout the ordeal. He realised that he had to be a person of good character to make up for12 all the trouble he had caused. The court trial was over, but the trial to win back his family's approval and trust had just begun.

1. trial /'tra16l/ (n) phieân toøa xöû 2. courtroom /'k0:tru:m/ (n) phoøng xöû aùn 3. dock /d4k/ (n) gheá bò caùo

4. make up /me1k ^p/ (v) bòa ra, bòa ñaët 5. whisper /'w1sp6(r)/ (v) (noùi) thì thaàm 6. snatch /sn%t~/ (v) voà, choäp laáy 7. fine /fa1n/ (v) phaït ai baèng tieàn – (n) soá tieàn phaït 8. reprimand /'repr1m@:nd/ (v) khieån traùch 9. probation /pr6'be1~n/ (n) aùn treo, thôøi gian quaûn cheá 10. jail /d2e1l/ (n) (cuõng gaol) nhaø tuø 11. ordeal /0:'di:l/ (n) söï thöû thaùch 12. make up for /me1k ^p f6(r)/ (v) ñeàn buø, buø ñaép cho (caùi gì)

134. "SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO TREAT PEOPLE UNKINDLY FOR THEIR OWN GOOD." WRITE A STORY. “ÑOÂI KHI CHUÙNG TA PHAÛI ÑOÁI XÖÛ VÔÙI NGÖÔØI KHAÙC MOÄT CAÙCH NGHIEÂM KHAÉC VÌ LÔÏI ÍCH CUÛA CHÍNH HOÏ”. HAÕY MINH HOÏA BAÈNG MOÄT CAÂU CHUYEÄN Hamid had grown up as a pampered1 boy. His father was frequently away on business trips and his mother had spoiled him to make up for his father's absence. He did not have to lift a finger in the house. His mother and the maid did everything for him. He always got what he wanted and sometimes he was rude2 to people.

One day his father noticed how pampered Hamid had become. Even though he was already 16 years old, he was still a spoilt child. During that same period, Hamid's grandfather who lived in the countryside was there for a visit. He noticed the same thing too. The two men agreed that Hamid should be more independent, and they felt that spending his month-long school holiday in the countryside might help him.

When they told him about this plan, Hamid refused to go. But his father put his foot down and told him that he had no choice in the matter.

When he arrived at the village, his grandparents who lived by themselves told Hamid that he would have to help them with all the chores. They would be too busy to attend to him. So Hamid had to be taught how to wash dishes and other simple household chores.

His grandmother told him not to scorn3 these skills. She said that if he were to go abroad for studies, he would be able to take care of himself.

Hamid still looked down at the villagers as "country bumpkins." But he gradually realised that they worked very hard. They spent long hours tending to the paddy fields.

At first, Hamid complained about all the bending and the physical work. He also could not bear to be in the hot sun. But his grandfather told him not to be a "softie4", and advised him to take it as a challenge.

The villagers also help each other to build and mend their houses. One day, they gathered to help an old couple build an extension5 to their small house. Someone had shoved6 a hammer and nails to Hamid and told him to pitch in. Hamid did not know where to begin or exactly what to do. Some of the young boys noticed his confusion and laughed at his ignorance. Hamid was angry. He had always laughed at these boys for their lack of sophistication7. But now they were the ones laughing at him.

Hamid made a new friend, Malik. Malik helped his family, and even assisted other children with their schoolwork. But he was still a good student who aspired8 to be a doctor. This made Hamid feel ashamed because he always used the excuse of his studies to avoid doing any errand for his parents.

The month went by and it was time for Hamid to return home. Hamid had hated the idea of visiting the village when his family first brought it up. He thought they were being cruel to him. He also thought that it was unkind of his grandparents to make him do all those chores. But now he realised that his stay there had taught him to be independent, self-reliant9 and useful to others.

1. pampered /'p%mp6d/ (adj) ñöôïc nuoâng chieàu ñeán hö hoûng

2. rude /ru:d/ (adj) thoâ loã, hoãn laùo 3. scorn /sk0:n/ (v) khinh thöôøng, coi khinh 4. softie /'s4ft1/ (n) (cuõng softy) ngöôøi yeáu ôùt 5. extension /1k'sten~n/ (n) phaàn môû roäng 6. shove /~^v/ (v) nheùt böøa vaøo 7. sophistication /s6'f1st1ke1~n/ (n) söï tinh teá 8. aspire /6'spa16(r)/ (v) khao khaùt 9. self-reliant /self r1'la16nt/ (adj) töï löïc

135. THE JEALOUS REACTIONS OF ONE PERSON TO THE SUCCESS OF A FRIEND PHAÛN ÖÙNG GANH TÎ CUÛA MOÄT NGÖÔØI ÑOÁI VÔÙI THAØNH COÂNG CUÛA BAÏN BEØ "We used to go to school together, sit together, eat together from a plate, talk over the telephone every night and even spend our weekends together," thought Diana as she walked sulkily home from school. She was thinking a bout her closest friend Liza who had suddenly decided to end their established1 friendship.

This was how it happened. Diana was a favourite among her teachers. She was very much respected by her schoolmates. Diana, a very bright student who was always top in standard was befriended by Liza, the school's best athlete. Everybody knew that both of them were inseparable.

It so happened that a student from Primary Six needed to be chosen as the assistant secretary of the school's sports department. She was to represent the students of primary four, five and six at any meeting held in preparation of the school's coming sports meet.

The teachers had unanimously2 chosen Diana because of her popularity among the other students. Besides, she could speak very well. Liza was not chosen because the teacher thought that she would be very busy with her practice as she would be running in a few events during the sports day.

When the choice was announced, Diana was cheered tremendously by the students.

However, Liza's face became pale, she excused herself and hurried away from the assembly ground. Diana was not able to follow her as she was surrounded by the others.

When school was dismissed, Diana waited for Liza at the school gate. When she did not turn up after half an hour, Diana went to look for her. Surprisingly she was nowhere to be found.

Thinking that she must have hurried home to attend to some personal matters. Diana walked home alone. That night Diana telephoned her friend to inquire about her.

However, Liza made up some excuses to hang up the telephone. Diana believed her and readily excused her.

In school, the next day, Liza avoided Diana as much as possible. In class, she had to sit beside Diana but she kept quiet all along. During the break, Liza went off to the canteen without waiting for Diana. Diana saw her at the canteen, eating with another girl. Then only did she realise that something must be wrong. She searched herslef to see if she had done anything wrong. The more she thought the more her mind suggested to her the possible reasons. At last she gave up and sat on a bench and ate her sandwiches.

As she was eating, two girls passed by and she overheard them talking. The mention of her name made her strain her neck and try to catch a few words from their conversation.

What a shock she had when she finally pieced3 the information together Liza was actually jealous of her position as the student's representative in the sport department.

Diana could not believe that such a trivial matter could cause this heart-aching break.

Diana thought about the matter again as she walked home. She decided that Liza had to come to a self realization. She must realize that friendship should be cherished above all. Diana felt that she should give up her new post if that would patch up4 the hole in their relationship. But... that would only pamper Liza and would not make her realize her folly.5 She continued her walk deep in thought.

1. established /1'st%bl1~t/ (adj) vöõng beàn 2. unanimous /ju:'n%n1m6s/ (adj) nhaát trí - unanimously /-l1/ (adv) 3. piece /pi:s/ (v) khaùm phaù (caâu chuyeän, söï thaät, v.v…) töø caùc chöùng cöù taùch bieät 4. patch up /p%t~ ^p/ (v) haøn gaén, vaù víu 5. folly /'f4l1/ (n) haønh ñoäng, thaùi ñoä ngu xuaån

136. A VIVID1 DREAM MOÄT GIAÁC MÔ SOÁNG ÑOÄNG I could not sleep. I kept remembering about the awful fright I had had that day. I kept wishing that Aunt Mariam would not tell Mom that I had been to the huge, old house down the hill.

I remembered walking down the winding2 path through the thick woods, hot tears streaming down my cheeks. I kept thinking of Mom cooing3 softly down at my born baby brother and then turning sharply to scold me for forgetting to do my chores. The rain drops from the drizzle washed my tears. The ground was already wet as it had rained earlier. I slipped many times as I made my way through the winding track to the huge, burnt house.

I was panting4 by the time I reached the front gate of the house. It stood like an empty sheel, black and burnt from that fire long ago. There was an eerie silence about the place secluded5 from all sides by tall menacing6 trees. Only my heart throbbed7 away as I recalled the village children telling tales of the house being haunted by a girl and her brother who had died in the fire.

It was very dark inside. I groped8 around for a while to get used to the dark. The place smelt of dampness and mildew9. I stood in the middle of the massive, empty hall and stared at the dusty ruin and decay that had gathered. The place was full of dark, shadowed corners covered with cobwebs. I noticed that the left wing of the house was untouched by the fire. I made my way lightly through the debris10 toward the left of the house.

This room was surprisingly bright. All around there were oil painted canvasses, some hung, others covered with white sheets. I uncovered one to find a water colour painting of a girl of about my age, standing pensively,11 grinning widely by a fountain. It was the sad, wistful look in those expressive eyes that held my attention for a long while. Then carefully I covered it. I was about to uncover another when a dark shadow crossed the room.

I looked up sharply in the dim light. Holding my breath I moved back slowly without turning around. I almost expected a vampire12 to come out among the shadows. There it was again, huge black wings flapped towards me, screeding loudly. I lifted my sweaty palms to cover my eyes, swung myself around and cowered on the floor.

Lightning flashed into the dimness of the dimness of the room, thunder cracked through the walls. I got up slowly. Something must have hit my head when I swung round. There was an awful lump13 at the side of my head ; it throbbed painfully.

Outside it was raining heavily and the wind howled loudly. There was something else too. I smelt something strange. It was smoke !

The house was on fire again. From inside the room I could see tongues of red flares. I looked around desperately. Lightning flashed again. Then before me was a rocking horse and a cot14 on fire. I stood there not knowing what to do. Then the fire went out.

Before me was the burnt remains of the cot and as I gazed. I was horrified to see what looked like the charred15 remains of a baby boy, black and lifeless.

I sat up, breathing hard, clutching my blanket. Looking around the familiar sights I sprang out of bed to my parents bedroom. There he was, my baby brother sleeping

soundly ; but my parents were not there. I still smelt smoke and heard fire crackling. I walked into the living room and there it was - the fire.

Across the road, the shophouses were on fire. I stood there, clutching my mother's hands watching the firemen do battle with the blazing monster for a long while. Then my mom carried me back to bed and tucked me into bed again.

1. vivid /'v1v1d/ (adj) soáng ñoäng, maïnh meõ 2. winding /'wa1nd17/ (adj) uoán khuùc, ngoaèn ngoeøo 3. coo /ku:/ (v) thì thaàm dòu daøng vaø eâm aùi 4. pant /p%nt/ (v) thôû hoån heån 5. seclude (from) /s1'klu:d/ (v) taùch bieät khoûi 6. menace /'men6s/ (v) ñe doïa, gaây nguy hieåm cho ai / caùi gì 7. throb /8r4b/ (v) (veà tim, maïch, v.v…) ñaäp nhanh vaø maïnh hôn bình thöôøng 8. grope /9r6$p/ (v) doø daãm, moø maãm 9. mildew /'m1ldju:/ (n) naám moác 10. debris /'de1br1s/ (n) maûnh vôõ 11. pensive /'pens1v/ (adj) coù veû traàm ngaâm, ñaâm chieâu vaø buoàn baõ - pensively /-l1/ (adv) 12. vampire /'v%mpa16(r)/ (n) ma caø roàng 13. lump /l^mp/ (n) caùi böôùu 14. cot /k4t/ (n) giöôøng cuõi (daønh cho treû nhoû nguû) 15. charred /t~@:d/ (adj) bò chaùy seùm

137. A MAD DOG CON CHOÙ ÑIEÂN The road up the hill is long and winding. There's hardly any traffic, in fact it seems to be quieter than usual. Mrs. Foster takes a deep breath with a feeling of gladness and satisfaction. "Thank goddness ! There doesn't seem to be many people camping out up there", she thinks. She turns to her left to see the little boy sitting patiently beside her with eyes open wide, eagerly looking at the uncommonly peaceful surroundings. The little yellow Volkswagon moves slowly up the hill with Mrs. Foster driving and her little boy Billy on the front seat next to her.

"When are we going to see daddy, mum ?" asks Billy.

"In three hours time honey, at noon. We're going to have lunch together, remember ?" replies Mrs. Foster. Her son nods his head and continues to look at the scenery. They have driven for almost two hours. Suddenly the car moves very slowly. Only then does she realize she's running out of gas. She manages to drive up to the nearest gas station and presses the horn several times. No one responds, so she decides to get out to look for somebody in the station. The station is deserted but the doors are not locked.

"Strange", thinks Mrs. Foster. Suddenly there's a sound coming from behind her. She turns to see only a dog staring at her. She pays no attention to it and starts to walk back to her car. Grrrrrrrrrr! "There's something strange about the dog". Mrs. Foster says to herself. Something strange that makes her hair stand. She decides not to turn around but walk quickly to her car. She opens her car door and quickly gets in. As she slams1 the door, the dog pounces on it with great strength that makes the car shake. Billy screams and Mrs. Foster realizes that the dog is a mad dog.

She winds2 up her car windows and locks both door. Just then the dog rams3 her car again, this time shaking it even more. She realizes that there's nothing she can do to get out of the situation. Her car won't move and there's no way she can get out to make a phone call. As she holds Billy in her arms, there's another bang. This time the dog is on the front of her car looking dangerously at Mrs Foster and her son through the windscreen4. It begins to hit and scratch the windscreen as if to reach to the frightened victims inside the car. Billy's screams and cries only agitate the dog more and its movements become more vigorous5 as it begins to hit harder and harder until the windscreen cracks. To her horror Mrs. Foster realizes what the dog is up to, so she tries to calm Billy down and it works. For almost two hours they sit there quietly, not even daring to breathe properly. The dog lays itself down on the bonnet6 of the car and keeps a watchful eye on any slight movements.

Suddenly there's a sound of a truck. Several men get out of it armed with rifles and shot guns. The dog jumps down from her car and Mrs. Foster gives a sigh of relief. As she closes her eyes, she hears a loud bang, a gun shot, followed by the cry of the fatally wounded dog.

1. slam /sl%m/ (v) ñoùng saàm 2. wind (up) /wa1nd/ (v) laøm cho caùi gì chuyeån ñoäng leân baèng caùch quay tay quay, cuoän, v.v…

3. ram /r%m/ (v) ñaâm vaøo, ñuïng maïnh

4. windscreen /'w1ndskri:n/ (n) kính chaén gioù xe hôi 5. vigorous /'v196r6s/ (adj) maïnh meõ, döõ doäi 6. bonnet /'b4n1t/ (n) naép ñaäy ñoäng cô cuûa xe coä; capoâ

138. GRANDPARENTS OÂNG BAØ With faltering1 steps two loving figures walked, hand in hand. Affection was shining in their eyes. Silhouetted2 by the morning sun, they painstakingly made their way towards an empty bench. Beyond them, the sun shone bright but the sky was of a pale azure.3 They sat down close as if afraid of losing each other after what they had been through.

Occasionally smiling that little sad smile of his, the old man did not seem to mind the wind teasing the last few strands4 of his white hair. He was drifting in his dreams. But it was only a seconds before he looked subdued again lost in his own world. The old woman too felt likewise.

Minutes passed in complete silence. Tears of misery trickled down slowly tracing the strained lines on the face contorted5 with wrinkles. The only thing left for them was their love for each other, which glowed like a flame that will never die.

"Damn it ! Can't you take care of yourselves ? Do you expect me to do every single thing for you ? Look at that mess ! God ! Can't you see that I have my own family to take care of ? Isn't it enough that you have wrecked6 my marriage. Why do you have to do this to me ?"

The bitter words stung them but they couldn't do anything about it. They were too old.

All they could do was sit and stare at the empty space biting their trembling lips. They hard come to accept the fact that they were a nuisance7 to their good daughter. As the heart-rending words trailed on, they realised that they were the cause of her shattered8 marriage. They wanted to say they were sorry but she never gave them a chance.

She regarded them as a barrier to a happy life. She had wanted too much and had tried to understand too litte. They struggled throught life just because they wanted her to be happy and this was their reward for all the hardship they had endured in trying to please her.

One day they were forced to packed up and leave for their new home. It was the home for neglected parents. Life was unbearable there, looking at all the old people. They were useless and lifeless as vegetables. They were dependent on others. They felt ashamed but couldn't help relying on others. "They are so different from us. We don't need others to spoon-feed us. But they do", they thought.

The old couple have come to accept the reality of life. This is their home now, and it is going to be till the end of their days.

They held hands. He squeezed9 hers smiling, showing gaps where teeth had once been.

She smiled back assured that everything would be alright. In the solace10 of mutual love and care they carried on their journey through life.

1. falter /'f0:lt6(r)/ (v) (veà di chuyeån, ñi boä, v.v…) ngaäp ngöøng, nao nuùng (do yeáu söùc hoaëc sôï haõi) 2. silhouette /s1lu:'et/ (v) in boùng, roïi boùng 3. azure /'%26(r)/ (n) maøu xanh da trôøi 4. strand /str%nd/ (n) moùn toùc 5. contorted /k6n't0:t1d/ (adj) nhaên nhoù, vaën veïo, nhaên nheo

6. wreck /rek/ (v) phaù hoaïi, laøm hoûng 7. nuisance /'nju:sns/ (n) moái phieàn haø 8. shatter /'~%t6(r)/ (v) laøm tan vôõ, laøm tieâu tan 9. squeeze /skwi:z/ (v) boùp, sieát chaët 10. solace /'s4l1s/ (n) söï khuaây khoûa, nieàm an uûi

139. THE DAY DAD DECIDED TO DO IT HIMSELF NGAØY CHA TOÂI QUYEÁT ÑÒNH TÖÏ LAØM LAÁY MOÏI VIEÄC "Damn this stupid thing. Not again!", I heard mum say. Even without popping1 my head inside the kitchen I knew that it was the dish-washer making trouble again. That was the third time this month.

I hate it when the dish-washer breaks down, because I would end up doing the washing.

Mum had given up hope on the dish-washer. But is not dad ! He loves it when something breaks down in the house. He is always out to prove that he is the handy man around the house. After the amount of money he had paid to have the dish-washer repaired, I was sure, he wouldn't believe in anymore repairs. I was wrong.

When he got home and found out about the dish-washer, he was all ready to try out2 the new tool-set my uncle had bought for me recently.

He started working on the dish-washer soon afterwards. The first thing he laid his hands on was the motor. God knows how he managed to get it out. This was preceded by a lot of banging and hammering. My mum and I spent the evening in the living-room, away from the noise. My mum did not quite mind the mess3 my dad was making, because the dish-washer was not functioning well anyway, even before it decided to go on "strike" that day for the third time.

Dad continued to work through the evening. He was engrossed with the dish-washer and was not distracted4 by anything else.

While preparing dinner, mum and I tried our best to avoid directing our curious eyes to my dad's working spot. But habit was so deeply ingrained5 that we found ourselves turning our eyes on him. Believe it or not, it wasn't so bad. There wasn't much of a mess.

Just screws6 and spanners7 of different sizes lying around - apart from the dish-racks and the motor. Dad gave us a mischievious grin.

We heard a couple of "ouches" and curses8 in the kitchen but did not approach him.

There were sounds of deafening hammerings. Suddenly, dad shouted for help. He sounded desperate.

Mum and I rushed to him. We knew what was coming. It was a disaster! On the kitchen floor was the motor which was somehow working on its own. The door was off its hinges.9 Dad was surely for the dish-washer's lid was off too. I was not surprised. Dad was capable of anything !

What did my dad have to say after all these ? "They do not make tools like they used to anymore!" That's my dad.

The next best thing was to pull him away from the kitchen before he brought down the wires, saying that the wires had caused the trouble. My mum then called the Electric Company to collect the remains of the dishwasher. I went straight for the tools and placed them back in the store room. I was not surprised the least, when we did not receive any cash for the junk10 we sent away.

1. pop /p4p/ (v) laøm (caùi gì) noå boáp 2. try out /tra1 a$t/ (v) kieåm tra ai/caùi gì baèng caùch söû duïng ngöôøi ñoù/caùi ñoù – thöû nghieäm 3. mess /mes/ (n) tình traïng loän xoän, böøa baõi

4. distract /d1'str%kt/ (v) laøm roái trí, laøm laõng trí 5. ingrained /1n9re1nd/ (adj) aên saâu, thaâm caên coá ñeá 6. screw /skru:/ (n) ñinh vít 7. spanner /'sp%n6(r)/ (n) côø leâ 8. curse /k3:s/ (n) lôøi chöûi ruûa, caâu chöûi theà 9. hinge /h1nd2/ (n) baûn leà 10. junk /d2^nk/ (n) ñoà ñoàng naùt, ñoà taïp nhaïp ít giaù trò

140. BEING THE ODD ONE OUT CON NGÖÔØI LAÏC LOÕNG I took a final look at myself in the mirror before I put on my high heeled shoes. I thought I looked presentable enough. My brother was furiously sounding the horn hurrying me up. I went down the steps with difficulty due to my shoes. The minute I stepped into the car, he sped off, not caring that my heart had leapt into my mouth.

He was to meet his friends for a barbecue. He hated to take me along on such occasions.

He said that I was a spoil-spon1 tagging along behind him. However, he had to bring me because my mother insisted. She said that every time he needed to use my father's car at night, he must take me along. Well, whether he liked it or not, he had to oblige. I was to one who had to bear his deafening nags2 while we travelled to and fro in the car.

He stopped at the East Coast Park and told me to get down. I was nearly in tears because I thought the barbecue was to be held at friend's house. If I had known that it was to be at the beach, I would have at least put on my pants and flat sandals. I would never dream of going to such an occasion in party skirt and high heeled shoes. Oh... why didn't he inform me. Although I was very angry with him, I kept my peace. I knew better than to say anything.

I hurried behind him towards the beach. When we reached the location, I was utterly shocked to find that there was not a single female soul around. His friends stared at me.

I felt strange, although I still cannot interpret3 their stare. I looked down shyly, and my eyes met my skirt. At that moment, I felt like tearing it to pieces.

The boys did not say anything to me. I realized that my presence was not welcome. I felt amixed feeling of embarrassment and anger. Who should I blame ? I thought everybody was to blame ; my mother, my brother and I. My thoughts was rudely interrupted by a rough voice offering me a seat on an overturned pot. I thanked him and sat, looking at the pitch black, moonless sky against the dark blue, calm waters.

I had been in the company of boys for a number of times but the occasions were never as forbidding as this one. At home, my mother and I live among seven males. They are my father, two of his brothers, my elder brother and three younger brothers. I love their company.

I was again interrupted by the rough voice. This time he offered me some mutton4 cubes pierced in an iron skewer. Without thinking, I took it and began to eat. I shouted in pain when the burning skewer5 touched my lips. My unsympathetic brother turned around to look at me. Instead of doing something, he gave me a threatening look and turned away. I heard him telling his friends that I was a spoil-sport.

I felt tears in my eyes but I would not permit them to fall.

I waited patiently till 11.30 p.m. At exactly 11.30 p.m. my brother signalled to me to go the car. I walked away alone, without saying goodby to anybody. This time warm tears really poured down my cheeks. I quickly wiped them away as I heard my brother coming up behind me. Then, I realized that being the odd one out was indeed trying. I thanked God that it was all over.

1. spoil-sport /'sp01l sp0:t/ (n) ngöôøi phaù ñaùm 2. nag /n%9/ (n) lôøi raày la, chæ trích lieân tuïc

3. interpret /1n't3:pr1t/ (v) giaûi thích, lyù giaûi 4. mutton /'m^tn/ (n) thòt cöøu ñaõ tröôûng thaønh 5. skewer /'skj$6(r)/ (n) caùi xieân (ñeå nöôùng thòt, v.v…)

141. ACTING AS A SUBSTITUTE LAØM NGÖÔØI THAY THEÁ Anxious faces peered out1 fourth storey classroom window. Half the class were outside the classroom. Some of them were at the balcony, some were waiting at the steps while some went even further to wait at the school gate. Being the class monitor, I tried to call them back to class. My teacher was at the staff room, walking up and down in front of the telephone. She was waiting for a telephone call from Brenda's mother.

Brenda, the brain of our class, was hospitalised.2 She had a sudden attack of asthma3 during the previous night and was immediately rushed to the hospital. She was to be the last speaker for our class at the finals of the interclass debate to be held that very day.

We were confident of her. We were sure that her unbeatable ability to summarise and to rebut4 would win for our class the prize. This was precisely the reason for everybody's anxiety, waiting for her with hope.

A little while later, my teacher walked into the class. By the look on her face, we could immediately guess the outcome.5 She said in a quivering6 voice, "Brenda won't be discharged today. So... I'm afraid,... I'm afraid that we will have to find a substitute."

There was dead silence in my class. I was standing at the back of the class. Then, painfully, I felt as if sharp pins were piercing my body, pinning me to the wall. Slowly, my eyes met the eyes of forty-two others.

"But.. but I... I'm not prepared," I said stumbling over my words. Suddenly, an idea struck me, "Surely... surely you won't want m... me to s... stutter7 like this, do you ?" I said, faking the stutter. To my utter dismay, nobody said anything. The forty-two pairs of eyes kept staring at me. My teacher then broke the silence by the sound of her footsteps, walking up to me. She caught hold of my shoulders and said, "Only you can do it. Please don't let us down." Realizing the hopelessness of the situation, I nodded quietly. I thought I heard thunder roaring across the sky, but I soon realized that it was a tremendous round of applause by my classmates.

There was not much time left. The three other speakers and I rushed to the library. They quickly briefed me on the motion8 of the debate which was, "Parents should not overburden their children with home tuition." We were supposed to propose the motion. I felt that this was the most difficult task as I relied on a lot on my home tutor. It was certainly difficult to argue for something which we ourselves were against.

At last, the hour arrived. Everybody assembled in the school hall. Backstage, I was sitting at the right hand corner of a semi-circle. Directly opposite me was the last speaker from the opponents. I managed to pass a crooked smile to him. My hands shivered as I held on tightly to the cards which contained the points for my arguments.

The curtain parted. Right through the introduction I kept my head down. Not daring to look at the audience. Time seemed to fly, at a tremendous speed. Before I realized it, the debate was open to the floor. I looked up for the first time as I heard a voice from the corner of the hall rebutting a point made by my third speaker. Suddenly, I felt myself on the defensive. I quickly jotted a point on my card. I glanced through the card and realized that I had written quite a lot of points for rebuttal.

The moment arrived. I stood up, my knees knocking vigorously against each other. I forced my voice out. Beginning with the formal greeting, I found myself speaking,

pouring out argument after argument. I began to enjoy myself especially when the audience clapped at my good points. I did not even want to stops speaking when my time was over, but I had to. I sat quietly, looking at some of the unsaid arguments on my card. I heard the opponent pouring out his final arguments.

The chairman said excitedly, "The long awaited moment has come. I will now call out the winner of this debate. The best speaker is... Maria of Secondary 4/2." The other part of the announcement was drowned in the applause. My classmates rushed up the stage, hugging each other. I knew who had won without even listening to the verdict.9 I felt elated with pride. My teacher patted me on the back and all the others gathered around me. After the prizes were given away, my classmates again stood up to shout three cheers for 4/2. When every-body else had dispersed from the hall, my teacher unexpectedly shouted, "I knew I had chose the right substitute."

1. peer (out) /p16(r)/ (v) nhìn, nhoøm, ngoù (qua) 2. hospitalise /'h4sp1t6la1z/ (v) gôûi hoaëc ñöa (ai) vaøo beänh vieän 3. asthma /'%sm6/ (n) beänh hen, beänh suyeãn 4. rebut /r1'b^t/ (v) beû laïi, baùc boû - rebuttal (n) 5. outcome /'a$tk^m/ (n) haäu quaû, keát quaû 6. quiver /'kw1v6(r)/ (v) hôi run run hoaëc rung ñoäng 7. stutter /'st^t6(r)/ (v) (cuõng stammer) noùi laép 8. motion /'m6$~n/ (n) kieán nghò 9. verdict /'v3:d1kt/ (n) söï quyeát ñònh, lôøi tuyeân boá (moät quyeát ñònh)

142. LOST LUGGAGE THAÁT LAÏC HAØNH LYÙ One fine day, as I was engrossed in my reading, the phone rang. I picked up the receiver and was greeted formally by an unfamiliar voice that asked to speak to me. My hands trembled for a while and strange ideas of imaginary offences shot into my mind.

My worries were unfounded as I received the most wonderful news that I could ever dream of. I had been chosen to study on an overseas scholarship. I was told reply to the offer by the next day.

When my parents came home that night. I broke the wonderful news to them. My father was overjoyed as it was his dream to send me for studies overseas. My mother was, however, not very pleased as she would miss me and she feared that no one would take care of me in a foreign land. After much comforting from my father and me, my mother was finally persuaded.

My father had left the choice of course to me. I chose to take up the course for a Diploma in "Pure Physics" at the Oxford University for a duration of three years. The next day, I called the scholarship board, expressed my thanks and informed them of my choice of course. They gave me three weeks for preparation before they would send me off.

Preparation began at home without any waste of time. My mother started making a list of the things I would need. She herself went shopping for the necessities. Finally, the day for my departure arrived. My mother had prepared a large suitcase stuffed1 with all my belongings. She had also put in a ruby brooch2 which she had bought for me.

My parents sent me to the airport. After a tearful farewell from my mother and some encouraging words from my father and relatives, I left for England. The plane trip was not as long as I had expected. The plane touched down in England in the evening. I took my luggage from the airport, walked out and hailed3 a taxi. I asked the driver to take me to a respectable restaurant near my hostel4 as I was starving.

He stopped in front of a small but clean-looking restaurant. I paid him the fare, grabbed my hand-bag and hopped out of the taxi. After my dinner, I realized that I had left my extremely valuable suitcase in the taxi's boot.5 I was at a loss. I neither knew the taxi's licence number nor anybody whom I could ask for help.

I walked slowly towards the hostel, my mind in a mess. I thought of making a long distance call to my mother but I decided against it. I knew better than to worry her with my own troubles. I walked into the hostel and introduced myself to the lady at the information counter. With tears in my eyes, I told her my plight6 hoping that she could help me regain my lost luggage.

The lady was very helpful. She immediately contacted a few centres and informed them about the loss. She told them to return the lost luggage to the Oxford University Hostel, if it should be found. I thanked her from the bottom of my heart. She then showed me to my room and told me not to worry.

I could not sleep that night. I remembered my mother's advice to me to be careful about the suitcase. I knew that it would break her heart if she were to learn of my carelessness. I cursed myself for being so careless. I began to think of all my documents

in the suitcase without which I could not enrol7 for the course. Not withstanding8 all the worries, I fell asleep at last, with complete exhaustion, I guess.

The first thing I remembered the next morning was my suitcase. I got dressed and rushed down the seemingly endless flight of stairs to the information counter. The lady greeted me with the sweetest smile I have ever seen. She told me to come behind the counter. I did and there, behind the counter stood the too familiar, red suitcase. I almost screamed with joy. I squeezed her hands and expressed my deepest thanks.

I picked up my suitcase and ran with it to my room. I knelt down and humbly thanked God for having saved me from the mess I was in. I have learnt my lesson and promised myself to be extra careful in future. I was also determined not to let anyone at home know about this incident forever !

1. stuff /st^f/ (v) nhoài nheùt caùi gì vaøo ñaày caùi gì• 2. brooch /br6$t~/ (n) traâm, ghim hoa 3. hail /he1l/ (v) ra hieäu cho (taùc xi, v.v…) döøng laïi 4. hostel /'h4stl/ (n) nhaø kyù tuùc, khu taäp theå 5. boot /bu:t/ (n) ngaên ñeå haønh lyù, thöôøng naèm phía sau xe oâ toâ 6. plight /pla1t/ (n) caûnh ngoä khoán khoù 7. enrol /1n'r6$l/ (n) ghi danh 8. withstand /w15'st%nd/ (v) cöôõng laïi

143. DANGEROUS COMPANION KEÛ ÑOÀNG HAØNH NGUY HIEÅM "All aboard!" The loud commanding voice woke me up from my nap. Grabbing my knap-sack I shoved my way through the crowd towards the train. I jumped onto it and hurriedly moved from carriage1 to carriage trying to locate the one in which Miss Lou was. I could have written to her and asked for the carriage number, but there was no fun in that. I wanted to surprise her.

I glanced at my pocket watch that Miss Lou had given me on my last birthday. I plunged2 into a nostalgia mood, as I recollected how fondly Miss Lou who is actually none other than my dear auntie had taken care of me when I was young.

"April, April" a shrill, familiar voice cut my thoughts. I looked up to see the ever smiling face of my Aunt Lou. I was filled with joy at seeing her. I explained that I had, at the spur3 of the moment, decided to accompany her to Paris. In our excitement, we had forgotten about the other passengers in the carriage. If not for Aunt Lou's elderly companion and nurse, we would have certainly been carried away during this memorable moment. Miss Prude (a very apt4 name for her, I thought) interrupted us curtly, saying, "Madame, it's time for your medicine".

That night, we had a lovely time together. Aunt Lou was proud to show me her fabulous5 jewellery collection. Among her favourites and most expensive was an exquisite diamond-studded6 necklace, intricately and skillfully crafted. On seeing these priceless possessions of hers, I raised my doubts about their safety. She told me not worry as she had always kept them in a "poor-looking box" to avoid suspicion.

In the morning, we had breakfast together and this time we were not bothered and haunted by Aunt Lou's companion. It was on my way to the cashier that I noticed a young and beautiful woman going into the carriage we had been in a short while ago. I tried to recall the instance I had seen that familiar face before but I failed.

When I saw Aunt Lou's smiling face, I forgot everything about that mysterious lady.

Both of us then, walked towards our carriage. We knew something was amiss7 when we saw the door ajar. Aunt Lou turned pale and nearly fainted when she discovered that her jewel box was missing.

I was suddenly reminded of Miss Prude. She was the only person who had access8 to the carriage. She might have overheard us talking about the box during the previous night.

With the help of some concerned passengers and a train officer, we searched high and low for somebody fitting the descrition of Miss Prude.

We were about to give up our search when my eyes fell upon the beautiful, mysterious lady. Her too-familiar face bore the look of unpardonable guilt. I grabbed the officer's arm and pointed to her. She tried to escape but was caught with the box in her bag.

Aunt Lou praised me for uncovering the disguise.9 It was later found that before this incident, Miss Prude had used her skills in theatrical10 makeup to deceive some ten to fifteen rich and lonely old ladies who depended on her for companionship. Miss Prude was indeed their most dangerous companion !

1. carrige /'k%r1d2/ (n) toa xe löûa chôû haønh khaùch 2. plunge (into) /pl^nd2/ (v) rôi vaøo moät traïng thaùi 3. spur /sp3:(r)/ (n) söï thoâi thuùc, söï khuyeán khích 4. apt /%pt/ (adj) thích hôïp 5. fabulous /'f%bj$l6s/ (adj) tuyeät vôøi 6. diamond-studded /,da16m6nd 'st^d1d/ (adj) ñöôïc naïm ngoïc 7. amiss /6'm1s/ (adj) sai, khoâng oån 8. access /'%kses/ (n) cô hoäi hoaëc quyeàn söû duïng caùi gì hoaëc ñeán gaàn ai 9. disguise /d1's9a1z/ (n) söï nguïy trang, söï caûi trang 10. theatrical make-up /81'%tr1kl 'me1k^p/ (n) söï hoùa trang khi leân saân khaáu

144. IT WAS NOT SUCH A GOOD BARGAIN AFTER ALL ROÁT CUÏC ÑOÙ NAØO PHAÛI MOÄT MOÙN HÔØI! Sitting at a corner of my favourite coffee-shop one morning, I heard some noises behind me. On directing my view to the opposite side of my table, I saw crowd holding a few expensive watches. The pieces of diamond on the watches glittered under the sunlight.

With the urge to investigate, I dragged my lazy feet towards them.

To my amazement, there were about half a dozen Rolex watches costing not less than three thousand dollars each. A slim, well-attired man curtly interrupted me and tried to clear my dazed mind with a whisper. "My boy, don't be fooled by that charlatan1 or you'll get into trouble." So saying, he left me without giving me a chance to reply. Being easily tempted and influenced, I found myself standing in front of the crowd directly facing the man who was then the centre of attraction. In spite of the unidentified man's warning, I inquired the seller for the price of the watches.

He was probably taken aback by the question coming from a young schoolboy like me because he stared at me in disbelief. However, he held out to shake hands with me. He asked me a few questions ; I guessed he was trying to see my earnestness at owning the watch. Convinced of my intentions, he told me that he got those watches from his former employer, year after year for he was hardworking and diligent. As he was then financially tight, he had to sell all the watches. I was convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt when the man produced copies of certificates proving the genuinness2 of the watches.

After inspecting3 the watches thoroughly, I again inquired about the price. To my astonishment, the man was willing to sell the watch for a thousand dollars which was only thirty percent of the cost price. My heart almost leapt into my mouth when I thought of this bargain. "Well, son, seeing that you're still schooling and not earning yet, I'll let you have it for $850," said the man. "Wow ! What a bargain, I'll take it," I replied without second thoughts.

I excused myself and ran to the Cash-On-Line teller across the road. I withdrew4 the required amount and turned my head towards the watch seller only to find him being held by two police constables.5 A large crowd has by then gathered in front of the coffee-shop. The police then seized the diamond-studded Rolex watches and led the watch dealer away in their van.

I traced my steps back towards the coffee-shop where my coffee (which had turned cold by then), still stood patiently in the cup, waiting to be drunk. I was disappointed at what had happened. The young, mysterious man who had warned me before came again and this time he said mockingly,6 "You see ? I told you to be careful. That man was a thief.

He stole the watches and some jewellery from a goldsmith shop. Police have been tracking him ever since and thank goodness, at last they found him. The nerve of him trying to cheat a young boy like you. It was lucky that you didn't buy the watch."

Without a single word, I nodded and shook hands with the man. I suppose that gesture7 was worth a thousand words. The man stroked my hair and said, "Well son, it wasn't such a good bargain after all !"

1. charlatan /'~@:l6t6n/ (n) keû (baát taøi) hay loøe bòp 2. genuinness /'d2enj$1n1s/ (n) tính ñích thöïc 3. inspect /1n'spekt/ (v) xem xeùt kyõ vaø tæ mæ 4. withdraw /w15'dr0:/ (v) (withdrew-withdrawn) ruùt (tieàn) ra khoûi taøi khoaûn ôû ngaân haøng 5. constable /'k^nst6bl/ (n) (cuõng police constable) caûnh saùt (nam hoaëc nöõ) ôû caáp thaáp nhaát 6. mocking /'m4k17/ (adj) coù tính cheá gieãu, nhaïo baùng - mockingly /-l1/ (adv) 7. gesture /'d2est~6(r)/ (n) cöû chæ, ñieäu boä

145. CAPSIZED!1 BÒ LAÄT THUYEÀN It was a lovely evening when John arrived at his uncle Willy's fish farm. Uncle Willy had promised to take John fishing in a boat. John was very excited at the prospect for he had never been in a boat before.

John found Uncle Willy sitting on the bank of a large fish pond. His uncle was preparing some fishing rods. John greeted him, "Hi, Uncle."

"Ah, John, you are here already," his uncle replied. "Let's get going, You take that fishing rod there and get into the boat".

"Okay, uncle," replied John, He picked up the fishing rod and walked towards the boat.

The boat was floating gently on the water and John did not have the slightest clue2 how to get in. He put one food in the boat and the boat started sliding away from him.

Startled he withdrew his foot and nearly fell into the water.

"How do I get in?" he asked.

In reply Uncle Willy grabbed the boat with one hand and motioned John to get in.

Carefully John stepped into the boat and sat down. He felt strange sitting in a boat that kept bouncing up and down and sideways too.

Uncle Willy untied the mooring rope3 and stepped into the boat. He took an oar4 and expertly steered5 the boat out into the middle of the lake.

John felt both excitement and fear. It was indeed exciting to be in a boat for the first time. It was also fearful because he was afraid he might fall into the water. Anyhow he watched the boat glide smoothly over the water. The view of the pond from the boat was beautiful. It was great.

After a minute or so Uncle Willy stopped the boat and dropped a brick tied to a rope over the side of the boat. This was his make-shift anchor and it did its job pretty well.

"Let's fish," Uncle Willy said to John.

So the two of them got about the joyful task of casting their lines into the calm water of the pond.

Presently John saw his float jiggle6 a bit before it disappeared straight into the water.

Wow! There must a big fish on his line ! In his excitement John stood up in the boat to pull his line in. That was his undoing. He did not know it was not a good idea to stand in a boat for the boat would become very unstable. Since he had never been in a boat before he did not know that. So as soon as he stood up, the boat gave a mighty heave7 and capsized dumping both of them into the pond with a big splash.

One moment John was grabbing frantically at his line, the next he was grabbing frantically in the water for something to hold on to. It seemed like eternity8 before his hands found something solid. He held on tightly. It was part of the boat. However he was still underwater and his lungs ached for air. Instinctively he moved upwards still clutching the boat. Just as his lungs seemed like they would burst, John emerged above the water. What a relief it was. He sucked in the cool sweet air. Never before had he realised that the air was so sweet and soothing. My God, was he glad that he could breathe.

When John could breathe normally again, he realised that the boat had capsized. He looked around to see where his uncle was. He heard laughter behind him. It was Uncle Willy laughing his head off.

"You really look funny, you know ?" Uncle Willy guffawed.9 "What do you mean, uncle ?" asked John.

"Do you know you gave such a horrible yell when you fell into the water and was spluttering10 and puffing11 when you emerged from it. You looked like a clown in a circus !"

John realised that he must have presented quite a sight to his uncle when he fell into the water. He laughed in return.

"Well, that will teach you not to stand up suddenly in a boat, won't it ? Come, let's push the boat to the bank and get it upright again," his uncle ordered.

Together they pushed the upside down boat towards the nearest bank.

1. capsize /k%p'sa1z/ (v) (laøm cho moät chieác thuyeàn) laät uùp 2. clue /klu:/ (n) ñaàu moái, manh moái - not have a clue (idm) khoâng bieát (gì) veà caùi gì, khoâng bieát phaûi laøm gì nhö theá naøo 3. moor /m0:(r)/ (v) coät, boû neo - mooring rope (n) daây chaõo neo thuyeàn 4. oar /0:(r)/ (n) maùi cheøo 5. steer /st16(r)/ (v) laùi (taøu, thuyeàn, xe, v.v…)

6. jiggle /'d219l/ (v) ñöa ñaåy, laéc lö 7. heave /hi:v/ (n) söï nhaáp nhoâ 8. eternity /1't3:n1t1/ (n) thôøi gian (töôûng chöøng nhö) voâ taän 9. guffaw /96'f0:/ (v) cöôøi ha haû 10. splutter /'spl^t6(r)/ (v) phaùt ra haøng loaït tieáng phì phì – phun phì phì 11. puff /p^f/ (v) thôû phì phoø, thôû hoån heån

VAÊN TÖÔÛNG TÖÔÏNG Nhö teân goïi, vaên töôûng töôïng ñoøi hoûi ngöôøi vieát phaûi suy nghó hoaëc hình dung moät söï vieäc chöa heà xaûy ra. Ñoù coù theå laø “The year 2990”, “What will happen in the century of twenty-one”, hoaëc “If I were a millionaire”. Moät loaïi ñeà taøi thuoäc theå loaïi vaên töôûng töôïng laø yeâu caàu vieát baûn töï truyeän cuûa moät ñoà vaät hoaëc moät con vaät naøo ñoù, chaúng haïn nhö “An autobiography of a butterfly”, “An autobiography of a dancing doll”. Baèng oùc töôûng töôïng, ngöôøi vieát phaûi ñaët mình vaøo ñòa vò cuûa nhöõng ñoái töôïng khoâng bieát noùi ñoù, vaø keå laïi ñôøi chuùng, qua ñoù coù theå nhaén nhuû ngöôøi ñoïc phaûi bieát yeâu quí, giöõ gìn vaø baûo veä chuùng trong ñôøi soáng haøng ngaøy.

Vaên töôûng töôïng ñoøi hoûi moät voán kieán thöùc saâu roäng, khaû naêng suy ñoaùn hôïp lyù cuõng nhö oùc töôûng töôïng phong phuù. Nhöõng döõ kieän hoaëc chi tieát ñöa ra khoâng neân ñi quaù xa vôùi caùi coù theå xaûy ra, hoaëc quaù dò thöôøng, quaùi laï. Coá gaéng duøng töø ngöõ ñôn giaûn, roõ raøng vaø coù söùc thuyeát phuïc cao.

146. THE YEAR 2990 NAÊM 2990 Technology has been progressing at a great rate1 over the past few decades.2 I think that in a few centuries' time, the world will be very different.

Perhaps, in the year 2990, the world will be entirely computerized.3 Every household will have a mainframe4 which is linked to all other systems. Adults do not have to go to work and children need not go to school as everything can be done at home.

Probably, by then, humans will not even have to take food in the form of meat, vegetables and rice to survice.5 Tablets containing the ideal proportion of the essential nutrients6 will be enough for us.

Robots could become so cheap that every household could afford a few of them. Life will be easy and comfortable with all the household chores being done by the robots.

Visiting relatives during Chinese New Year will not be necessary any more. All that the Chinese need to do is to switch on the mainframe and exchange greetings through the big screen. Children could still get their "ang pows," but not directly. The money will be credited to their bank accounts using the mainframe.

All these changes are just my own idea of what life in the future could be like. I wonder if they will come true.

1. progress at a great rate /pr6'9res/ tieán boä vöôït baäc 2. decade /d1'ke1d/ (n) thôøi kyø möôøi naêm – thaäp nieân, thaäp kyû 3. computerize /k6m'pju:t6ra1z/ (v) ñöa vaøo maùy tính ñeå laøm coâng vieäc cuûa hoaëc cho (caùi gì) 4. mainframe /'me1nfre1m/ (n) (cuõng mainfraim computer) maùy tính lôùn, coù coâng söùc cao vaø boä nhôù roäng 5. survive /s6'va1v/ (v) tieáp tuïc soáng hoaëc toàn taïi, sinh toàn 6. nutrient /'nju:tr16nt/ (n) chaát dinh döôõng

147. IF I HAD THREE WISHES NEÁU TOÂI COÙ BA ÑIEÀU ÖÔÙC If a fairy were to grant1 me three wishes, I know what I would like to wish for.

First of all, I would wish for plenty of money. With lots of wealth, I could help the poor.

I could donate lots of money to the orphanages,2 the homes for the aged, the schools for the blind and so on. Many would benefit from the money as it could be put to good use.

Secondly, I would like to wish for the good health of my parents and my family. Health is very important to man. Without good health, it would be impossible to enjoy a lot of things. With good health, we could travel around the world, do whatever we want to do and live our lives the way we want to.

Thirdly, I would like to wish for a book that has everything there is to know in it. It will be thick and informative. There will be science, mathematics and other topics.3 I would read it and be a wiser person.

1. grant /9r%nt/ (v) ban, phaùt, caáp cho 2. orphanage /'0:f6n1d2/ (n) traïi moà coâi - orphan /'0:f6n/ (n) treû moà coâi 3. topic /'t4p1k/ (n) chuû ñeà, ñeà taøi

148. IF I HAVE ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS NEÁU TOÂI COÙ MOÄT TRAÊM DOLLAR What would you do if you have $100.00 ?

If I have one hundred dollars, I will not spend it thoughtlessly. I shall try to invest1 it in some small business.2 I shall start a small business ? - No, no ; I have so much to buy.

My parents are not rich so they are unable to buy all the necessary things I require.

I will buy a good wrist-watch3 because next year I shall be studying in a secondary school, and I shall need a wrist-watch badly. Then I shall buy a good but cheap camera to keep me occupied in my free-hours. For the remainder of the money, I have an idea. I shall buy a good dictionary and an encyclopaedia.4 By then, I may have about thirty dollars left. With this money I shall open a Savings Bank account in a post office.

This is my plan of spending or wisely investing the one hundred dollars.

1. invest /1n'vest/ (v) ñaàu tö (tieàn baïc) vaøo coâng vieäc kinh doanh, v.v… ñeå kieám laõi 2. business /'b1zn1s/ (n) coâng vieäc kinh doanh, cô sôû kinh doanh 3. wrist-watch /'r1st w4t~/ (n) ñoàng hoà ñeo tay 4. encyclopaedia /1nsa1kl6'pi:d16/ (n) (cuõng encyclopedia) töø ñieån baùch khoa toaøn thö, baùch khoa thö

149. WHAT I WILL DO WITH A THOUSAND DOLLARS NHÖÕNG GÌ TOÂI SEÕ LAØM KHI COÙ MOÄT NGAØN DOLLAR If I had a thousand dollars, I would be able to do many things which I have always wanted to do.

First, I would buy myself a pair of running shoes which would come in useful in the next track and field meet. I would also get myself a waterproof1 watch for my swimming lessons. With that, I would be informed of the time while swimming.

Secondly, I woudl buy presents for my whole family. My father would get a pocket calculator.2 My mother would be pleased with a new hair dryer.3 I would give my brother two story books. As for my sister, I would make her a present of the cute teddy bear4 that she saw in the "Toys-R-Us" shop.

Last but not least,5 I would donate a hundred dollars to the Community Chest. In this way, I would be helping the poor.

By then, I would have spent about half of the thousand dollars. The balance would be kept aside for a rainy day. I would deposit it in a bank so that it would earn me extra money in the form of interest.

How I wish I really had a thousand dollars. If I did, I would be able to make many people happy.

1. waterproof /'w0:t6pru:f/ (adj) khoâng thaám nöôùc 2. pocket calculator /,p4k1t 'k%lkj$le1t6(r)/ (n) maùy tính boû tuùi 3. hair dryer /'he6(r) ,dra16(r)/ (n) maùy saáy toùc 4. teddy bear /'ted1 be6(r)/ (n) gaáu nhoài boâng 5. last but not least (idm) cuoái cuøng nhöng khoâng keùm phaàn quan troïng

150. IF I COULD BECOME SOMEONE ELSE FOR A DAY ÖÔÙC GÌ TOÂI TRÔÛ THAØNH NGÖÔØI KHAÙC CHÆ MOÄT NGAØY THOÂI When we speak of an ever present danger, it is like a Damocles Sword. This is the tale of the sword. There was a king who was very powerful and everybody praised him.

There was a man who envied the King. Somehow this news reached the ears of the King. So he called the man to him and agreed to allow the man to play king for a day.

The servants were duly informed. The man was served as a king. He enjoyed the joke of dressing like a king, having recourse to all kingly activities. He was taken into the banqueting hall for breakfast where he sat at the head of the table. The real King was also there at the table. When the man looked up, he saw a sword hanging from a thin thread1 above his head. He could not eat his breakfast nor could he take a morsel2 of the delicacies3 spread before him. When the real King asked him the reason, he pointed at the sword which was self explanatory.

I too wanted to be someone else for a day like the man in the tale. I wanted to be a lazy person, doing nothing and simply whiling away the time on a bridge or a park. I wanted to be a citizen of the world viewing things from a position of detachment.4 I started the day with a relaxed and unhurried breakfast. Then I went to the newly built flyover.5 I took a comfortable seat on the ledge.6 There were others too like me on this flyover which has become a haunt of lazy fellows. As time progressed, the flow of traffic increased. I could see vehicles carrying all sorts of people and luggage, commuters hurrying to office, school children carrying heavy satchels and going unwillingly to school, petty shopkeepers began to put their shops on wheels exhibiting many kinds of wares and a handful of shoe shining boys plying their trade. How they tackled7 their customers is a lesson in persuasion.

As the morning wore away, the crowd subsided.8 During the lunch hour again there was some stir. I had a happy afternoon siesta on the ledge.

With the coming of the evening the crowd increased again. I could see men and women with their shopping bags, the newly wed trotting along hand in hand enjoying their newly found companionship, a large crowd emanating from a neighbouring theater and another queue forming to get their tickets for the next show.

Then from my perch on the bridge, I moved into a park. A few lazy people there were looking at the sky. I decided to join them. Groups of children were running about the ponds and playing hide and seek, lovers sitting in lonely places waiting for stolen kisses, the ubiquitous9 ice seller was there too selling his candies and iced fruits and of course, the peanut man was also there.

By dusk10 I got tired. The mad, meaningless rush of the world had no fascination for me.

Man with all the facilities appears to have become an automation. Nature's beauty was lost to many. I couldn't but agree more with the poet that life is not worth a while if one cannot stop and stare. I would rather be one to enjoy nature than one who makes every minute pay in terms of money.

1. thread /8red/ (n) sôïi chæ, sôïi len, sôïi tô, v.v…

2. morsel /'m0:sl/ (n) maåu, mieáng

3. delicacy /'del1k6s1/ (n) cao löông myõ vò 4. detachment /d1't%t~m6nt/ (n) söï laõnh ñaïm, söï thôø ô 5. flyover /'fla16$v6(r)/ (n) caàu chui 6. ledge /led2/ (n) gôø, rìa 7. tackle /'t%kl/ (v) caûn laïi, chaën laïi 8. subside /s6b'sa1d/ (v) ngôùt, giaûm bôùt 9. ubiquitous /ju:'b1kw1t6s/ (adj) ôû ñaâu cuõng coù, coù maët ôû khaép nôi 10. dusk /d^sk/ (n) luùc chaïng vaïng, luùc nhaù nhem

151. AN IMAGINARY ENCOUNTER MOÄT CUOÄC GAËP GÔÕ TÖÔÛNG TÖÔÏNG One night, while I was about to sleep, I noticed an extremely bright star in the sky. Its dazzling1 glow2 lit the dark night and its beam3 fell on my bed. To my surprise, a tiny human-like creature walked down the beam. It had wide blue eyes and sharp-pointed ears. A small star shone on its forehead.

"Hello, I am Starlet from outer space," said the little creature in a high and musical voice. From the high voice, I guessed that Starlet is a female.

Starlet continued, "Today is my birthday and Star Papa gave me a new spaceships.

Would you like to ride in it with me ?"

I was filled with curiosity and followed Starlet up the beam into her spaceship.

Together, we zoomed4 off to outer space. Looking out of the spaceship, I could see fishlike creatures rushing about in space and looking very busy.

"That is the fish market," Starlet informed me.

Soon, we arrived at a restaurant, McSpace, which was floating in space. It served food which looked like starfruits but which tasted like a mixture of mutton and vanilla icecream. It was such fun visiting Starlet's kingdom.

Starlet sent me back to earth before dawn. Before she left, she promised to visit me again on her next birthday.

1. dazzling /'d%zl17/ (adj) röïc rôõ, loäng laãy 2. glow /9l6$/ (n) luoàng aùnh saùng 3. beam /bi:m/ (n) tia saùng hoaëc luoàng aùnh saùng hay söï böùc xaï 4. zoom /zu:m/ (v) phoùng vuø vuø, bay veøo veøo

152. AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY1 OF A WATCH TÖÏ TRUYEÄN CUÛA MOÄT CHIEÁC ÑOÀNG HOÀ I am a round-faced ladies' watch. I come from a large family in Japan. A watch merchant2 bought me together with my siblings and sent us on a plane to Singapore.

On arrival, we were comfortably arranged in a showcase of a department store. The salesgirls handled us with care and wiped us with clean dry cloth every day. After each round of cleaning, we would greet our potential owners with brighter smiles.

One day, a couple bought me for their daughter. Betty, my little owner, was overjoyed and took good care of me. However, one day, she forgot to take me off her wrist when she went swimming. Poor me, I was badly choked !3 I was sick after that and could no longer keep accurate time. Sometimes, Betty was even late for school because of me !

Betty's parents bought her a new waterproof digital watch and sold me to the rag-andbone man.4 I was very upset. Fortunately, the rag-and-bone man gave me to his daughter, Xiaozhen. Like Betty, she took good care of me and loved me dearly.

I am old and sickly now. I may soon be of no use to anyone. Nevertheless, I feel fortunate to have had two such loving owners in my lifetime.

1. autobiography /0:t6ba1'49r6f1/ (n) baûn töï truyeän, lôøi töï söï 2. merchant /'m3:t~6nt/ (n) thöông gia 3. choke /t~6$k/ (v) laøm taéc (thôû), laøm ngheït (thôû) 4. rag-and-bone man (n) ngöôøi buoân ñoàng naùt

153. AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A PEN TÖÏ TRUYEÄN CUÛA MOÄT CAÂY BUÙT MÖÏC I was manufactured1 in a factory five years ago. After I was made, the "cross" was engraved on me. I was packed in a pretty box. Then I was put into a large box together with the other pens. We were happy together and spent a wonderful time talking to each other. I was transported to a large department store. I was taken out of my box and placed in the display tray along with other pens of different brands.2 I was on display for only a short period. A grand old lady came to the store one day. She was looking for a gift. She bought me and presented me to a girl named Mary. Mary is a student and used me daily to do her school work. She took good care of me. She always wiped me clean after using me and placed me neatly in the box. She was very gentle3 with me and never handled me roughly. I admired my mistress and served her well.

My happiness did not last long. One day her grandmother bought her another pen. She stopped using me, and put me in my box. I am now stored away in her drawer.4 I live in the dark corner of the drawer hoping that one day she might use me again.

1. manufacture /m%nj$'f%kt~6(r)/ (v) saûn xuaát, cheá taïo 2. brand /br%nd/ (n) nhaõn hieäu (haøng hoùa) 3. gentle /'d2entl/ (adj) dòu daøng, nheï nhaøng 4. drawer /'dr0:6(r)/ (n) ngaên keùo (baøn, tuû, v.v…)

154. AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A BUTTERFLY TÖÏ TRUYEÄN CUÛA MOÄT CON BÖÔÙM I am a beautiful Monarch butterfly. My name is Jolly. My mother laid some eggs on the leaf of a milkweed plant. After several days we hatched1 into tiny black and white larvae.2 At this stage3 we were called tiny caterpillars.4 We moved about the plant and fed on its fleshy green leaves. Since we ate all the time, most of the leaves on the plant were destroyed. We grew so fast and soon, that we were too big for our skin. Then we had to go through a process called moulting,5 when we grew new skins and then crawled out of the old ones.

We then turned into large grey, yellow and orange striped6 caterpillars. My next stage was the pupa7 stage. I crawled under a leaf of the plant and spun8 a pod9 of silk and fastened myself to the pod. I moulted once more, but this time instead of getting a new skin, I got a green bag. When the right time came for me to emerge out, the bag changed its colour and burst10 open. I flew out of it into the world. I was a fully grown Monarch butterfly. My wings were beautifully coloured. Wherever I flew people stopped to admire me. I felt very proud of myself. I fluttered from to flower feeding on the nectar. I made my home in a beautiful garden. The old garden keeper loves to admire me. His eyes would brighten up at the sight of me.

One day I laid some eggs on a hibiscus plant in the garden. My life span is short. Soon I will disappear from the face of the world. But more Monarch butterflies will hatch from my eggs.

1. hatch /h%t~/ (v) nôû ra (töø tröùng) 2. larva /'l@:v6/ (n) (snh larvae) aáu truøng 3. stage /ste1d2/ (n) giai ñoaïn, thôøi kyø 4. caterpillar /'k%t6p1l6(r)/ (n) saâu böôùm hay saâu ngaøi 5. moult /m6$lt/ (v) loät xaùc, thay loâng 6. striped /stra1pt/ (adj) coù soïc, coù vaèn 7. pupa /'pju:p6/ (n) con nhoäng 8. spin /sp1n/ (v) (spun-spun) (veà nheän, taèm, v.v…) nhaû tô, chaêng tô 9. pod /p4d/ (n) (cuõng cocoon) caùi keøn 10. burst /b3:st/ (v) nöùt toaïc ra (thöôøng do söùc eùp beân trong)

155. AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A DANCING DOLL1 TÖÏ TRUYEÄN CUÛA MOÄT CON BUÙP BEÂ BIEÁT NHAÛY MUÙA My name is Rosita. I am a Spanish dancing doll made in Spain. I am dressed in a red frilled2 dress and I wear a pair of red high-heeled dancing shoes. My hair is black, long and wavy.

My friends and I arrived in Singapore by aeroplane. When we reached our destination we were taken to a big shopping centre and displayed there with many other different dolls. The place was full of toys. I loved looking at the other toys and I enjoyed watching the children playing with them. Some of them would stop to admire me with wide open eyes, but I was too expensive to be bought.

One day a rich, grandly dressed lady came to the store. She looked around the place and her eyes fell on me. She looked at me in admiration. She at once bought me. I was given as a birthday present to her only daughter Pam. I was very happy with my new mistress but the happy time did not last long. One day Pam's friends brought along their own dolls to play at her house. They envied me because I looked very attractive. Pam refused to let her friends handle me. When Pam was not attending to me, one of her friends picked me up. Pam was furious and tried to pull me away from her friend. In the tussle3 they accidentally ripped4 my pretty red dress. Pam cried and her mother consoled5 her by promising to buy her a new doll.

I was given away to the servant's daughter, who accepted me with great delight. She skillfully mended the tear in my dress. She treasured me and took very good care of me.

I am indeed fortunate to have a mistress who loves me despite the fault in my dress.

1. doll /d6$l/ (n) con buùp beâ 2. frilled /fr1ld/ (adj) ñöôïc trang trí baèng dieàm xeáp neáp 3. tussle /'t^sl/ (n) cuoäc aåu ñaû, cuoäc vaät loän 4. rip /r1p/ (v) xeù toaïc hoaëc raïch thuûng (caùi gì) 5. console /k6n's6$l/ (v) doã daønh, an uûi

156. AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A STORY-BOOK TÖÏ SÖÏ CUÛA MOÄT QUYEÅN TRUYEÄN My name is 'Arabian Nights'. I am a colourful and attractive book. I was printed in New Zealand and was later shipped to Singapore. It was a long tiring journey.

As soon as I reached the Singapore harbour, I was taken to a bookshop. I was displayed on a shelf with other new books. There I met and befriended1 a book entitled "Alice in Wonderland."

One day a few girls entered the shop. They laughed and joked among themselves. They were browsing2 through the books and one of them picked me up. She was attracted to me and bought me immediately. I was taken to her house and placed on a bookshelf.

She took good care of me. After reading me, she would place me carefully on the shelf.

One day, her mischievous cousin visited her. He entered her room without her permission and started tearing her books. Then to my horror, he took me from the shelf and flipped3 through my pages very roughly. Just then, my owner stormed into the room and rescued4 me. She smoothed5 out my pages and soon I was as good as new. Till today I am with her giving her delight through my stories. I love her very much.

1. befriend /b1'frend/ (v) ñaùnh baïn, keát baïn 2. browse /bra$z/ (v) ñoïc löôùt qua, xem löôùt qua 3. flip /fl1p/ (v) laät nhanh, giôû nhanh 4. rescue /'reskju:/ (v) giaûi cöùu 5. smooth /smu:5/ (v) vuoát phaúng, laøm nhaün

157. IMAGINE YOUR LIFE AT THE AGE OF 70 HAÕY TÖÔÛNG TÖÔÏNG CUOÄC SOÁNG CUÛA BAÏN ÔÛ ÑOÄ TUOÅI 70 I am young for my seventy years though people think I am old. They are misled1 by my white hair and the abundant wrinkles2 on my face. I have been like that for many years.

I sometimes think I was born with an old face and a young heart.

People say the need sleep lessens with the increase in years. I have always been an early riser. I am up and about before everyone else in the house and I hope I am not a source of nuisance to the others. In fact, we are by ourselves, my husband and I ; others, our children and grandchildren, are occasional visitors. It suits us for though we are often lonely, we value our independence. Imaging our going to live with any one of them ! I would hate to be treated as an appendage.3 I value my independence.

We are up early ; but I still like to read in bed. My husband is a religious man ; he would rather say his prayers. I like to read with my spectacles and linger4 over the morning tea. Then I am up with all my aches and pains and the whole process of housekeeping starts. I can't really attend to many chores ; but I can give orders, instruct and check and this I do in plenty. After bathing and washing and prayers, we find ourselves sitting down to breakfast. It is still very early. If you look at the clock, it's just seven thirty ; but we have already been up for some hours.

I have a quiet morning except for an occasional visitor from the neighbourhood. I am fond of listening to music ; at times5 I get nostalgie and try to arrange my treasures. Old people are as proud of their possessions as children of their collections. I also write my letters at this time of the day. I don't like to rush. We have help in the kitchen, and, therefore, I don't have to worry unduly about that.

My husband still attends to some business. He is an estate agent and goes to his office for a few hours. He comes home for early lunch and a siesta after lunch. Then begins our busy time. Our children, grown-up men and women, and our grandchildren and young teenagers know that if they have the time we would welcome them during this part of the day. Sometimes it's a meeting ground for them ; sometimes only one or two turn up6. One is a writer and his time is his own. Another is a teacher. She is free in the evenings. Another is a doctor, with the afternoon free. Yet another is a contractor ; so he can always come. We are never alone at teatime. There are noises and activities in the house and shouts of laughter and quarrels and loud arguments. Sometimes some child has come from another town. Then the others come to meet him or her. At times the young people disagree so violently that they shun each other for months and take care never to run into each other. We have then to mediate7 and advise them. Such periods are rather tense.

By six the exodus8 begins. They go away to attend to their tasks and I sit down to view the television. My husband meets a friend or two, some workmen, perhaps, and goes for an evening walk which is often combined with the daily marketing. We spend a little time in the garden and then have dinner. It is then time to sleep. Thus loneliness and gaiety alternate with each other in our lives ; but we are together and we are happy. We have the best of both worlds.

1. mislead /m1s'li:d/ (v) (misled) laøm cho ai coù yù nieäm hoaëc aán töôïng sai veà ai / caùi gì• 2. wrinkle /'r17kl/ (n) veát nhaên, neáp nhaên 3. appendage /6'pend1d2/ (n) ngöôøi phuï thuoäc 4. linger /'l1796(r)/ (v) naán naù, chaàn chöø 5. at times /6t ta1mz/ (idm) ñoâi khi, thænh thoaûng 6. turn up /'t3:n^p/ (v) ra maét, ñeán 7. mediate /'mi:d1e1t/ (v) laøm trung gian hoøa giaûi 8. exodus /'eks6d6s/ (n) cuoäc ra ñi cuûa nhieàu ngöôøi vaøo moät luùc

158. IMAGINE THE LIFE MEN ARE LEADING IN YEAR 2000 HAÕY TÖÔÛNG TÖÔÏNG CUOÄC SOÁNG CUÛA CON NGÖÔØI VAØO NAÊM 2000 Modern science has made most things possible and among them is the exploration of other planets. Imaging the world twenty years hence. It is like a journey to another planet. Let me take you along with me to the year 2000, to a world of perfection and comfort.

Life has fallen into a pattern.1 We are no longer human beings, but robots living for years and years. Many of us have false limbs2 and still others have transplants of all kinds, eye, brain, heart, kidney. We are not individuals but reflections. There are those who can trace their family history but there are also others who owe their existence to test tubes and similar methods of science. Parents and sisters and brothers are there but marriage is not all that sacred. We have very few inhibitions3 and believe in both freedom of thought and action.

Dear visitor, why do you continue to stand outside, won't you come and be my guest ?

Come inside. I'll get you a cup of tea and we'll watch television. There are live4 telecasts and I can take you wherever you want without even stirring out. Don't be scared if the chair moves when you sit down. The chair is meant to adjust5 itself to the contours6 of your body. The cushion is not of foam7 or some other material ; it is filled with water so that your back is comfortable. Do you see the walls ? They are made of balloon rubber. I can wrap my house and be on the move whenever I like. Do sit down.

Let me press this button. Here is the tea for us. It is a synthetic product.8 I hope you'll like it.

We hardly ever do any reading or writing. All of us use dictaphones or tapes. We just send them across if we feel the need. We use telephones and planes. You'll find very few trains though cars are common. But we no longer use gasoline. They can be propelled on other kinds of energy. Water, air, alcohol and chemicals are some sources of energy. During summer we also use solar energy.

Do my clothes strike you as something different ? Well they are made of synthetic paper. I wear them, sleep in them, and, when I am tired of the colour and design, I simply throw them into the electric fire - no washing, no ironing, no wardrobes. I go out and buy a fresh suit and that's all.

Music is still very popular. We all like a lot of noise and it keeps us happy. It is difficult to concentrate on anything while this din9 is going on. But it suits us for we don't have to think. The machines do our thinking and decision-making for us and computers are our teachers.

Shall I pull the curtain ? The evening sky is beautiful. I have many plants in the garden and brightly coloured flowers. I am fond of them. They are a constant reminder of the beauty of the natural world. They sitll need the sun and the rain. They still have their personalities while we are nonpersons. Don't contradict10 me for I am a man with a memory.

1. pattern /'p%tn/ maãu, maãu hình

2. limb /l1m/ (n) chaân, tay (hoaëc caùnh) 3. inhibition /1nh1'b1~n/ (n) söï öùc cheá 4. live /la1v/ (adj) (veà buoåi phaùt thanh, thu hình, v.v…) tröïc tieáp, taïi choã 5. adjust /6'd2^st/ (v) chænh, ñieàu chænh 6. contour /'k4nt$6(r)/ (n) ñöôøng neùt (cuûa ngöôøi, vaät) 7. foam /f6$m/ (n) cao su hay nhöïa ôû daïng xoáp ñöôïc duøng ñeå nhoài gheá, ñeäm, v.v…

8. synthetic product /s1n,8et1k 'pr4d^kt/ (n) saûn phaåm (ñöôïc laøm töø chaát lieäu) toång hôïp 9. din /d1n/ (n) tieáng aàm ó keùo daøi 10. contradict /k4ntr6'd1kt/ (v) phuû nhaän, caõi laïi

159. THE LIFE OF MINE IN YEAR 2000 CUOÄC SOÁNG CUÛA TOÂI VAØO NAÊM 2000 It was Monday morning in the year 2000. My little solar radio-cum1-clock by the window burst into music as the seven o'clock sun struck it. I was roused from sleep. I got out of bed and pressed the button at the side of my bet to let the air out of my air mattress. I then pressed another button below it to allow the bed to fold up along the wall so that it looked like a wall cabinet.

I then stepped into the bathroom adjoining2 my bedroom and showered in water heated by automatic water-heater, brushing my teeth with an electric toothbrush after that. I dried myself with the automatic body drier, so much more hygienic than towels.

Stepping out of the bathroom, I went back to the bed, the underside of which could be opened like a cupboard door and had a mirror on the inner side. There was a little compact shelf beneath the mirror where I kept my comb, cosmetics, watch and contact lens case. I put on my clothes which I hung in a real cabinet next to my bed and made myself presentable.

I went into the kitchen for breakfast, which was always cornflakes,3 with milk freshly flown in from Australia two hours earlier by SuperDuper jet and delivered by the milkman. There was always my daily morning dose of Vitamin C tablets too.

After breakfast, I went out of our bungalow4 which has a solar celled roof, and into the garage where our electric cars were kept. These were about the size of a child's bicycle and my parents and I had one each. We also had a Porsche 149 which we kept only for family outings. I guided the electric car through the early morning light traffic to the Mass Rapid Transit station at Ang Mo Kio. It was a five minute journey, usually by electric car. I left the car at the station and switched on the "Home" button. The car had been pre-programmed to return to my home everytime I alighted at the Mass Rapid Transit station. All the electric cars of this make had such a device.5 I quickly went to the platform where the train would take me to my school in Katong. The train arrived in fifteen seconds and five minutes later I was alighting at the Mass Rapid Transit trainstop almost right below my school. I took the stairs up to ground level and walked to my school gate which was always shut except from seven-thirty to eight o'clock in the morning. This morning I was late and the gate was shut. I placed my palm on an electronic screen6 next to the gate and the electronic gate opened to admit me. The screen was for identification purposes and the gate opened only to pupils and staff which it identifies by means of the screen.

I took the lift up, with four other pupils, to my classroom on the fifth floor. There were other pupils who preferred to take the escalators. When we were all assembled in our respective classrooms at eight o'clock, we recited the National pledge over the publicaddress system and then my teacher began the first lesson for the day, Literature. She had a Shakespearean play for us to watch so she slotted7 a taping of it into the computer at the side of her table, which then projected8 the film on a screen at the front of the classroom. At the end of the period, she took the film-tape out and said she would show us the rest in the next lesson. The next lesson was English Language. Our teacher typed out the grammar exercises on the computer and these were transferred and projected on the same screen. All of us then did our exercises.

Before we knew it, it was ten o'clock and time for a break, the onset of which was signalled by the strains of classical, or pop music sometimes, over the public-address system. This music lasts throughout the half-an-hour break. We had a meal of burgers9and milk-shake at the self-service cafeteria, laughing and joking about everything under the sun. Then it was back to lessons and the books and screen.

At one o'clock, lessons ended and all of us streamed out of the electronic gate which is programmed to stay open until one-thirty. After that, anyone who had stayed behind had to use the screen again for identification in order to gain exit. My friend Sheila and I decided to return to my home to bake some cookies in my mother's micro-wave oven. I pressed a button on my electronic watch to relay a signal to my mother at home, through her watch. The signal was for my mother to set in motion my preprogrammed electric car to arrive at the Mass Rapid Transit station at Ang Mo Kio where I needed it for my return home. Sheila and I reached Ang Mo Kio base and soon got into the car. It was a tight squeeze inside but rather fun, and we laughed all the way home. After baking the cookies and eating them, Sheila left at about four o'clock, taking my car with her to the station, which she then sent back by pressing the "Home" button.

After that, I did my homework until about seven o'clock, when the whole family had dinner, which consisted of soya flour and sea-weed meat, fresh vegetables, which were again in our green-house under perfect, electrically stimulated, conditions, and orange juice. After that we watched television, which is a computer with a large screen, like the one in school.

I prepared myself for bed at ten o'clock. I pressed the button at the side of the bed to lower it to the floor, and then the other button above it to inflate10 my air mattress. I got into bed and promptly fell asleep after a busy day.

1. cum /k^m/ (prep) (ñöôïc duøng ñeå noùi 2 danh töø) cuõng duøng nhö, cuõng nhö, kieâm 2. adjoining /6'd201n/ (v) ôû raát gaàn, tieáp giaùp 3. cornflakes /'k0:nfle1ks/ (n) baùnh boät ngoâ nöôùng 4. bungalow /'b^796l6$/ (n) nhaø nhoû moät taàng 5. device /d1'va1s/ (n) thieát bò 6. screen /skri:n/ (n) maøn hình 6. slot (int) /sl4t/ (v) (laøm cho caùi gì) chuyeån ñoäng vaøo trong moät ñöôøng raõnh, khe, v.v… laáp vaøo 8. project /pr6'd2ekt/ (v) chieáu (phim, v.v…) leân maøn aûnh baèng maùy chieáu phim 9. burger /'b3:96(r)/ (n) (cuõng hamburger) thòt boø baêm vieân beït, thöôøng raùn vaø aên vôùi haønh, nhieàu khi keïp trong moät oå baùnh mì• 10. inflate /1n'fle1t/ (v) bôm phoàng

160. WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE CENTURY OF TWENTY ONE ? ÑIEÀU GÌ SEÕ XAÛY RA VAØO THEÁ KYÛ XXI? Life in the Twenty-first Century ! What a glorious idea to think about ! But it is not so easy to imagine. What it would be like for the agents of change are too many and the forces are yet to form. But from what has happened and from what is happening, one may venture to do a bit of speculation.

To understand the coming century let us see what has happened in this century in the course of the past ninety years. Many great things which we take for granted have come into being in the course of the past nine decades. The beginning of the century saw the birth of the aeroplane which was once a dream. Now there are actually flying fortresses1 carrying hundreds of passengers and cruising at a tremendous speed. Man crossing the sound barrier and planes doing it at supersonic2 speed are there on the scene.

There came a great revolution in clothing material. Now the synthetics are good competitors trying to push back the nature's fibres like cotton, wool and silk. The fluorescent3 tube is a combination in lighting and we don't know what improvement will be ushered4 in days to come. The birth of the penicillin was a major break through in the field of medicine and has completely revolutionized5 the treatment of diseases.

The most spectacular thing that happened during the Second World War was the splitting of the atom and the invention of atom bomb. This has been followed by fusion of hydrogen atoms. Getting the required energy through nuclear reactors6 is an achievement. The greatest achievement if we can say so is the development of space flight and man's landing on the moon. Space laboratories have become possible where man can work away from the dim and noise of earth bound cities.

Since the emergence of what is called the third world forces, family planning and the pill have become important subjects. Cancer continues to defy the medical man. We are having the colour television, colour photographs, robots and computers, only to mention a few.

In the century to come, life will become very automatic. Many things would be done by computerized control. Man will be eating more of prepared and even predigested7 food.

He may wear disposable clothes thus avoiding the laundry cost and the time required for washing. Man's movements may be limited because he can do thing from his desk.

Computers may work miracles and with their help man will have less need to use his brains. As a result there may be more experts than ordinary people. Man's ability to think, imagine and create and enjoy would have become much less in importance. The roots of family life would have been cut as man may not be a home making animal.

Children if any will be looked after by the welfare state. The atmosphere will be so polluted that man will have to wear masks often and regularly. Energy will be an acute problem since oil resources and to some extent the coal resources would have run out.

Man may be using more of the sun's energy which is a limitless source. Space travel would become common as did air travel in this century. Recycling of waste products will be an established fact. With the sources of raw materials having dismantled,8 the need for recycling will come to the fore.

If history is any indication dictatorial regimes9 will become a rule rather than an exception. The attempts so far for a world government have not been very successful ; whether the coming century will have achieved it is a question mark. World trade may be streamlined so as to avoid duplication. This will have an answer for hard nut problems.10 There are hundreds of things which we can't foresee at this distance of time. If there is a Rip Van Winkle now and if he were to awake in the course of the next century he would see mighty changes beyond his recognition.

1. fortress /'f0:tr1s/ (n) thaønh trì, phaùo ñaøi 2. supersonic /su:p6's4n1k/ (adj) sieâu aâm, nhanh hôn tieáng ñoäng 3. fluorescent /fl0:'resnt/ (adj) thuoäc, coù tính huyønh quang 4. usher (in) /'^~6(r)/ (v) môû ra, baùo hieäu, ñaùnh daáu söï khôûi ñaàu cuûa caùi gì• 5. revolutionize /rev6'lu:~6na1z/ (v) caùch maïng hoùa 6. nuclear reactor /'nju:kl6 r1'%kt6(r)/ (n) loø phaûn öùng haït nhaân 7. predigested /pri:da1'd2est1d/ (adj) (veà thöùc aên) ñöôïc naáu nöôùng sao cho deã tieâu hoùa 8. dismantle /d1s'm%ntl/ (v) trieät phaù, thaùo dôõ 9. regime /'re2i:m/ (n) cheá ñoä 10. hard nut problem /h@:d n^t 'pr4bl6m/ (n) vaán ñeà khoù giaûi quyeát

VAÊN TRÌNH BAØY Vaên trình baøy laø moät theå loaïi khaù thoâng duïng vaø phoå bieán trong caùc theå loaïi daønh cho baäc trung caáp. Baøi luaän vaên thuoäc theå loaïi trình baøy seõ cung caáp cho ngöôøi ñoïc nhöõng thoâng tin thöïc teá veà moät vaán ñeà naøo ñoù, ñoàng thôøi ngöôøi vieát cuõng seõ neâu ra nhöõng yù kieán cuûa caù nhaân keøm theo lôøi giaûi thích. Khi vieát moät baøi luaän theo theå loaïi naøy, baïn seõ phaûi töï mình quan saùt vaø nghieân cöùu ñeà taøi ñaõ cho moät caùch thaät chi tieát, sau ñoù ghi chuù hoaëc laëp moät daøn baøi ñaïi cöông coù chöùa caùc thoâng tin maø baïn muoán cung caáp cho ngöôøi ñoïc. Caùc kyõ naêng höõu hieäu nhaát neân aùp duïng cho vaên trình baøy laø ñònh nghóa, giaûi thích, phaân loaïi hoaëc so saùnh. Ñeà taøi daønh cho theå loaïi naøy raát ña daïng, ñoøi hoûi baïn phaûi coù moät voán kieán thöùc phong phuù veà moïi lónh vöïc cuûa cuoäc soáng. Ñoù coù theå laø trình baøy veà caùc khía caïnh trong ñôøi soáng cuûa caù nhaân baïn: "My ambition", "My favourite subject", "What I like and dislike most", "The way I spend the first few days after examination", "What I hope to achieve in adult life", v.v… Ñoù coøn coù theå laø caùc vaán ñeà xaõ hoäi ñang ñöôïc quan taâm ñeán: "What difficuties are you facing in choosing a career ?" "What, in your opinion, are the possible causes of child abuse ?" Hoaëc nhöõng vaán ñeà coù tính taát yeáu: "The importance of water", "The value of library" "The use of forest", "Modes of traveling", v.v… Vaø ñoù cuõng coù theå laø nhöõng chæ daãn hoaëc lôøi khuyeân veà caùch thöùc laøm moät ñieàu gì ñoù (coù theå döïa vaøo söï hieåu bieát cuûa baûn thaân nhöng phaûi hoøa hôïp vôùi kieán thöùc vaø quan ñieåm chung ñaõ ñöôïc thöøa nhaän): "How to be successful in life", "How to be healthy", "How to prepare a good meal", v.v…

161. MY AMBITION1 HOAØI BAÕO CUÛA TOÂI My ambitionis to become a successful scientist. I have always enjoyed attending science lessons in school. I believe it would be life's greatest joy to establish2 my career in the scientific field.3 Becoming a successful scientist involves a lot of hard work and dedication.4 I admire great scientists like Einstein and Newton who braved a lot of setbacks5 to become successful. I am very inquisitive6 by nature. I do not stop asking questions till I thoroughly understand the answers. In class, I always make sure that I perform each science experiment properly. When in doubt, I consult7 my teachers.

As a scientist, I would be able to invent new things for mankind. We would then be able to lead a more comfortable life. Perhaps I can invent cars that are operated by robots or a computer that thinks like a human. My parents think highly of my ambition and are very supportive.8 They always buy me books on science and take me to science exhibitions.

In order to fulfil my ambition, not only must I work hard for it, I must also understand that "Failure9 is the mother of success".

1. ambition /%m'b1~n/ (n) nguyeän voïng, hoaøi baõo 2. establish /1'st%bl1~/ (v) ñònh, xaây döïng 3. field /fi:ld/ (n) lónh vöïc 4. dedication /ded1'ke1~n/ (n) söï taän tuïy (vôùi moät söï nghieäp hoaëc muïc ñích) 5. setback /'setb%k/ (n) trôû löïc 6. inquisitive /1n'kw1z6t1v/ (adj) toø moø, muoán bieát 7. consult /k^n's^lt/ (v) hoûi yù kieán, tra cöùu, tham khaûo 8. supportive /s6'p0:t1v/ (adj) ñem laïi söï giuùp ñôõ, khuyeán khích hoaëc thoâng caûm 9. failure /'fe1lj6(r)/ (n) söï thaát baïi

162. MY IDEA OF A HAPPY LIFE QUAN ÑIEÅM CUÛA TOÂI VEÀ MOÄT CUOÄC SOÁNG HAÏNH PHUÙC Happiness is only a state of mind and it is often associated1 with material prosperity.

The poor think that happiness is the monopoly2 of the rich, but the rich are not always happy. They have their problems and difficulties. If a poor man comes by a little wealth, he craves3 for more. Men always pine4 for what is not. A millionaire will not consider his wealth to be sufficient. In fact there is no end to man's hankering5 after more of worldly goods. Happiness does not go hand in hand with prosperity.

Material prosperity, however, is generally believed to lead to happiness in the world of today. He who is regarded as happy has no wants left unsatisfied, who has a score of servants to attend to his needs and whose wishes are fulfilled at once at his very bidding.

It is true that poverty and happiness go ill together. But there is no doubt that under certain conditions even the poorest man can make himself happy.

1. associate (with) /6's6$~1e1t/ (v) keát hôïp, lieân töôûng ñeán 2. monopoly /m6'n4p6l1/ (n) söï ñoäc quyeàn 3. crave (for) /kre1v/ (v) ao öôùc maõnh lieät, theøm khaùt 4. pine (for) /pa1n/ (v) mong ngoùng (ai / caùi gì) 5. hankering /'h%7k6r17/ (n) loøng ham muoán maïnh meõ

163. WHAT I WILL DO WITH MY FIRST SALARY NHÖÕNG GÌ TOÂI SEÕ LAØM KHI NHAÄN ÑÖÔÏC THAÙNG LÖÔNG ÑAÀU TIEÂN I am so grateful to God that I have secured a good decent1 job. I have now completed one month of service. Now I am holding my first paycheck in my hands, feeling a sense of pride in myself. In an hour's time I shall be home to give the salary to my mother and father. Taking some for my daily expenses2 I shall give the rest to my parents. For what they have done for me all these years, it is my turn to repay them.

I will go to my uncle, sister and other friends' house and give them a treat. My father has promised to throw a small but grand party to my friends. My father has promised to throw a small but grand party to my friends. This coming Sunday happens to be my birthday. Thus I would treat my friends in a grand manner.

I shall buy a fishing line for myself as my favourite hobby is fishing. I shall go fishing with my friends in Changi. As I have so many things to buy I shall buy one item with each month's salary. I have to save some money for my future studies as I intend to do a management course at the college in the evenings so that I will get promoted.3 1. decent /'di:snt/ (adj) khaù, khoûa ñaùng, ñaùng haøi loøng, töôm taát 2. expense /1k'spens/ (n) vieäc chi tieâu, phí toån 3. get promoted /9et pr6'm6$t1d/ ñöôïc ñeà baït, ñöôïc thaêng chöùc

164. FRUITS I LIKE TO EAT NHÖÕNG LOAÏI TRAÙI CAÂY MAØ TOÂI THÍCH AÊN I like to eat fruits. They are sweet, juicy and rich in vitamin C. I believe in the saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away". Therefore, I always have a slice of fruit after every meal.

I love to eat honey-dew melon.1 As the name suggests, the fruit tastes honey sweet. It comes in two types ; the green melon and the orange melon. Both taste just as good but usually only the former is used or making dessert. I can't help but long for a bowl of icy cold honey-dew sago on a hot day.

I also like eating papaya.2 My mother says it helps digestion because it is a natural mild laxative.3 I love to drink papaya milk too ! It is easy to prepare and it tastes so good when it is chilled. Each time my uncle visits us, he will bring us lots of papayas and othe frruits from his orchard.

Mango4 is also one of my favourite fruit. It has a very sweet smell. Mangoes can be made into very tasty mango puddings or cakes. However, too much mango can cause constipation.5 These fruits that I like can be bought from fruit stalls in wet - markets or at the supermarkets. Luckily, they do not cost as much as fruits like durians6 or strawberries.7 1. melon /'mel6n/ (n) quaû döa 2. papaya /p6'pa16/ (n) (cuõng papaw hoaëc pawpaw) quaû ñu ñuû 3. laxative /'l%ks6t1v/ (n) thuoác nhuaän traøng 4. mango /'m%796$/ (n) quaû xoaøi 5. constipation /k4nst1'pe1~n/ (n) chöùng taùo boùn 6. durian /'dj$6r16n/ (n) quaû saàu rieâng 7. strawberry /'str0:ber1/ (n) quaû daâu taây

165. THINGS I LIKE TO DO NHÖÕNG VIEÄC TOÂI THÍCH LAØM I have many interests. The activities I spend most of my leisure on, however, are reading, jogging1 and painting.

I enjoy reading very much. I read widely, ranging from fairytales to nonfiction books on outer space and nature. Reading helps to widen my general knowledge and improve my writing skill. Therefore, my parents think well of my hobby and often buy me books that I cannot find in the library.

When my eyes get tired from reading too much, I would go for a slow jog with my dog in the park near my house. Jogging regularly makes one healthier. I have also made a few friends among the regular joggers in the park.

Sometimes, instead of jogging, I would stroll2 in the park, carrying with me my painting equipment. I love to capture beautiful things on paper. I have taken art lessons since I was nine and I am especially good in water-colour painting. Besides painting pictures of the park, I also like to draw portraits of my family members.

All my interests are fun and useful pastimes. I believe that everyone should spend their time on some useful hobby rather than laze3 precious time away.

1. jog /d249/ (v) chaïy boä (nhö moät hình thöùc theå duïc) 2. stroll /str6$l/ (v) ñi daïo, taûn boä 3. laze sth away /le1z/ (v) aên khoâng ngoài roài phí thôøi gian

166. THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO DO BUT AM UNABLE TO OR DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR NHÖÕNG GÌ TOÂI MONG LAØM ÑÖÔÏC NHÖNG KHOÂNG COÙ KHAÛ NAÊNG HOAËC THÔØI GIAN ÑEÅ LAØM First of all, I would like to be able to drive the car. Unfortunately I am not able to because I am underaged. I have to wait until I am seventeen years old before I can apply for a licence. So I have to be patient and wait until I am eligible.1 Another thing I would like to do is to participate in the 100 m finals in the Olympics, and win it. This is just a wild dream for my physique does not allow me even to win a 100 m race in my school. So the Olympics is an impossibility.

One thing that I can do but have no time for, just yet, is to hitch-hike2 around the country. Right now I am so busy studying for my examinations that I hardly have time for anything else. Perhaps when I leave school in a year or so, I will get on the road and see things a bit. They say that travel is a good way to learn things. I do not know that for sure, so I am going to find out, that is, if my mother allows me to do so in the first place.

Talking of travel makes me dream of travelling around the world visiting interesting places, meeting people and thoroughly enjoying myself. However I can see that, for the time being, it is impossible for me to do such a thing simply because I do not have the means. World-travel costs money, lots of it. Right now I do not even have enough for a bus ticket to Penang. So travelling around the world is out of the question.3 Even if someone were to pay my way, I would not be able to go because I have to finish school first, or incur4 my mother's wrath.5 Finally I would like to be able to eat everything I fancy and not put on weight. I am one of those less fortunate ones who can put on weight just by thinking about food. I am not exaggerating of course. The point is that it is easy for me to put on weight and I have to watch my diet. I cannot simply eat or I will suffer.

I suppose each person has his or her limitations as to what he or she can do or have time for. No pygmy6 is going to be a high jump champion just as no seven-footer is going to be a limbo7 dancing champion. No busy businessman is going to have time to relax and no lazybones is going to be a multi-millionaire. We do what we can or have time for.

We leave the rest alone.

1. eligible /'el1d26bl/ (adj) coù quyeàn hoaëc coù ñuû tö caùch 2. hitch-hike /'h1t~ ha1k/ (v) ñi nhôø xe ngöôøi khaùc khoâng maát tieàn 3. out of the question /'kwest~6n/ (idm) khoâng theå baøn ñeán, khoâng theå ñöôïc 4. incur /1n'k3:(r)/ (v) gaùnh chòu 5. wrath /r%8/ (n) söï phaãn noä 6. pygmy /'p19m1/ (n) ngöôøi luøn 7. limbo /'l1mb6$/ (n) ñieäu vuõ cuûa ngöôøi Taây AÁn trong ñoù ngöôøi muùa uoán ngöûa ngöôøi vaø ñi qua moät thanh ngang haï thaáp daàn

167. MY FAVOURITE SUBJECT MOÂN HOÏC ÖA THÍCH CUÛA TOÂI As a secondary student, I had to study many subjects but my friends used to advise me to concentrate more and more on Science and Mathematics. But somehow or other, English has become my favourite subject and I use to tell everyone that in University, I shall take English Literature for my first degree. My friends, relatives and even my parents were advising me that there is nothing new to learn in the English Language and I was wasting my time on English. Whatever the advice may be - English is still my favourite subject.

Reading as a hobby itself is a great pleasure. English has a wealth of literature unsurpassed1 by any other language. Studying it enables2 me to enjoy the language.

Studying more about Shakespeare, Shaw, Keat and Hardy gives me an insight into human nature. I have come to realise how a man would react to a given set of circumstances or actions. The more I read, the more I learn in between the lines.

My love for the subject has inspired me so much that I may one day write my own play.

As a scholar rightly pointed out that reading enobles3 man, makes one more tolerant to the follies of others and bridges the gap4 between countries and cultures, I hope that it will do so for me too.

1. unsurpassed /^ns6'p@:st/ (adj) chöa (ai / caùi gì) vöôït qua ñöôïc 2. enable /1'ne1bl/ (v) cho pheùp, giuùp cho, laøm cho coù theå 3. enoble /1'n6$bl/ (v) laøm (ai) trôû neân cao quyù 4. bridge the gap /'br1d2 56 9%p/ (idm) laáp choã troáng, giaûm khoaûng caùch

168. MY MOST FAVOURITE SUBJECT MOÂN HOÏC TOÂI YEÂU THÍCH NHAÁT My most favourite subject is English which is today one of the most important languages in the world. It is spoken and understood in all parts of the earth.

English has become an international language for a variety of reasons. One of the most important of those is that the English people have been well-known for their knowledge of science, medicine, engineering, government and all other matters that are useful for the progress of the human race. It is because of the scientists of England that the motorengine has become the most important machine in the world today.

In the same way, English scholars have studied the past and discovered many things of great value to the peoples of the world. Some of the things which were useful to men in the early days were later forgotten by others. Such things are now again being used, owing to the work of English scholars.

The insatiable1 thirst for knowledge of the English scholars has contributed to the progress of man in almost all fields of his activity. Thousands of books have been written by such scholars on almost every subject that one can think of. Thus, people whose native tongue2 is not English have learnt English with great interest as a means of acquiring knowledge of all human affairs.

As a result of this interest English is used almost everywhere in the world. It is used in all the important meetings and conferences and debates, such as in the United Nations.

It is also used in all the leading Universities in the world and in international trade and commerce. As it is used so widely, English has indeed become a very rich language.

People of all the countries of the world have contributed new ideas and thoughts to this language. Thus, more and more new words are being coined3 to make this language more and more useful for the communication of ideas and information among the peoples of the world.

It is for all these reasons that I like to study the English language.

1. insatiable /1n'se1~6bl/ (adj) khoâng theå naøo thoûa maõn ñöôïc, raát tham lam 2. native tongue /'ne1t1v t^7/ (n) tieáng meï ñeû 3. coin /k01n/ (v) ñaët ra, taïo ra (moät töø hoaëc moät cuïm töø môùi)

169. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SUBJECT, AND WHY ?

MOÂN HOÏC YEÂU THÍCH CUÛA BAÏN LAØ GÌ? CHO BIEÁT LYÙ DO TAÏI SAO LAÏI THÍCH MOÂN ÑOÙ My favourite subject is Art. It is my favourite subject simply because I love to draw. Ever since I was a toddler1 I remember picking up crayons and coloured pencils to scribble2 on books, pieces of paper and walls. Of course there were instances where I had to be spanked3 for dirtying the living room walls and making a mess of my big sister's books. I have learned my lesson and I do not scribble wherever I please anymore.

There are only four periods of Art per week in school and I find that it is hardly sufficient. I notice that time virtually flies during an Art lesson. Eighty minutes feel more like eight minutes when I am drawing something. One moment I am taking out my Art materials, the next the teacher is asking us to hand in our work.

I do not really understand why I love to draw. The fact remains so. So much so every chance I have in between periods I find myself doodling4 or sketching5 something. My classmates says that I draw very well and I am inclined to agree with them, without bragging6 about it. Perhaps it is because I spend so much time practising my skills.

I particularly love drawing cartoons. This is one area where my creativity gets regular workouts. I sometimes draw things that amaze even myself, not less my classmates. One could say that I have a fertile7 imagination. Sometimes though the imagination borders on the absurd and I have to be careful not to get carried away. I have caricatures of all the teachers I know. Some of them are flattering but some cannot be shown to the persons concerned for they will certainlly get upset. They are for my classmates and me to see only.

I also love to draw still life in colour. Colouring is really an art and I have developed considerable skills in it, much to the disbelief of my classmates. Again, as I have had so much practice in colouring, I have a distinct advantage over the rest of the class. Often I show them the finer points in drawing and colouring. I am certain some of them have improved tremendously in their drawing and colouring. In fact most of my classmates are above average in Art. Anyway that is what our Art teacher says.

Finally I have to say that I find that I always feel good when I am drawing something.

Perhaps that is why I love Art. It is because of the good feeling that arises everytime I begin to draw. I see drawing as a natural avenue for self-expression so the feeling must be good. There is nothing to remember or work out in Art as in the other subjects. All one has to do is to follow one's feeling and the result is always pleasing.

So I continue to draw. Wouldn't you do the same if you love it ?

1. toddler /'t4dl6(r)/ (n) ñöùa treû chæ môùi bieát ñi 2. scribble /'skr1bl/ (v) veõ ngueäch ngoaïc (leân caùi gì) 3. spank /sp%7k/ (v) phaùt vaøo moâng (nhaát laø treû con) ñeå phaït 4. doodle /'du:dl/ (v) veõ nhöõng hình voâ nghóa, ngueäch ngoaïc, v.v… trong khi ñang suy nghó veà moät caùi gì khaùc 5. sketch /sket~/ (v) veõ phaùc, phaùc hoïa 6. brag /br%9/ (v) khoe khoang, khoaùc laùc 7. fertile /'f3:ta1l/ (adj) (veà trí oùc moät ngöôøi) phong phuù

170. READING IS FUN ÑOÏC SAÙCH LAØ MOÄT NGUOÀN VUI Since young, my parents have always brought me to the library to borrow books. At first, I thought reading was boring. However, I soon learnt to love reading.

The first books I read were fairytales. I still remember those delightful tales like "Beauty And The Beast" and "The Ugly Duckling1". One thing I like about fairy-tales is that the kind-hearted always get rewarded in the end.

Now, I prefer books on adventures like Enid Blyton's "Famous Give" series and mysteries like "The Three Investigators" series. Once a fortnight, I will visit the library to get some books to read. I always find it difficult to put down2 a book once I start reading it.

Reading has improved my command of English. I also gain a lot of general knowledge, especially from reading non-fiction books. I like reading books on subject that I am interested in, like dogs, horses and outer space.

Reading also provides a world where we can experience things which we may never in real life. For example, I may not have the chance to travel in a caravan.3 However, reading Enid Blyton's "Five Go Off In A Caravan" tells me what it is like to stay in a caravan. Therefore, I think reading is both fun and beneficial.

1. duckling /'d^kl17/ (n) vòt con 2. put down /,p$t da$n/ (v) boû (caùi gì) xuoáng, buoâng ra 3. caravan /k%r6v%n/ (n) xe lôùn coù baùnh, ñöôïc trang bò ñeå ôû vaø thöôøng do moät xe coù ñoäng cô keùo

171. MY FAVOURITE AUTHOR TAÙC GIAÛ ÖA THÍCH NHAÁT CUÛA TOÂI My favourite author is William Shakespeare, a man who has written enough for immortality.1 Though a few hundred years have elapsed since the death of Shakespeare and volumes have been written on the life and work of this great writer, his early life still remains a subject for speculation and conjecture.2 It is generally believed that Shakespeare had very little schooling. Yet his keen intellect and mastery of language have earned for him the appreciation and applause of the literary world.

Shakespeare's fame, I think, originates from his ability to identify his readers with the characters in his stories. In most of his stories we find reflections3 of our own experiences. This shows strikingly that Shakespeare had an insight into human nature and the problems of life. His tragedies, such as "Macbeth" and "Hamlet", clearly show his deep knowledge of the human mind. Man's ambitions, desperation, sorrows, frustrations and hopes are delt with in these tragedies with such skill that the reader himself experiences all the mental conflicts and emotions, and thus gets a better idea about human nature. With equal skill, Shakespeare deals with man's joys and pleasures in all his comedies. His comedies like "Twelfth Night" and "As You Like It", are a delight to read. Through the characters in his stories Shakespeare conveys his views on life and the world. Most of his characters, such as Hamlet, are vehicles for moral instruction. Man's nature is the theme4 of all his writings. By a skilful combination of words and situations, he reveals5 the worst as well as the best in man. His choice of words is masterly and many of his phrases are literary gems. As man's nature is his theme, what he wrote years ago remains true even today, and it will remain so till the end of time. It is for all these reasons that I enjoy reading Shakespeare.

However, I do enjoy reading the works of other writers too, such as those of Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. But they do not give the satisfaction that Shakespeare gives. I find Shakespeare's stories so interesting that I have read the same stories several times in last few years ; and, everytime I read the same story, I learn something new about human nature. Shakespeare was indeed a genius.

1. immortality /1m0:'t%l6t1/ (n) söï baát töû 2. conjecture /k6n'd2ekt~6(r)/ (n) söï phoûng ñoaùn 3. reflection /r1'flek~n/ (n) vaät phaûn aùnh baûn chaát cuûa con ngöôøi, nhieäm vuï, v.v…

4. theme /8i:m/ (n) ñeà taøi 5. reveal /r1'vi:l/ (v) boäc loä, heù loä

172. HOBBIES SÔÛ THÍCH The word "hobby" is derived from "hobby horse," which is a stick fitted with a wooden horse's head, painted to look real. The child puts this between his legs, and prances about,1 pretending to be riding a horse. From this word "hobby-horse" we get the word hobby, an amusement ; and we speak of a man's "riding" his hobby. Properly, a hobby is any interesting subject or pursuit2, not our main business, which we take up for our amusement in our leisure hours. What is a business to one man may be a hobby to another. For example, a professional photographer may have gardening as his bobby ; and a paid gardener may make a hobby of photography.

There are very many kinds of hobbies. Many take the form of collecting in some forms.

Collecting postage stamps is a common hobby in England, not only with flowers and ferns3 and press and mount4 their specimens.5 Others take an interest in geology, and find much amusement in collecting fossils.6 Such hobbies do not cost much, and are within the reach of all. But others, such as collecting pictures, old books, curiosities and antiquities7 are only for the rich.

Other hobbies take the form of games and sports. Many take up open-air games, like gold, tennis, criket or football, or indoor games such as chess, draughts and cards, as their hobbies. While hunting, or fishing, or yachting are the favourite recreations of others.

Photography makes an interesting and instructive hobby ; and for those who have the gift,8 sketching and painting and wood-carving. The latter hobbies require special artistic gifts ; but almost anyone can learn carpentry and picture-framing.

Many people find great pleasure and interest in gardening : especially in cultivating some special flowers, like roses. And boys especially like keeping pets, such as rabbits and fowls.

Every one, young and old, should have a hobby of some sort for his leisure hours ; for it adds greatly to the pleasure of life. It is often an education in itself, and it fills our vacant hours with interest. It gives us, also, something to fall back on when our busines days are over, in the leisure times at the end of life.

1. prance (about) /pr@:ns/ (v) nhaûy döïng leân 2. pursuit /p6'sju:t/ (n) ngheà nghieäp, hoaït ñoäng 3. fern /f3:n/ (n) caây döông xæ 4. mount /ma$nt/ (v) laép, daùn, ñoùng 5. specimen /'spes1m6n/ (n) maãu, maãu vaät 6. fossil /'f4sl/ (n) vaät hoùa thaïch 7. antiquity /%n't1kw6t1/ (n) coå vaät 8. gift /91ft/ (n) khieáu, naêng khieáu

173. MY HOBBIES SÔÛ THÍCH CUÛA TOÂI I have a number of things I like to do in my free time. They are my hobbies. I am sure other people have their hobbies too.

The hobby I like most is playing my guitar. The guitar was given to me by my mother for my tenth birthday. My uncle, who is an accomplished guitarist taught me how to play it. Now I can play a few simple tunes. I have even begun to sing while playing the guitar but I have not been too successful at this. My uncle tells me that all I need is a lot of practice and I should be able to do it. He is very good accompanying1 himself and I admire him very much.

Another hobby that I spend time on is keeping tropical fishes. I have a modest little glass aquarium2 where I keep a variety of little fishes. Some of them were bought from the shop while some of them were caught from the streams near where I live. They look so beautiful swimming about in the aquarium and I love to just watch them. It is very relaxing to do so. Even my uncle loves watching them.

However they do die and it is not very pleasant to have to remove the dead ones. Also it is quite a tedious3 job cleaning the aquarium. I have to do this whenever it gets dirty which is about once in two months.

I keep stamps too. However I would not call myself an avid4 stamp collector. Actually I just take the stamps from discarded envelopes that my relatives and friends give me.

Mostly I get local stamps. Once in a while I get stamps from places like Sweden, Australia, Saudi Arabia and others. I keep the less common ones inside a small album.

The common ones I usually give away to others or if no one wants them I simply throw them away.

There are other hobbies that I indulge5 in once in a while but they are not as interesting as the ones I have mentioned. Those mentioned really keep me occupied and I am glad I am able to do them.

1. accompany /6'k^mp6n1/ (v) ñeäm ñaøn cho ai haùt 2. aquarium /6'kwe6r16m/ (n) beå nuoâi caù caûnh 3. tedious /'ti:d16s/ (adj) laøm meät, chaùn naûn vì quaù daøi, quaù chaäm hoaëc quaù teû 4. avid /'%v1d/ (adj) haùo höùc, tham lam, ham thích 5. indulge /1n'd^ld2/ (v) töï cho pheùp mình höôûng thuï söï vui thích cuûa caùi gì

174. MY WISH TO BECOME A SCHOLAR TOÂI MONG ÖÔÙC TRÔÛ THAØNH MOÄT HOÏC GIAÛ I do not believe in dreams and miracles,1 I believe in hard work. I have my own hopes and ambitions and I always strive2 hard to achieve them.

Since young my father has been a great inspiration to me. He helped me develop the habit of reading. I became fond of reading books. I also like playing challenging games.

I created my own skateboard on which I practise daily. Also, I learn martial arts3 for self-defence. When I was three, my father taught me how to swim. Since then I swim regularly. I have an ambition to become a top class swimmer.

These things are not going to satiate me. I have started to concentrate on my studies. I have a burning desire to become a scholar--a professor. Now I am in secondary school, I hope to do well in all my examinations. Since my childhood days, I have been interested in books of all subjects, such as general knowledge, aptitude and encyclopedia. After completing my national service, I would like to go to University. I will work towards a Doctorate4 degree.

Why become a professor ? My teachers have always been my inspiration. They lead the students to the right path. Their patience and their simplicity cannot be achieved in any other profession. The respect for professors is something unique which has its own unexplained meaning.

I never like being a doctor, I have no desire to do engineering, neither do I like the Business and Commercial line. I believe a scholar commands respect and adulation.5 I hope to be a scholar one day, I am glad, I am trying hard to be one.

1. miracle /'m1r6kl/ (n) pheùp laï 2. strive /stra1v/ (v) coá gaéng, phaán ñaáu 3. martial arts /'m@:~l @:ts/ (n) voõ thuaät 4. doctorable /'d4kt6r6t/ (n) hoïc vò tieán só 5. adulation /%dj$'le1~n/ (n) söï ngöôõng moä, söï taâng boác

175. MY NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS CAÙC QUYEÁT TAÂM NAÊM MÔÙI CUÛA TOÂI The new year approaches and as usual there are great hopes, dreams and resolutions to make for the coming year. However I will desist1 from hoping and dreaming this time and stick2 to the resolutions only.

My past experiences have taught me that hoping and dreaming are useless wastes of energy for they usually do not come true or they come horribly short of the target. Only resolutions can be kept, to a certain degree of success.

First of all, I resolved to spend less time talking and more time acting. The past year had been a very noisy one as my friends and I spent so much time gossiping3 and talking nonsense. This year we cannot afford such a luxury. There is much work to be done if we are to make it in the coming examinations. So it is action time and I shall devote the year to it.

Secondly I have to spend less time in front of the television set, the hi-fi set and the computer. These are fun things but they are also very time-consuming. The time is better spent with my books. Otherwise I might run out of time in the end. I have to make the effort to get away from these very addictive4 time-wasters.

Next I resolved to cut down on my physical activities in school as well as outside school.

It is fine to score a few goals and be a hero for a short spell, but sport-heroes are quickly forgotten. It is better to do well in the examinations than on the field. The legs get old and cannot kick the ball for very long. The brain is much more durable.

Physical activities also include the time wasted in shopping malls and fast food outlets.

Again these are fun things to do while they last, but I have to outgrow them. Besides these activities are heavy on the pocket. Money can be more well-spent than on a piece of fried chicken or a glass of fizzy5 drink.

Lastly I resolve to keep these few resolutions. Previously, I used to make tons of resolutions which I had no chance nor intention of keeping. So I was just bluffing6 myself in making many wishful resolutions. This state of affairs has to stop or I will keep bluffing myself. A few resolutions are far easier to remember and so to keep than a dozen which are quickly forgotten and thus are impossible to keep.

So the old year gradually draws to a close and new year appears. It is with determination and courage that I shall strive to keep my resolutions and not let them drop away like so many useless words.

1. desist (from) /d1'z1st/ (v) ngöøng caùi gì / laøm caùi gì; chaám döùt 2. stick (to) /st1k/ (v) baùm laáy, giöõ laáy 3. gossip /'94s1p/ (v) taùn gaãu, ngoài leâ ñoâi maùch 4. addictive /6'd1kt1v/ (adj) gaây ghieàn, gaây nghieän 5. fizzy /'f1z1/ (adj) (veà thöùc uoáng) coù nhieàu boït ga, suûi boït 6. bluff /bl^f/ (v) löøa phænh, bòp

176. THE WAY I SPEND THE FIRST FEW DAYS AFTER EXAMINATION CAÙCH THÖÙC TOÂI HÖÔÛNG THUÏ VAØI NGAØY ÑAÀU TIEÂN SAU KYØ THI It has always been my habit, during exam periods, to stick my head into my text for half an hour and concentrate hard on my studies. For fifteen minutes after this, I will relax my mind and then resume work for another half an hour. This routine will continue until the day my exams are over.

During my fifteen-minute-breaks, I usually have a cup of cool beverage and listen to some songs. Sometimes I munch1 some biscuits. On the days when I feel extra helpful, I utilize the time to help my mother with household chores.

One day, I decided to spend my fifteen minutes planning how I would spend the first few days after the examinations are over. I have planned specific days for myself, my family and then my friends. Here is how I will spend my time.

During the first day, after the examinations, I will relax in my room. I will virtually lock myself in with some biscuits and snacks and a few canned drinks. I will watch some of the good movies my brother had video taped for me, which I had been unable to watch when they were telecast.2 How I miss movies !

The next day, I will spend cleaning my room. I will clear all the notes that have infested3 my table and put them all away, together with my textbooks into the last drawer of my study table so that I will not be further burdened by their sight. During the afternoon, I will bring my nephews shopping. Since I have not been eating out nor have I been shopping during the few months of torture,4 I can afford to spend my savings on my little darlings.

The third day I will spend with my family. My father has promised to bring us across the causeway5 to visit some relatives. I always enjoy myself at the village. My relatives live a life of simplicity. Their innocence and warmth always touches me. I long to6 see them again. I will persuade my father to allow us to spend the night at the village, which is the birthplace of my brother and I. We will then come back to Singapore the next morning.

The fourthday, after a short rest, I will spend the day swimming with my friends at the East Coast Parkway. We will bring some picnic lunch packets and, of course, our tents.

We will laze around7 at the beach chatting and eating snacks.

I guess, on the fifth day I will go to the market in the morning, sweep and mop8 the floor and help my mother with other household chores. During the afternoon, I will start looking for a job. I will look up the job vacancies in the classified ads and present myself for immediate interviews. I will be satisfied with a decent job that pays me enough money to buy myself a bicycle. The job will be worth my time while I wait for that piece of paper which will determine my future.

1. munch /m^nt~/ (v) nhai nhoùp nheùp 2. telecast /tel1'k%st/ (v) phaùt (chöông trình truyeàn hình) 3. infest /1n'fest/ (v) ñaày raãy 4. torture /'t0:t~6(r)/ (n) söï tra taán, söï haønh haï 5. causeway /'k0:zwe1/ (n) ñöôøng ñaép cao 6. long (to) /l47/ (v) khao khaùt, öôùc ao maõnh lieät 7. laze (around) /le1z/ (v) nghæ ngôi, thö giaõn 8. mop /m4p/ (v) lau chuøi (caùi gì) baèng caùn lau nhaø

177. HOW DO YOU RELAX WHEN YOU ARE TIRED, NERVOUS OR ANGRY ?

BAÏN THÖ GIAÕN RA SAO KHI MEÄT MOÛI, CAÊNG THAÚNG HOAËC MEÄT MOÛI? To let off1 steam is the best thing a person can do when he is tired, nervous or angry.

There are ways and means for a person to do that. Usually it depends on the person's nature. For me, relaxing when I'm tired is a must.2 To start with, I would take a long, luxurious warm bath and wallow3 in the warmth of the water. The stickiness on my body would be gone by then and I would finish it off with a cold shower, which will leave my skin soft and tingling.4 Bath completed, time to get myself into a loose fitting garment and there's nothing better than curling up, with a good book in hand. With the radio on, playing sentimental music and a plate of fresh fruits besides me, I would then take a bite or two between every few pages of reading. Snacks have to be by my side in case I run out of food. Full and contented, taking a nap is the next best thing. Lowering my head, propped5 with two fluffy6 pillows, I'll be off in dreamland for the rest of the day. When I wake up, I would switch on the television for my favourite shows, stretched full length on the sofa, eyes fixed to the set. Sometimes when none of the good shows are on television, my next relaxing routine is just to feel the cool breeze on my face, teasing my hair, relaxing in a park near my house. Life is so beautiful at times.

Tiredness is one thing but nervousness is another. Although I feel nervous at times, especially during examinations, I'm not that bad. However, I find that nervousness is something which is difficult to conquer. Some people bite their nails, others twirl their hair around their fingers and a few shift from foot to foot. But for me, to curb7 nervousness I go for a jog around the evening when the weather is cool and crisp. After which a cold chocolate sundae8 would top it off. Screaming is the next best thing on my list. Then I'll have a pillow fight with my sister because with screaming I'd feel I'd got rid of the tension9 which is thick enough to cut with a knife. Tension is something that would drain me out if I don't do anything about it. But when I'm not that hysterical, I'd go window shopping browsing thoroughly in a particular section I like and if my cash is sufficient, I'll buy a few things. If not, browsing won't hurt. At least it can help me forget my nervousness. It also helps me to enjoy my life while it's still there. Some people are gluttons.10 I do that sometimes myself and believe it or not, it helps! A lot.

Counting till 100 is my best weapon against anger. I'd count very slowly till my anger melts away. But if counting doesn't help, crying does. It's with crying, you show what you really feel, and when I cry, my anger is washed away by my tears. Crying helps me to relax because I don't keep my feelings bottled up and feel like a nervous wreck deep down. I scream too. Loudly sometimes so that I throw away my anger at everything especially the walls. As walls can't fight back, I'd feel much better and satisfied like a cat getting a saucer of cream. When I'm angry, I like to be alone. I can't bear the sight of anybody and I feel rotten. So the place I'd go to is the beach. Listening to the sound of the waves, watching them curl and lap at the beach's edge, my anger will subside. I feel that the beach is a place which symbolizes tranquility,11 serenity and beauty. I can let my feeling dance with the white horse riding in the water, while I away my time writing poems, day-dreaming. Anger is a very strong weakness which many can't fight but, no matter how strong it is, it is no match for a thing of beauty. The easy way to get rid of

anger is to look at mirror, the wrinkles in forehead, and hardening of cheekbones which is being reflected will immediately bring own anger, you may even try it for good result !

1. let off /let 4f/ (v) ñeå chaûy maát (nöôùc), ñeå bay maát (hôi) 2. must /m^st/ (n) söï caàn thieát (phaûi laøm caùi gì) 3. wallow /'w4l6$/ (v) ñaàm mình (trong nöôùc, v.v…)

4. tingle /'t179l/ (v) coù caûm giaùc nhoi nhoùi nheï trong da 5. prop /pr4p/ (v) döïa ai / caùi gì vaøo caùi gì• 6. fluffy /'fl^f1/ (adj) mòn, nheï vaø thoaùng 7. curb /k3:b/ (v) kieàm cheá, cheá ngöï 8. sundae /'s^nde1/ (v) kem nöôùc quaû 9. tension /'ten~n/ (n) tình traïng caêng thaúng (veà tinh thaàn, xuùc caûm hoaëc thaàn kinh, v.v…)

10. glutton /'9l^tn/ (n) ngöôøi ham vieäc 11. tranquility /'tr%7kw1l6t1/ (n) söï yeân tónh

178. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE TIME OF YEAR? WHY THÔØI GIAN BAÏN YEÂU THÍCH NHAÁT TRONG NAÊM LAØ LUÙC NAØO? NEÂU LYÙ DO My favourite time of the year is naturally the time when I have the most fun. To me, that time of the year falls during the December holidays, or rather, it starts during the last term of school.

It may sound strange of me to include the period of examinations. But I like the way teachers leave us, students, by ourselves to do our own revision. There is hardly any homework to be done but there is a lot of studying to take up our time. Finally, when the examinations are over, we can all heave a joyful sigh of relief and look forward to the seemingly eternal holidays stretching out before us. Just before school breaks up for the holidays, there are a host of post-examination activities, among which is mass dancing in the school hall. This is something I enjoy very much as I get to dance to the newest pop music with all my friends. The opportunity to "break-free" from serious activities of school and to sing and dance there is a truly welcome event.

The last day of school comes and goes and the holidays start. The first thing I do is to go to the library and borrow as many books as possible to fill my holidays. I simply love reading book after book without having to worry about putting aside time for schoolwork. I make it a habit to read books of a particular author each holiday.

Within the second week of the holidays my birthday arrives. I enjoy helping my mother prepare my favourite food for my birthday. I do not have big birthday parties - my birthday is celebrated within the family and I eat all my favourite food, with several helpings. Of course, I enjoy receiving presents and birthday cards from family members and friends.

December is cool in Singapore and that is one reason why I appreciate the month so much. I do not like hot sunny was.

Christmas also makes the season all the more exciting. It would be impossible for me to sit at home and just read when so much is going on outside. Therefore, my friends and I take trips to Orchard Road, adding to the hustle and bustle1 of Christmas shopping. We do not buy anything but just window-shop leisurely and watch the excitement of Christmas shoppers. Orchard Road is illuminated2 with colourful lights for Christmas. I usually view these lights twice ; once before Christmas and once after, sometimes cruising along Orchard Road with my neighbour's family in a rented van, alongside an ordered mass of other slow-moving vehicles. We usually have a good time on these trips, joking and laughing.

Programmes based on Christmas are also shown on television to add more joy to the season. I never tire of watching the animated cartoons3 or motion pictures of classics like "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens.

Finally, after Christmas, I have to start buying my school-books for the new academic year. These books have a lovely "off the press" smell which makes me feel that I have to work hard the following year and make good use of these brand new and precious books which no one has ever used before.

The last day of the holidays is the end of my favourite time of the year and school starts the following day. I fell excited, but I also know that once school starts I would be

caught up with work. However, I do know that the days will fly by so fast that I shall experience my favourite time of the year all over again.

1. hustle and bustle /'h^sl 6nd 'b^sl/ (idm) söï hoái haû nhoän nhòp vaø laêng xaêng baän roän 2. illuminate /1'lu:m1ne1t/ (v) chieáu saùng, soi saùng 3. animated cartoon /,%n1me1t1d k@:'tu:n/ (n) phim hoaït hình

179. WHAT DIFFICULTIES ARE YOU FACING IN CHOOSING A CAREER ?

BAÏN PHAÛI ÑÖÔNG ÑAÀU VÔÙI NHÖÕNG KHOÙ KHAÊN NAØO KHI CHOÏN NGHEÀ?

Almost every school leaver is confronted with a very important question that is nearly impossible to answer : The question of what to do next. As for me, I was bugged1 by my plans for the future from the very moment I finished my last examinations. In addition, there is also the question of passing time during the few months of waiting for my results. During this time, I had a choice of enjoying myself or looking for a temporary2 job or even taking up an interesting course. I did all three of them. Unfortunately I was not successful in getting to a university, so I had to enter the job market.

I had always desired to take up teaching as a career. First of all I love children.

Secondly I believe teachers are important people as they groom3 the citizens of tomorrow. As I grew older my exposure to the outside world has made me believe that there are many other careers that could interest me. I believe that I am facing the problem or psychological changes that any teenager would be facing during the period from childhood to adulthood.

I tried relief teaching during my holidays in search of the teaching career. The experience I had was valuable as I managed to grasp4 the duties, responsibilities and challenges of a teacher. I discovered my lack of working experience. Since I gathered quite a lot of information from the short period of teaching, I decided that I could choose any career by working experience. Since I gathered quite alot of information from the short period of teaching, I decided that I could choose any career by working on a temporary basis. The successful stories of how some people started off doing only odd jobs in beginning spurred me on. However this does not seem possible in the present gloomy economic situation. I also face of another problem where employers are not too keen in employing job hoppers like me.

My third problem concerns professional skills. For instance a secretary or computer programmer requires a certain level of knowledge in the field of typing, filing,5 shorthand6 and computer programming. These prerequisites7 can only be achieved through comprehensive courses. My concern is over which skill I should acquire and discover the abilities inherent8 in me.

These are the problem I face in choosing a career like other school leavers. I believe parents play an important role in choosing a career by allowing the children to expose themselves to part-time jobs. This way they can narrow down their career choices more easily. Seminars, talks or discussions on careers can also help.

1. bug /b^9/ (v) khoù chòu, laøm böïc mình 2. temporary /'tempr6r1/ (adj) taïm thôøi, nhaát thôøi 3. groom /9ru:m/ (v) choïn löïa, chuaån bò vaø ñaøo taïo (moät ngöôøi treû) vaøo moät ngheà ñaëc bieät 4. grasp /9r%sp/ (v) hieåu thaáu (caùi gì) 5. file /fa1l/ (v) löu tröõ hoà sô giaáy tôø 6. shorthand /'~0:th%nd/ (n) toác kyù 7. prerequisite /pri:'rekw1z1t/ (n) ñieàu kieän tieân quyeát 8. inherent /1n'h16r6nt/ (adj) voán coù

180. THE KIND OF WORK WHICH YOU HOPE TO DO WHEN LEAVING SCHOOL LOAÏI COÂNG VIEÄC MAØ BAÏN HI VOÏNG SEÕ LAØM KHI RA TRÖÔØNG It is very interesting to speculate as to what one could do after leaving the school.

Normally it is too early for one leaving the school to decide upon a definite career. One is not mature at this stage to decide upon a future course. Everything is tempting and attractive and it is tough making a decision.

A career depends on many factors. The occupation of one's parents, a successful neighbour or even an imaginary ideal, may influence the kind of work which one hopes to do. If one's parent is a doctor or a lawyer one may decide to follow the same path. A book one had read or a popular movement may also influence one's future.

I have made up my mind to become a doctor. With all the science's achievements man is not able to overcome diseases. He has found out machines and ways to combat diseases but there is no way to eradicate1 them. As far as humanity2 is there, there will be diseases. Rich or poor, man suffers from diseases and the number of hospitals is a glarring witness to the presence of diseases. So there is more pleasure for me in serving the suffering humanity.

I got the inspiration from Mother The refse who got the Nobel Peace Prize. What a glorious service she has been doing for the sick and the dying in the streets of Calcutta. I may not rise to that rare height.

A medical man is not merely a man who can prescribe a few tablets and give a shot here or there. In one sense he plays the role of a helper of the creator saving as many patients as possible. To be a good doctor requires a lot of insight into the patient's constitution3 and mind. A medical man must be careful in dealing with individual cases and he must be sympathetic. When a doctor replace a heart or kidney, he saves a patient. It is a challenge which is worthwhile. Since a medical man deals with humanity, he must be humane. Another fact is that a medical man is always intimate with his patient so it is also ethical4 not to divulge5 a patient's sickness to anybody.

Without fleecing6 a patient, a doctor can earn a tidy sum of money if he has created a good name in his special field. So for these reasons I am attached to medicine.

1. eradicate /1'r%d1ke1t/ (v) tröø tieät, thuû tieâu 2. humanity /hju:'m%n6t1/ (n) loøng nhaân ñaïo 3. constitution /k4nst1'tju:~n/ (n) tình traïng cô theå cuûa moät ngöôøi veà maët söùc khoûe, v.v… – theå traïng, theå chaát 4. ethical /'e81kl/ (adj) veà ñaïo ñöùc hoaëc nhöõng vaán ñeà veà ñaïo ñöùc 5. divulge /da1'v^d2/ (v) tieát loä 6. fleece /fli:s/ (v) thu ñöôïc (soá tieàn lôùn) cuûa ai, ñaëc bieät baèng caùch tính quaù giaù hoaëc löøa ñaûo ngöôøi ñoù

181. WHAT I HOPE TO ACHIEVE IN ADULT LIFE ÑIEÀU TOÂI HI VOÏNG SEÕ ÑAÏT ÑÖÔÏC KHI TRÖÔÛNG THAØNH It is worthwhile and proper that one should plan about one's future early or may end merely as dream. Everyone is given with certain talents and one should make full use of them for one's future welfare and happiness. Some people desire to make money, some to make a name and some to be useful to society. So I have decided to become a social worker and serve the poor, the suffering and the needy.

This idea of becoming a social worker has not come to me all of a sudden. In a way it has been the result of reading the lives of great men and women who dedicated1 their lives to the service of the suffering. From Gautama Buddha to Mother The reƒsa, I have studied something about their lives and how they suffered and worked for others.

Gautama, the prince became the Buddha after seeing the sufferings of his people. Much nearer there are instances of Father Damien who lived and died for the sake of the lepers. Dr. Schwertzer obeyed a call and went to Central Africa and served the people by establishing a hospital at Lambarence. Then there is the example of Gandhi who worked to improve the lot2 of the so-called untouchables3 who were social outcasts.4 He called them affectionately the Harijans or the people of God. Then there is Mother The reƒsa who got the coveted5 Nobel Prize for peace for her service to the sick, the suffering and the dying in the streets of Calcutta. The more I read about them and the more I thought of them, I too was interested in becoming a social worker. After all, what is the point of being a human being if one cannot serve his fellow beings. True, good samaritans6 are rare ; but there is nothing wrong in a person trying to become one.

To become a good samaritan is not easy. One must be prepared and get mentally the necessary training for it. As the saying goes "charity begins at home". So I started helping my people at home in every possible way. I would help mother in her kitchen, my father polishing his shoes, wash and iron the family clothes and other house chores. I also started helping my neighbours once in a way by running errands for them. I began loving the old people, visiting the slum7 areas and talk to people about their difficulties.

I would also go round collecting my old clothes and distributing them to the poor.

It was not exactly what I did but it also how I reacted. My mental make up was ready to serve, once I erased the self. So as a social worker, I was not on the look out for any personal gain whenever I did something for someone.

To become a social worker I began studying some books on sociology8 to know something about it. Theory was not enough ; so I got into touch with several societies doing social work. For example, there is the Red Cross Society doing a good lot of work, both in peace and war. There are also other voluntary organisations doing social work.

There are of course difficulties on the way. My parents never approved because my career as a social worker did not bring any money or fame. Life itself may be hard as a social worker and, until one's work is recognized one may not be regarded as genuine and is appreciated. Even friends may scoff9 at the notion and even society itself may be suspicious till one's bona fides10 are proved.

Still after taking all these into consideration, I have made up my mind to become a social worker.

1. dedicate /'ded1ke1t/ (v) hieán daâng, coáng hieán 2. lot /l4t/ (n) soá phaän 3. untouchable /^n't^t~6bl/ (n) tieän daân 4. outcaste /'a$tk@:st/ (n) ngöôøi bò ruoàng boû 5. coveted /'k^v1t1d/ (adj) ñaùng theøm muoán 6. samaritan /s6'm%r1t6n/ (n) ngöôøi baùc aùi, ngöôøi hay laøm phuùc 7. slum /sl^m/ (n) khu nhaø oå chuoät 8. sociology /s6$s1'4l6d21/ (n) ngaønh xaõ hoäi hoïc 9. scoff /sk4f/ (v) nhaïo baùng, cheá gieãu 10. bonna fides /,b6$n6 'fa1d1z/ (n) thieän yù

182. THE PLEASURES OF LIVING IN A VILLAGE THUÙ VUI SOÁNG ÔÛ THOÂN QUEÂ A village is a quite place where the influence of the city is not felt much. It is indeed a very good place for rest and relaxation.

In a village people do not live very close to one another. Their houses are far apart.1 Each house therefore has a lot of space around it. So, almost every house is surrounded by flower and fruits plants and vegetables. All these make the village look green and fresh. There are also tall trees everywhere which provide shade from the sun and keeps the village cool.

Some villages are surrounded by paddy-fields or mountains. There are also many streams and rivers in most villages. All these add great beauty and variety to the village scene.

The people of village are very simple in thought and behaviour. They are therefore very friendly and helpful. So, the crimes of the city are almost unknown in a village. The people here work together and live in peace. Whenever they celebrate a festival, they dance and sing together and the whole village is in a gay2 mood.3 Living among such friendly and simple people, in such a quiet place, is indeed a real pleasure.

1. apart /6'p@:t/ (adv) xa, ôû caùch xa 2. gay /9e1/ (adj) vui töôi, hôùn hôû 3. mood /mu:d/ (n) traïng thaùi, taâm traïng

183. MOUNTAINEERING LEO NUÙI Man basically has a challenging nature.1 He feels great when he accepts challenges and achieving of his targets. Mountains have always challenged the spirit of man and man has always accepted the challenge. The loftier2 the mountain, the greater has been the desire of man to conquer it and climb to the highest peak to enjoy the thrill of victory.

The persistence and perseverance of the man has driven him to conquer all the mountains of this world.

Mount Everest, the world's tallest peak first conquered by Sir Edmund Hillary and sherpa Tensing is very much vulnerable3 to man. Several expeditions by the British, Swiss, American, Indian and Japanese have scaled4 that peak successfully. Life offers a variety of challenges. Some adventurers are fascinated by these dangerous enterprises.5 Dangers and adventures are basic to their lives. Mountaineering is a dangerous sport and no one can deny it.

The mountaineer has to start his venture with numerous apparatus like spike shoes, ice pick axes, oxygen tanks, tents, sleeping apparatus with canned food. The climber finds it really hazardous during climbing because at any moment he may stumble or slip and crash. They are often overtaken by storms and glacier blizzards.6 The cold will be so severe that the climbers feet, toes and fingers are liable to frostbite.7 Mountain climbing requires special knowledge, skills and equipments. The climber must be in good physical condition and have good sense of judgement. They should have thorough8 knowledge about how to read maps and compasses. They should use ropes to tie themselves when scaling steep9 rocks and plodding10 over snowfields and glaciers.

In on the climber is a real sports man who often walks on the edge death but will succeed with courage and determination.

1. nature /'ne1t~6(r)/ (n) baûn chaát 2. lofty /'l4ft1/ (adj) raát cao; cao löøng löõng 3. vulnerable /'v^ln6r6bl/ (adj) deã laøm haïi, coù theå gaây nguy hieåm hay thöông toån 4. scale /ske1l/ (v) treøo leo leân (böùc töôøng, vaùch nuùi, v.v…)

5. enterprise /'ent6pra1z/ (n) coâng vieäc khoù khaên ñoøi hoûi loøng duõng caûm vaø tính taùo baïo 6. blizzard /'bl1z6d/ (n) traän baõo tuyeát döõ doäi 7. frostbite /'fr4stba1t/ (n) söï teâ coùng 8. thorough /'8^r6/ (adj) thaáu ñaùo, trieät ñeå 9. steep /sti:p/ (adj) (veà moät maët doác) doác, doác ñöùng 10. plod /pl4d/ (v) ñi chaäm chaïp vaø naëng nhoïc, khoù khaên

184. ADVERTISEMENT QUAÛNG CAÙO Advertisement is one of the human institutions1 highly developed nowadays. To some extent2 nature itself advertises her wares,3; for instance, the colour and smell of flowers is nothing but advertisement to attract the attention of insects and birds and the promise of honey is the gift.

Advertisement is one of the media to draw the attention of the public and to inform them regarding a particular product. This may be called the psychology4 of persuasion and a way of converting people to a way of life or thinking. For example, a new drink may be introduced. It is not enough if the product is good but the public must be made to realize its existence. So the manufacturer adopts subtle5 ways of advertising. There must be appeal to visual and aural senses. Since advertisement has become very important and its methods are many, it has been professionalised and it is a trade today. In fact advertising agencies do good business. Since they employ specialists like artists and script writers, the advertiser can have expert service at a price.

There are hundreds of ways of advertising. Generally they may have visual, audio and audiovisual appeal. Leaflets6 and brochures7 are produced colourfully describing a product. Free samples8 are freely given. Even for established products they give free samples now and then so that new customers may be found for the product. Calendars9 are quite common and from very plain ones to pictorials are there. Some of the calendars are really so fine that they are being preserved. So calendar manufacturing during the season is a big business and there are people who hunt after calendars.

Perhaps one of the most popular media of advertisement is the newspaper. Since newspapers reach a very wider public, advertisement in the papers is a common feature.

Some products are being advertised throughout the year and advertisements are the major source of income for the newspaper. Here the pictures and the script play a very important part.

Nowadays small gifts like key chains, purses, table ware and so on are used to advertise various products.

An advertisement cannot be useless. After it has achieved its purpose the general public may think it is useless. When an advertiser uses a lot of paper for printing his advertisement, the common man may question the wisdom behind it. If you go on throwing some mud on the wall, some is sure to stick ; so too with the advertisement.

The advertisement acts as a middleman in a trade bringing the prospective buyer and the product nearer. With the complexity of the market and with dozens of products competing, advertisement is one of the ways of winning the market.

Of course there are advertisements which are really misleading. Some medicines that are advertised claim to be panacea10 for all bodily ills. But very few could claim that honour. Some of the consumer products are not of that quality as claimed by the advertisement. Take for instance, some of the tooth pastes. They claim to give all protection to the teeth but they prove the other way. In America this subtle way of persuading the public has been questioned when a number of products advertised could not stand the test of proof.

We can conclude in spite of its limitations, advertisement is an institution that has come to stay.

1. institution /1nst1'tju:~n/ (n) theå cheá 2. to some extent /1k'stent/ (idm) trong chöøng möïc naøo ñoù 3. wares /we6(r)z/ (n) moùn haøng 4. psychology /sa1'k4l6d21/ (n) taâm lyù hoïc 5. subtle /'s^btl/ (adj) kheùo leùo vaø taøi tình 6. leaflet /'li:fl1t/ (n) tôø in rôøi 7. brochure /'br6$~6(r)/ (n) saùch moûng hoaëc nhoû chöa thoâng tin hoaëc quaûng caùo veà caùi gì• 8. sample /'s%mpl/ (n) haøng maãu 9. calendar /'k%l1nd6(r)/ (n) lòch 10. panacea /p%n6's16/ (n) thuoác trò baù beänh

185. THE WORK OF A NEWSPAPER REPORTER COÂNG VIEÄC CUÛA MOÄT PHOÙNG VIEÂN BAÙO CHÍ Newspaper are the windows of the world and give citizens an idea of what has happened and what is happening. The success of a newspaper depends on how swift and reliable1 the news it gives to the public. There are times when details of news are anxiously awaited and this is where newspapers must help. If this is done ably then that paper is popular. There are very many great newspapers in the world like the Times of London, New York Times, Manchester Guardian, Le Monde, The Times of India, The "Hindu" and so on. These papers depend on the reporters and its representatives for the news.

A reporter may be permanent or special. Big papers have their permanent representatives in important cities. A reporter must be well qualified and must be proficient in the language he uses and must have a university degree, especially in literature and humanities though there are reporters who are proficient in sciences. He must have an eye for news and report it in attractive language. He must have a taste2 for many kinds of arts and be able to give a critical view. He must be an outgoing and sociable man and a reporter should have a thorough knowledge of current history, and should know something about the personalities on the scene. He should also have a flair3 for language.

A reporter should be able to cover4 the day to day incidents quickly. The reports must be genuine and reliable, otherwise very soon the paper will lose its name. He must be capable of meeting important persons and if need be, interview them. He must be capable of getting local news so that the public will be aware of local happenings.

Report on the general election or budget session of the Parliament may be important. A reporter may be able to give an inkling5 as to why certain things are happening the way they do or like to take place. Sometimes it may be investigative reporting. This is very important because it helps to alert people and to warn those who are the wrong doers. In fact a good reporter may help sway6 the public opinion.

A reporter should also be a good photographer in order to be able to catch the best of the person or the incident. A quick correct flash of an important event will be valued very much.

A reporter has to travel. He must have an idea of what different people do and live in different countries without affecting the philosophy and stand taken by his paper. His reporting must be unbiased.7 A reporter is responsible for the paper he represents. The paper's name and fame depends on its news. The reporter must be aware of his responsibilities.

1. reliable /r1'la16bl/ (adj) coù theå tin caäy, chaéc chaén, xaùc thöïc 2. taste /te1st/ (n) khaû naêng caûm thuï caùi ñeïp; khieáu thaåm myõ 3. flair /fle6(r)/ (n) khaû naêng töï nhieân laøm toát caùi gì – khieáu 4. cover /'k^v6(r)/ (v) bao goàm caùi gì, ñeà caäp ñeán 5. inkling /'17kl17/ (n) yù nieäm mô hoà 6. sway /swe1/ (v) taùc ñoäng ñeán hoaëc laøm thay ñoåi yù kieán cuûa ai 7. unbias /^n'ba16s/ (v) coâng baèng, voâ tö, khoâng thieân vò

186. SELECT THREE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTORS ON THE FIELD OF MEDICINE AND STATE THE SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS EACH HAS MADE HAÕY CHOÏN BA NHAÂN VAÄT NOÅI BAÄT VÌ NHÖÕNG ÑOÙNG GOÙP TRONG LÓNH VÖÏC Y HOÏC VAØ TRÌNH BAØY NHÖÕNG ÑOÙNG GOÙP ÑAËC BIEÄT CUÛA MOÃI NGÖÔØI There are many contributors who have done something significant1 in the field of medicine. Thus let us consider the contributions of Edward Jenner, Louis Pasteur, Fleming, Florey and Chani. Jenner is remembered for his smallpox2 vaccine.3 Before his time thousands upon thousands of people became a victim to this scourge.4 Besides those who died, there were people who were deformed and those who lost their eyesight. Now with vaccination, the disease has been defeated completely. Smallpox is a viral,5 airborne disease and very difficult to control. The best way to combat is to build an immunity6 within the body.

Jenner noted that people who were dealing with the cows with pox did not suffer much even when they had smallpox. So he concluded that the cowpox had something to do with the lowering of the rigour of smallpox. He drew the lymph7 from the sores of the cow affected with cowpox and vaccinated ordinary persons. The result was wonderful.

Those who were vaccinated had some fever and that was all. When they were exposed to smallpox, they never got it. So vaccination with smallpox lymph has become universal and all countries have made vaccination, especially of babies, compulsory.

Since vaccination as such can not give life long immunity, periodical vaccination is recommended. The civic bodies who are also responsible for the health of the people have been authorized to vaccinate.

Louis Pasteur is remembered for his antihydrophobic8 vaccine. Hydrophobia or rabies9 is cause by the bite of a mad dog or wolf. It is a dreaded disease. The victim develops a fear of water and in extreme cases howls like a mad dog and finally dies. The poison is passed through the saliva10 of the biting aninal. Now Pasteur discovered that by injecting the brain tissues of a mad dog in small measured doses, the body can overcome the effects of a dog bite. Pasteur took the calculated risk and tried his vaccine on a boy and for fourteen feverish days he examined the blood of the boy. It did not show any positive indication of the presence of hydrophobia. Now Pasteur vaccine is available in big hospital and none need to suffer from hydrophobia.

No medicine in recent times has made such a headways as Penicillin which is the forerunner of many antibiotics.11 This has ushered12 in a new world of medicines and has become almost a household word. Alexander Fleming found a sort of a moss13 like substance in his culture14 dish. Where this mould was formed, the culture was clear. He separated it and found it to have a very powerful effect on organisms15 by deterring16 their growth. He named it penicillin. But this knowledge was kept private for nearly ten years or more and only during the Second World War of 1939-1945, was penicillin thought of and in 1940 Florey and Chani tried it on persons suffering from syphillis17 and other similar diseases. They found excellent results and penicillin was used in the treatment and control of diseases caused by organic infection.18 At first it was found difficult to manufacture and preserve. Now alternate methods of manufacture have been found, so it costs almost nothing and refrigeration is not required. It is not an

exaggeration to say that penicillin has opened a new era of medicine and for this discovery Fleming and his associates were awarded the much coveted Nobel Prize.

1. significant /s19'n1f1k6nt/ (adj) coù yù nghóa; quan troïng, ñaùng keå 2. smallpox /'sm0:lp4ks/ (n) beänh ñaäu muøa 3. vaccine /'v%ksi:n/ (n) chaát tieâm vaøo maïch maùu ñeå baûo veä cô theå, baèng caùch laøm cho cô theå bò moät daïng beänh nheï - vaccinate /'v%ks1ne1t/ (v) chuûng, tieâm chuûng (ngöøa beänh gì, v.v…) - vaccination /-'ne1~n/ (n) 4. scourge /sk3:d2/ (n) tai hoïa 5. viral /'va16r6l/ (adj) gaây ra bôûi virus 6. immunity /1'mju:n6t1/ (n) khaû naêng mieãn dòch 7. lymph /l1mf/ (n) baïch huyeát 8. antihydrophobic /%nt1ha1dr6'f6$b1k/ (adj) choáng beänh daïi (ôû ngöôøi) - hydrophobia /ha1dr6'f6$b16/ (n) beänh daïi ôû ngöôøi 9. rabies /'re1bi:z/ (n) beänh daïi 10. saliva /s6'la1v6/ (n) nöôùc boït, nöôùc ñaõi 11. antibiotic /%nt1ba1'4t1k/ (n) chaát khaùng sinh 12. usher /'^~6(r)/ (v) môû ra, khôûi ñaàu 13. moss /m4s/ (n) reâu 14. culture /'k^lt~6(r)/ (n) vieäc nuoâi caáy moät nhoùm vi khuaån ñeå phuïc vuï cho nghieân cöùu y teá vaø khoa hoïc 15. organism /'0:96n1z6m/ (n) sinh vaät, cô theå 16. deter /d1't3:(r)/ (v) ngaên, ngaên caûn 17. syphillis /'s1f1l1s/ (n) beänh giang mai 18. inflection /1n'fek~n/ (n) söï nhieãm truøng

187. FIVE THINGS I LOVE MOST NAÊM ÑIEÀU TOÂI YEÂU THÍCH NHAÁT This world is full of many wonderful and lovely things. Man is trying to utilise the maximum resources of his intellect for finding out various types of inventions and discoveries and thus endeavouring1 to make the things more lovely and worth enjoying. The process of beautifying the world is a continuous process. There is no end to it. Since there are many beautiful and lovely things, it becomes very difficult to pick and choose. Somehow, with great care, I have selected five things I would like to adopt in my future life.

Firstly, I love nature. I am fed up2 of this artificial and momentary pleasure which we derive from the city. I would like to settle in some village where I would be able to enjoy nature. Nature can be a true friend and guide for man. Wordsworth, the great lover of Nature, has also acknowledged this fact in his poems. I am very anxious to go and enjoy the scenery of steep hills ; greenery of the own valleys, cool breeze and other natural things. There I would find people who will be quite different in nature from the city dwellers. Their motto of life is "simple living and spiritual thoughts" Thus I will have the priviledge of coming in contact with simple and straight forward people.

Secondly, I would like to take up3 teaching as my career. I am deeply pained to find illiteracy4 in my country. For the successful functioning of Democracy, it is essential that we reduce illiteracy to the minimum. I want every young man and woman to get educated. There is a dire5 need for spreading education to every nook and corner of the country. I hope that by selecting this profession, I would be serving my country in the most appropriate way.

Thirdly, I am a keen and voracious6 reader. Reading novels is my favourite pastime.

Reading widens the door of knowledge. They give us an insight into this world.

Sometimes we are able to resolve many difficult problems by reading. We are able to chalk out many schemes which can be useful in our day-to-day life.

Fourthly, I love my country. I can forego anything just for the honour of my country. If somebody were to ask me to go to a foreign land and serve there, and get a handsome salary I will be the first to bluntly refuse this offer. I am very fond of the way of life, food and sunshine of my country. If I were to go to a foreign country for employment, I would not be doing justice to my Motherland.

The last but not the least, I love my home - sweet home. The saying "East or West, home is the best" is correct. I live in a small house which does not contain all the modern amenities,7 but still it is not less than a paradise. I have been to my friend's houses where I find ultra modern decorations and lavish furnishing. I do not like this type of artificial life or home.

The selected items above are the five things which I hold dearest to my heart and are the very essence of my being.

1. endeavour /1n'dev6(r)/ (v) coá gaéng, noã löïc 2. fed up /fed ^p/ (adj) meät moûi hoaëc chaùn ngaùy 3. take up /te1k ^p/ (v) nhaän laøm, baét ñaàu vaøo (ngheà)

4. illiteracy /1'l1t6r6s1/ (n) söï thaát hoïc, söï muø chöõ 5. dire /'da16(r)/ (adj) cöïc kyø, heát söùc 6. voracious /v6're1~6s/ (adj) khao khaùt, ham meâ 7. amenity /6'mi:n6t1/ (n) thuù vui, tieän nghi

188. THINGS YOU LIKE AND DISLIKE ABOUT SCHOOL NHÖÕNG GÌ BAÏN THÍCH VAØ KHOÂNG THÍCH VEÀ HOÏC ÑÖÔØNG School is a place I have to go to five days a week, except on Saturdays and Sundays and the holidays. I spend a lot of time in school. Thus I cannot help liking some aspects and disliking other aspects of it.

I like recess most of all. This is especially so after a few hours of torture trying to figure out some tough sums and listening to the history teacher drone1 on about some halfforgotten war. The relief of consuming the food and drinks at the tuckshop is really satisfying. What more, my friends are always there to provide great company. We yack2 on and on about nothing in particular. It is great to be among those you know well.

The bell that signals the end of recess is not what I like. Judging from the audible moans from those around me the bell is not very popular with the others as well. So we trudge3 reluctantly back to class to undergo another few hours of lessons.

The lessons are not totally torturous. Much depend on the teachers. Some teachers have a knack4 of making their lessons interesting, so it is pleasant to learn something. These teachers really do take the trouble to teach us and we appreciate them very much.

Unfortunately there are some very obnoxious teachers who purposely pick on5 us.

These are usually the older ones who have lost their zest6 for teaching. Who could blame them after having to repeat the same things year after year ? I have been picked on several times for very trivial things. These occasions are what I dislike. Nobody likes to be sent out of the class for forgetting to bring a book. Also nobody likes to stand on the chair for one whole period for talking in class. I have undergone these punishments and they are not pleasant.

P.E. (Physical Education) is one lesson I like. Here we can play around with each other.

Our P.E. teacher is a young man who knows many types of games and sports. So we have a wonderful time learning from him. Unfortunately we only see him twice a week.

This is really insufficient for each session only lasts about 40 minutes minus the time needed to reach the field.

I like the bell when it signals the end of the day. Immediately flagging spirits give way to laughter as we head home. The atmosphere is a happy one when we go home.

The week before the Annual School Sports Day is what I like too. Usually a week before the sports the school will be very busy preparing for it. Lessons are disrupted and we have a great time talking in class. Sometimes we are asked to help a bit. I like that too. It beats working out sums.

When the examinations approaches it is the time of woe. I for one dislike examinations.

It is not that I am afraid that I might fail. I usually pass anyway. It is the tension and the stress of waiting for the examinations that are so unpleasant. During the time prior to an examination, no one has time for a chat anymore. Everyone is so engrossed in his or her work. This is a time of gloom.7 However gloom disappears like magic the moment the examinations are over. This is the best time of school. The tension is gone and lessons are virtually non-existent.

Normally it is also the end of the term and the holidays are around the corner. What joy I feel as we wait gleefully for the holidays so that we may get to do the things we want to do.

Holidays are great but they never seem to last. Soon it is time once again to go back to school, back to the things I like and dislike.

1. drone /dr6$n/ (v) noùi vôùi moät gioïng ñeàu ñeàu teû ngaét 2. yack (on) /j%k/ (v) ba hoa 3. trudge /tr^d2/ (v) leâ böôùc 4. knack /n%k/ (n) sôû tröôøng 5. pick on /p1k 4n/ (v) choïn ai ñeå tröøng trò, chæ trích hoaëc leân aùn – truø daäp 6. zest /zest/ (n) söï say meâ, söï thích thuù 7. gloom /9lu:m/ (n) caùch aûm ñaïm, buoàn thaûm

189. WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE TAKE PLACE IN YOUR COUNTRY WITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS ?

BAÏN THÍCH NHÌN THAÁY NHÖÕNG THAY ÑOÅI NAØO SEÕ XAÛY RA ÔÛ NÖÔÙC BAÏN TRONG VOØNG 10 NAÊM TÔÙI? Prosperity,1 stability2 and harmony3 have always been goals of countries and these take a lifetime of planning to achieve. By virtue of her smallness and dynamism,4 Singapore has taken a relatively short time, since her independence, to change and develop herself into an urban, industrialised city. Singapore will continue to change and develop into what I hope will be a better place to live in.

Family planning measures were introduced in Singapore in the early seventies. The results show that the public has accepted the scheme well. The prospect of achieving a zero population growth within a decade is very promising.

This will solve the pressing of public housing in our limited land area. The planning authorities will then be able to convert the surplus5 land into schools, swimming pools and pockets of green parks. With more land to spare, residents in public housing estates will feel encouraged to start their own little patches of gardens in front of their flats.

This will certainly prevent Singapore from rapidly turning into a concrete jungle.

Singapore could be in danger of facing a shortage of two important resources in future : energy and water. I hope that within the next few years the public would have learnt how to conserve and make the most economic use of these resources. I also hope to find more buildings constructed with specialized roofs designed to utilize solar energy. We will also be able to find a cheaper method or recycling sea water for domestic use.

Perhaps this way people will realise how important it is not to pollute our seas.

It would be a welcome change to have our schools function as full day schools instead of the present two session schools. This way lessons, homework assignments and extra curriculum6 activities can be carried out within a planned time-table. The importance of physical of physical education needs to be further stressed to cope with the increasing problem of obesity.7 School children also need to be taught about dental health and major diseases such as high blood pressure, cancer and diabetes.8 Moral education too should be made to cut across the entire curriculum instead of being confined to one or two period per week. This would hopefully bring forth in well balanced, responsible and caring individuals.

Too often nowadays, people engrossed in the search for luxury and status forget simple courtesies and the beauty of filial piety.9 I hope, in future, to find that care, concern and consideration for the weak, poor, elderly and handicapped would not be reduced to lipservice and donations by public members. Institution such as the old folks homes and homes for the mentally retarded need not be built in future if people learn how to deal with these problems.

I hope to find Singaporeans who have learnt from the current recession, not to take our 25 years of economic prosperity for granted. It would be nice to see Singaporeans shed their selfish work attitudes and stop job hopping and contribute through hardwork, discipline and teamwork. A large pool of housewives will be free from their domestic chores and be able to contribute to the nations economy if attitudes towards menial10 jobs changed.

In view of the present state of the world's unrest, Singapore should be prepared to defend itself. Within the next couple of years, I hope every able Singaporean will be equipped with skills to deal with the ordeals of war, be it with a gun or with bandages.

Lastly, as a member of a multi racial society, I hope to find prejudice11 and barriers among different cultures and religions disappear in the next 10 years. A better understanding that results will pave the way for the cultures to interplay.12 Perhaps with time we might be able to emerge with a truly unique Singaporean culture that is so often talked about.

1. prosperity /pr4'sper6t1/ (n) söï thònh vöôïng, söï phoàn vinh 2. stability /st6'b1l6t1/ (n) traïng thaùi oån ñònh, beàn vöõng 3. harmony /'h@:m6n1/ (n) söï hoøa hôïp, söï hoøa thuaän 4. dynamism /'da1n6m1z6m/ (n) söï naêng ñoäng 5. surplus /'s3:pl6s/ (adj) thöøa, dö thöøa 6. curriculum /k6'r1kj$l6m/ (n) (snh curricula) chöông trình hoïc / giaûng daïy 7. obesity /6$'bi:s6t1/ (n) chöùng beùo phì• 8. diabetes /da16'bi:ti:z/ (n) beänh ñaùi ñöôøng 9. filial piety /,f1l16l 'pa16t1/ (n) loøng hieáu thaûo ñoái vôùi cha meï 10. menial /'mi:n16l/ (adj) (veà coâng vieäc) coù tính giaûn ñôn 11. prejudice /'pred2$d1s/ (n) söï thaønh kieán, ñònh kieán 12. interplay /'1nt6ple1/ (n) söï taùc ñoäng qua laïi

190. YOU ARE ABOUT TO LIVE PERMANENTLY IN ANOTHER COUNTRY AND ARE WAITING FOR TRANSPORT TO TAKE YOU THERE. WRITE DOWN YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS ABOUT YOUR PAST LIFE AND WHAT LIES AHEAD BAÏN SAÉP SÖÛA ÑÒNH CÖ VÓNH VIEÃN ÔÛ MOÄT ÑAÁT NÖÔÙC KHAÙC VAØ ÑANG CHÔØ CHUYEÁN BAY ÑÖA BAÏN ÑEÁN ÑOÙ. TRÌNH BAØY NHÖÕNG SUY NGHÓ VAØ TÌNH CAÛM CUÛA BAÏN VEÀ CUOÄC SOÁNG ÑAÕ QUA VAØ NHÖÕNG GÌ ÑANG ÔÛ PHÍA TRÖÔÙC The large world map designed impressively on the wall of Changi International Airport caught my eyes. I walked towards it and scrutinized1 it as though searching for a lost ring in the midst of the jungle. My eyes finally rested on an island at the tip of West Malaysia. It was in this place that I was born, brought up, educated and married. She was indeed my beloved country and home. Besides, her citizens have provided me an insight into human nature. I learnt the most valuable lesson about true friendship and mere hypocrisy.2 I fell into a reflective mood. Why should people become materialistic and self-centred3 when they become successful ? Is this inevitable or is it deliberately designed for man ?

I was holding the rank of Superintendent4 of Police when it all happened. It was after midnight when that man came running into the police station. He was holding a briefcase. He came in breathless and shouted frantically, "My wife has been murdered !" Being in command, I told some constables to rush to the site where the murder was reported. I was left alone in the station with that man and one of my junior officers.

Working in the night shift was a bore !

I tried to calm the almost hysterical man. I asked the officer to bring coffee for him.

When my officer went out, that awful man suddenly got up. He opened his briefcase and there, to my utter astonishment was thousands of dollars. Unfortunately, at that very moment, my assistant superintendent stepped in with some constables. He looked astonished and speechless when he saw both of us with the opened briefcase on the table. "Bribery5 ! How could you ?" he shouted and picked up the phone, dialed the number for police heardquarters and reported what he had seen. Indeed, he had done wrong. A respectable police officer must never accuse another without sufficient proof.

Well, maybe he was sure he had proof.

I demanded the case to be brought to court. Inevitably, I won the case and in return I sued6 him for disgracing me publicly. He wasn't satisfied. He went around back-biting me with the most unspeakable slander. He was indeed influential as I found myself slowly losing the favours of my "friends".

Now, here I was, waiting for the plane which will take me to Malaysia. The announcement for the arrival of a plane interrupted my nostalgia. I looked intensely at the plane...

In Malaysia, I will buy a decent house near the town so that my wife can buy the daily necessities easily and my children may go to school. I will buy a piece of land and cultivate cash crops. I will start on a subsistance basis and will finally end up in commercial farming.

As my business prospers, I will export the cash crops. Then, I will build houses and provide free accommodation for my workers. I will develop a processing plant and

employ more workers. By then, I will have time to volunteer for social work. I always feel that rural dwellers are full of gratitude towards their benefactors ; this virtue, however is slowly disappearing from the hearts of the materialistic urban dwellers.

"Passengers of flight 209, Boeing 747, please report at the departure hall. Thank you."

The announcement echoed in our ears. Before long, I found myself, flanked7 by my wife and children running to the departure hall.

1. scrutinize /'skru:t1na1z/ (v) nhìn hoaëc xem xeùt (caùi gì) caån thaän vaø tæ mæ 2. hypocrisy /h1'p4kr6s1/ (n) ñaïo ñöùc giaû 3. self-centred /,self 'sented/ (adj) nghó quaù nhieàu veà mình vaø quaù ít veà ngöôøi khaùc 4. superintendent /su:p6r1n'tend6nt/ (n) só quan caûnh saùt coù caáp baäc treân chaùnh thanh tra 5. bribery /'bra1b6r1/ (n) söï cho hoaëc laáy cuûa hoái loä 6. sue /sju:/ (v) kieän (ai) tröôùc phaùp luaät 7. flank /fl%7k/ (v) keøm, ñi keøm

191. THE EVILS OF DRUG ADDICTIONS1 THAÛM HOÏA CUÛA VIEÄC NGHIEÄN MA TUÙY Our ancients have spoken of five cardinal2 sins which must be avoided by all means though they may appear to bring profit or pleasure for the time being. They are gambling, stealing, murder, unchastity3 and drugs. The history of humanity is replete with examples where people have been ruined by following the path of one or others of them. A whole nation was brought to disgrace because of opium.4 Why then does man take to drugs ? Some think it adds to pleasure ; some others think that it takes away physical weariness. Still others take it to forget their worries, while others take it in order to please the company they keep. In cold countries they take it to keep themselves warm. While in very small doses drugs act as medicines, they can only bring harm in large doses. They have a doping effect and hence, at the spur of the moment, the person may act more vigorously but only to find himself weaker later.

Sustained consumption of them in large quantities will lead to dependency and addiction.

From time immemorial5 man has known to make drugs. Todays, various kinds of addiction like wine, brandy, whisky, morphine heroine, cocaine and opium are prevalent. These drugs affect the nervous sytem, especially the brain which controls the voluntary action. So a man under the influence of a drug is unable to walk properly and he staggers.6 It deadens the senses so a man under the influence of drugs does not know what he does or speaks. Very often under the influence of a drug, he can do shameful acts. Continued addiction upsets the digestive system, especially the liver, leading eventually to death.

The mental faculties7 will be numbed.8 In order to forget worries people take drugs but that is not the answer to one's worry. Drug addiction brings moral degradation.9 The addict himself knows it and so he consumes them only in secret and no addict openly will come forward to say he is an addict. It is against all religious sanctions.10 It leads to immoral and evil activities. Socially also an addict is looked down upon and people would try to avoid a drug addict. He would be a nuisance wherever he is at home or in company. He would bring untold misery to his people and those around him. Except in the company of addicts, he would be looked upon as a leper. His family also will share the ignominy11 because people will point the accusing finger at such a family.

Financially it ruins the addict. The money would go down the drains as it were for what could be spent for the betterment of the self or the benefit of the family could easily be wasted on drugs. So considered wisely, one should avoid drugs.

Nowadays drugs like marijuana, L.S.D., opium and others are being taken by youngsters under false pretences. It is really unfortunate if they don't realize the harmful effect.

Certainly the drugs will not and cannot add and bring pleasure. If one thinks in that way it is only an illusion. So it is best to avoid the company of those who have recourse to drugs or peddle them. Remember the physical ruin, mental upset, moral degradation and social and financial breakdown. So, for God's sake, one should never be tempted by them.

1. addiction /6'd1k~n/ (n) söï nghieän ngaäp - addict /6'd1kt/ (n) ngöôøi nghieän 2. cardinal /'k@:d1nl/ (adj) chính yeáu, chuû yeáu 3. unchastity /^n't~%st6t1/ (v) thoùi daâm duïc, thoùi daâm oâ 4. opium /'6$pj6m/ (n) thuoác phieän 5. from time immemorial /1m6'm0:r16l/ (idm) thuôû xöa, töø ngaøn xöa 6. stagger /'st%96(r)/ (v) ñi loaïng choaïng, laûo ñaûo 7. mental faculty /'mentl 'f%klt1/ (n) khaû naêng trí tueä 8. numb /n^m/ (v) laøm teâ lieät 9. moral degradation /,m0:rl de9r6'de1~n/ (n) söï suy thoaùi veà ñaïo ñöùc 10. sanction /s%7k~n/ (n) söï thöøa nhaän, söï pheâ chuaån 11. ignominy /'19n6m1n1/ (n) söï nhuïc nhaõ

192. HOME ACCIDENTS AND ITS PREVENTION CAÙC TAI NAÏN ÔÛ NHAØ VAØ CAÙCH NGAÊN NGÖØA Accidents are becoming common these days. Any incident which happens without any intention is an accident. They can lead to mild or severe injuries and sometimes become fatal. Carelessness is the main reason for accidents. Accidents may happen on the road, during a journey, on air, sea or even at home. Let us examine the home accidents and try to prevent them in future. Home accidents may lead to disablement and sometimes even fatal. So one must be aware of the immediate steps to be taken in case of accidents.

As to the proverb "prevention is better than cure", it is always better to prevent an accident. Cutting, burning, scalding and falling may lead to fractures, and poisoning, electric shock, etc, may lead to death. Accidents at home can take place in any part of the home, in the drawing room, bathroom, bedroom or kitchen. Let us consider the preventive aspects first.

One must be careful in using cutting instruments such as knives in the kitchen. Only those who have experience should use them. Care must be taken when dealing with very hot things. It should be kept in out of reach. We have to use tongs1 to remove hot things from the oven. Falling down in bathroom and off the staircases is another example. One should ensure that ladders are properly installed,2 stools3 are stable. The bathroom floors should not be slippery and therefore have to be cleaned daily.

Electrical wiring should be periodically4 checked. Electrical appliances should be insulated5 or properly handled. The kitchen windows and bedroom windows should be properly grilled and locked in order to prevent children from climbing out. The bathroom sinks, toilet bowls and buckets should always be covered. Some babies have fallen into these items and died. There were many such cases recently. Medicines must be kept away out of children's reach. Nowadays kitchen accidents involving gasleaks, fires, burning of oil are becoming common. Youngsters must be taught lessons in prevention. If everyone is careful then there will be no accidents.

1. tongs /t47z/ (n) caùi keïp, caùi caëp (duøng gaép than, nöôùc ñaù, v.v…)

2. install /1n'st0:l/ (v) laép ñaët, caøi ñaët 3. stool /stu:l/ (n) gheá ñaåu 4. periodically /per1'4d1kl1/ (adv) moät caùch ñònh kyø 5. insulate /'1nsj$le1t/ (v) caùch ly

193. "SAVE WATER" COMPAIGN - WRITE ABOUT THE SCARCITY OF WATER AND WAYS AND MEANS TO SAVE WATER CUOÄC VAÄN ÑOÄNG “TIEÁT KIEÄM NÖÔÙC” – HAÕY VIEÁT VEÀ SÖÏ KHAN HIEÁM NÖÔÙC. NHÖÕNG PHÖÔNG CAÙCH VAØ PHÖÔNG TIEÄN TIEÁT KIEÄM NÖÔÙC Food, air and water are essential elements for man. Three fourths of the earth's surface is covered with sea water which cannot be consumed fresh by men. There are many places on earth which do not have sufficient water. Drinking water is therefore a rare1 commodity.2 Rain falls in many places, catchment areas, rivers and lakes. Can man drink water directly from the rivers ? No. Water from rivers and lakes is contaminated3 and not fit for drinking. It contains minerals as well as organic impurities.4 In cities, due to industrialisation, the industrial wastes will contaminate rain water, so water needs treatment before it can be consumed by man.

To supply the cities with treated water costs money. Firstly, the water has to be recycled5 by filtering6 the impurities. The water is then chlorinated and pumped to a storage tank. Water is then supplied to the people through pipes. It is a well-known fact that when we turn on the tap7 and water flows from it, it is water that has been treated and we have to pay for the water.

In spite of the increasing cost of treating water, the population fails to understand the importance of water. Water is wasted thoughtlessly. They depend on the authorities to provide them water without bothering about the water. Is this the correct attitude ?

Certainly not ! The "Save Water" campaign is in full force. One must remember not to waste water. There are many ways in which water is wasted. The predominant one is the leaking tap. This can be curbed by periodic checks to arrest any leakage. People should be made aware that water is precious. They should stop immediately if they see running water from an unattended tap. They should inform the authorities about burst pipes. When leaving home they should ensure that all taps have been turned off. We must change our ways.

Most water is used for washing, cleaning and bathing. Strict prudence should be exercised. No one should stand under a shower for hours. Water used for washing clothes can be used to wash toilets as well.

Industries should help to save usage by recycling water wherever possible. One must bear in mind when water is wasted they are depriving another man of his share. Water may be scarce in the following years especially with the growth of industries.

1. rare /re6(r)/ (adj) hieám 2. commodity /k6'm4d6t1/ (n) haøng hoùa, tieän nghi 3. contaminate /k6n't%m1ne1t/ (v) laøm oâ nhieãm 4. impurity /1m'pj$6r6t1/ (n) taïp chaát 5. recycle /ri:'sa1kl/ (v) taùi cheá 6. filter /'f1lt6(r)/ (v) loïc 7. tap /t%p/ (n) voøi (nöôùc, v.v…)

194. THE TEACHERS' CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROGRESS OF A COUNTRY NHÖÕNG ÑOÙNG GOÙP CUÛA THAÀY COÂ GIAÙO ÑOÁI VÔÙI SÖÏ TIEÁN BOÄ CUÛA ÑAÁT NÖÔÙC This is a very interesting analysis. The development of a nation depends on so many factors. The most important is the contribution of the citizens, the politicians, traders, scientists, and farmers etc. should contribute to the development of the nation.

Let us analyse how everyone can serve the country. The politicians or the law makers lead the country on the right path. The countrie's economic development rests with the traders as the import and export goods by maintaining the balance of trade. This determines the value of country's money. Scientist creates new inventions that will benefit all. The farmer feeds the country. There is a saying that the farmer lives alone and the other depend on him. The farmer's work is not a white collar job. He has to plough the fields, sow the seeds to reap1 the benefits.

However, the teacher contributes as much if not more than the farmer. If food is essential, knowledge is vital. The teacher is the one who educates politicians, traders, scientists, farmers etc. He is the basis of the whole structure. Without knowledge, man cannot progress. The progress of a nation depends on the teachers. The teacher educates the man right from his childhood and help him to acquire knowledge. From the medieval2 ages teachers were given a lot of respect and held in very high esteem.3 Today most developed and developing nations place primary importance and attention on education. The future of a nation rests in the hands of teachers. The service that teachers provide in the development of a nation is long and lasting.

1. reap /ri:p/ (v) gaët haùi, thu hoaïch 2. medieval /med1'i:vl/ (adj) thuoäc veà thôøi Trung coå (khoaûng töø naêm 1100 ñeán 1400 sau CN) 3. esteem /1'sti:m/ (n) loøng quyù troïng, söï kính troïng

195. HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE LAØM THEÁ NAØO ÑEÅ THAØNH COÂNG TRONG CUOÄC SOÁNG What we call life is a very complex affair. It is not simply eating, reproducing and finally dying. Every creature does these. But in the case of man he has to lead a highly complicated life. It is like going through a maze1 and coming out. He has to earn, make a home, look after his people, attend to his obligations to the society and the Government. So in order to be successful, in all these he has to develop certain qualities.

What do we mean by saying a man is successful ? If in his occupation he can do satisfactorily both for himself and others then he is successful. He must be able to look after his people and bring up2 good children. If he becomes a professional man like an engineer, doctor or lawyer, making money should not be the only criterion,3 he must also be able to satisfy his clients and be honest at it.

In order to be successful one should develop certain qualities. At first he must realize his purpose ; in other words what he would like to be. This is the crux4 of the problem, for the choice does not come to him. Parents decide it very often for them. Let us suppose he decides to be somebody in his life. Once having decided he must work for attaining certain standards in that line. Only hard work would make him fit for the job. It is rightly said that it is 5% inspiration and 95% perspiration.5 One must deserve before desiring.

One must remember one's education does not stop with the school or college. It is a life long process. Professional people must keep themselves up to date.

Then one must get on with others. In the chess board of life one may find himself in any position, it may be the all powerful queen or simply a pawn, must be remembered that given the chance, even a pawn can destroy a queen. This means in a complex society, everyone finds oneself in a particular position; there may be some above and some below. One need not be favouring and flattering6 those above and be arrogant7 with those below. "What can I do for you" is the correct attitude and having done it go about your duty. In getting on with others, sweet temperament is really an asset ; then only others will like to transact with one. One must not be easily irritable nor give irritants to others. Then one must be reliable. One may be clever but if he is not reliable, he cannot achieve success in a great measure because others will have very little to do with him.

Another important quality that would make up for success is doing things then and there.

Procrastination8 is the thief of time. Postponement9 of doing things means swelling10 of work for the next day. A small chink11 may be easily closed today but tomorrow it may be late. If we analyse the life of successful people, we could easily see they have been through and never postponed doing things.

Still another quality is not to argue. The other may be really wrong. By pointing out that he has been wrong you are not going to improve matters, on the other hand you can help him correct. Arguing not only takes away precious time but also causes irritations.

Especially one's superior may not like arguing. Instead of argument, one must be albe to meet the situation something like this : "You may be right, sir", or "This is all right", or "What about our alternative ?" and so on.

One must be capable of learning from experience. One must be able to learn from the mistakes of others. Only when nations and individuals fail to learn from the past mistakes, they are ruined. History is replete with examples.

1. maze /me1z/ (n) meâ cung, meâ loä 2. bring up /br17 ^p/ (v) nuoâi naáng, daïy doã, giaùo duïc (ai) 3. criterion /kra1't16r16n/ (n) (snh -ria) tieâu chuaån 4. crux /kr^ks/ (n) ñieåm then choát (cuûa moät vaán ñeà), phaàn khoù khaên nhaát (cuûa moät coâng vieäc, v.v…)

5. perspiration /p3:sp6're1~n/ (n) söï ñoå moà hoâi – moà hoâi 6. flatter /'fl%t6(r)/ (v) taâng boác, xu nònh, bôï ñôõ 7. arrogant /'%r696nt/ (adj) kieâu caêng, haùch dòch, ngaïo maïn 8. procrastination /pr6$kr%st1'ne1~n/ (n) söï trì hoaõn, söï chaàn chöø 9. postponement /p6$st'p6$nm6nt/ (n) söï trì hoaõn 10. swelling /'swel17/ (n) söï taêng leân (veà cöôøng ñoä, khoái löôïng hoaëc soá löôïng) 11. chink /t~17k/ (n) khe hôû nhoû, choã nöùt, choã raïn, choã thuûng

196. HOW TO BE HAPPY LAØM THEÁ NAØO ÑEÅ ÑÖÔÏC HAÏNH PHUÙC Happiness is a shy bird. If you hunt it, it will fly away. It is better to set a trap for it, and look the other way. Pleasure seekers miss it. They are restless,1 discontented people, who, having no inward2 happiness, seek it in outward things, where they do not often find it. It is a common mistake to think that money brings happiness. "If only I were rich !" we sigh. Money is not to be despised;3 and it can do much to make life pleasant. Yet the rich are sometimes unhappy, and some poor men sing. So the source of happiness cannot be simply in wealth, and even those who will never be rich can still be happy.

There are some outward conditions that make for happiness. First, good health. A man who suffers from chronic indigestion4 or a deranged liver,5 cannot feel very happy.

There is a lot of truth in the famous joke in Punch : "Is life worth living ? It all depends on the liver !" And yet it is wonderful how some invalids6 rise above their pain and weakness, and keep smiling faces. But these are brave souls, who find happiness within, in spite of their ailments. Every one is not a hero ; and few can resist the depression and gloom that bad health brings. So to be happy we must keep well, and observe the laws of health. An idler is rarely a happy man. Most grumblers7 are lazy people with nothing to occupy their minds and their time. Workers are generally cheerful. A man who has a congenial8 occupation finds great happiness in his work. And even if one's work is not always as pleasant as it might be, the necessity of doing it, and doing it regularly, saves one from a lot of brooding9 and melancholy10 thoughts.

We should have healthy amusements and hobbies to fill our leisure hours. "All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy" ; and a man who has not learnt to use his leisure time, will not be happy. Games, sport, music, reading, any pleasant and wholesome occupation we most take to, will add immensely to the pleasure of life.

And pleasant social intercourse11 is a great source of happiness. Man is a social animal, and few of us can lead entirely solitary lives. True friendship is one of the most precious treasures of life and blessed is he that has a real friend ; but even the pleasant companionship of acquaintances is a joy.

But the true source of happiness lies within. Happiness depends not so much on our circumstances, as on ourselves. The kingdom of happiness, like the kingdom of heaven, "is within you". A poor man may be happy in a hut, and a millionaire unhappy in a palace. In unselfishness, kindness to others, humility,12 a clean mind, a clear conscience13 and an upright14 life in these things lies the secret of happiness.

"The mind is its own place, and of itself Can make a hell of heaven, a heaven of hell."

1. restless /'restl1s/ (adj) boàn choàn, noân noùng 2. inward /'1nw6d/ (adj) ôû beân trong, thuoäc veà beân trong (nhaát laø trong taâm trí hoaëc tinh thaàn) 3. despise /d1'spa1z/ (v) coi thöôøng, khinh mieät 4. chronic indigestion /,kr4n1k 1nd1'd2est~n/ (n) chöùng khoù tieâu hoùa maõn tính 5. deranged liver /d1,re1nd2d 'l1v6(r)/ (n) laù gan bò roái loaïn 6. invalid /'1nv6l1d/ (n) ngöôøi beänh taät, keû taøn pheá

7. grumbler /'9r^mbl6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi hay caèn nhaèn 8. congenial /k^n'd2i:n16l/ (adj) deã chòu hay vöøa yù vì thích hôïp vôùi baûn chaát hoaëc sôû thích cuûa mình 9. brooding /'bru:d17/ (n) söï buoàn raàu, uû ruõ 10. melancholy /'mel67k4l1/ (n) söï u saàu 11. social intercourse /,s6$~l '1nt6k0:s/ (n) moái quan heä xaõ hoäi 12. humility /hju:'m1l6t1/ (n) söï khieâm toán, thaùi ñoä khieâm nhöôøng 13. conscience /'k4n~ns/ (n) löông taâm 14. upright /^p'ra1t/ (adj) chính tröïc, ngay thaúng

197. HOW TO AVOID WASTE OF ENERGY CAÙCH THÖÙC TRAÙNH LAÕNG PHÍ NAÊNG LÖÔÏNG With the fast growth of civilization there is also an ever mounting need for energy.

Energy may be in the form of fuels or electricity. The world appears to have reactivated energy to a liquid fuel like petrol. This is likely to be axhausted in the course of a few years at the rate man is using it. Electricity depends on oil or water resources and when oil goes, water resources cannot keep up with1 the demand. Everybody is caught up with the problem of conservation2 of energy.

To meet3 the challenge various methods have been suggested. One is to suppress4 the demand. Rationing5 has to be brought in by means of legislation6 so that non-essential consumption may be brought to the minimum. In fact this is being done when the power supply becomes chronically short. There can be a power cut. During certain hours of the day the power supply can shut down, thus power is saved or conserved for better use.

Energy conservation is possible through modernisation of plant and equipment. In fact where obsolete equipment is in use it can be replaced by modern, energy-saving ones.

Energy can be saved at domestic levels by better house keeping. Modern gadgets7 consuming energy can be used only when they are absolutely necessary. Luxury items like the television, radio and record player can be used sparingly.8 Wasteful usage of lights can be avoided. Meaningless illumination can be saved. It is also possible by reorganizing and streamlining systems through structural changes as in modernising equipment. For example by adopting a better design in electrical motors, efficiency can be improved.

Energy can be saved on transport by the following methods. People should commute by the rail rather than by cars and vans. Animal-drawn vehicles may be encourages for very short distances. This is being done in countries where there is a village economy and animals like bullocks9 are not scarce. The transport system must be improved with a veiw to sparing the energy. Cities must be planned in such a way that the commuting distance is minimised.

In industry many things could be done to reduce waste of energy or to economise energy. The maintenance10 may be tightened; waste heat must be utilised properly. If systems are streamlined, economy in fuel could be obtained. Instead of using material requiring higher energy, those which require lower energy can be used. By effecting minor changes in the existing plants, economy in energy could be achieved.

Energy question is a major global problem and is drawing the attention of all. But we can hope man with his ever rising urge for existence will cope up with this major and the most urgent problem and find alternatives.

1. keep up with /ki:p ^p w15/ (v) theo kòp, baét kòp 2. conservation /k4ns6've1~n/ (n) söï baûo toaøn, söï baûo toàn 3. meet /mi:t/ (v) ñaùp öùng, thoûa maõn 4. suppress /s6'pres/ (v) chaën laïi, ngaên caûn 5. rationing /'r%~6n17/ (n) cheá ñoä phaân phoái 6. legislation /led21s'le1~n/ (n) söï laäp phaùp

7. gadget /'9%d21t/ (n) thieát bò hoaëc duïng cuï cô khí nhoû 8. sparing /'spe6r17/ (adj) tieát kieäm, deø xeûn - sparingly /-l1/ (adv) 9. bullock /'b$l6k/ (n) boø ñöïc ñaõ thieán 10. maintenance /'me1nt6n6ns/ (n) söï duy trì, söï baûo quaûn

198. KEEPING FIT GIÖÕ CHO KHOÛE MAÏNH Keeping fit means maintaining good health. Looking at history in the West, the activities connected with keeping fit first started in Greece where the Olympic Games were born.

In those days these activities were pursued for sportsmanship. The Chinese have their unique form of exercises for keeping fit. These have been developed from methods used a thousand years ago. Examples are Taiji, Gongfu and Waidangong which are among the most popular in Singapore.

Many people here began to take an interest in physical fitness exercises in the early sixties. By 1970 it became so popular that today we can see hundreds of people taking part in these exercises in every park and any available open space. People from all walks of life,1 male and female, young and old do these exercises under the instructions of professional instructors. There are many factors which may account for2 this popular involvement. Technology has made a lot of improvements in the last few decades. As a result, machines are used extensively at work and also at home. Machines save time and effort. This means that man not only does less manual work, but also has more free time. Hobbies are pursued, pastimes are created, and too much leisure leads to sloth.3 People who develop a habit of laziness normally find that it affects their ability to work effectively. As a result the past competitive decades have woken up men from their sleep of indolence.4 Men have learnt to fill up their free time with activities to keep fit.

Science has both curse5 and blessing6 with various new diseases and cures. Some of these diseases are different in that they affect even those who eat nutritious food, live in a clean environment and have access to health facilities. Previously diseases resulted from lack of hygiene7 and nutrition deficiency. These normally affected the poor and under-privileged. Doctors say that the present life style has in some ways created a new range of diseases like "heart attacks", cancer and diabetes. Large intake8 of junk food9 and preservatives, air pollution and insufficient physical activity have been identified as some of the causes of the new range of diseases. A new awareness to change our way of life and the realization that health is more important than wealth has taken place.

We are presently in the midst of a craze10 to keep fit. The media has been very successful in informing the public of the importance of physical fitness. Physical fitness has been described as a factor that can bring about a long life, free from diseases. Men, women, children and the old are encouraged to sweat it out in fitness activities.

However, we must not forget that physical fitness programmes have their limits. An overdose of anything can be lethal.11 Over exertion may cause serious injuries. Injuries may result from improper and incorrect application of techniques of fitness. So a person embarking on a physical fitness programme to become healthy may end up being seriously injured.

1. walk of life /w0:k 6v la1f/ (idm) taàng lôùp xaõ hoäi 2. account for /6'ka$nt f6(r)/ (v) giaûi thích cho 3. sloth /sl6$8/ (n) söï löôøi bieáng, söï ueå oaûi 4. indolence /'1nd6l6ns/ (n) söï löôøi bieáng, khoâng hoaït ñoäng

5. curse /k3:s/ (n) tai hoïa 6. blessing /'bles17/ (n) dieãm phuùc, phuùc laønh 7. hygiene /'ha1d2i:n/ (n) veä sinh 8. intake /'1nte1k/ (n) söï laáy vaøo 9. junk food /d2^7k 'fu:d/ (n) quaø vaët (nhö khoai taây raùn, v.v…)

10. craze /kre1z/ (n) söï say meâ (nhaát thôøi) 11. lethal /'li:8l/ (adj) gaây thieät haïi, coù haïi

199. WHAT CONTRIBUTIONS CAN WRITERS MAKE TO THE PROMOTION OF GOODWILL AMONG THE PEOPLE OF A COUNTRY ?

NHAØ VAÊN COÙ THEÅ COÙ NHÖÕNG ÑOÙNG GOÙP NAØO ÑEÅ THUÙC ÑAÅY THIEÄN CHÍ GIÖÕA MOÏI NGÖÔØI ÔÛ MOÄT ÑAÁT NÖÔÙC? Since remote antiquity1 writers in every country have exerted2 a profound influence on the minds of the people. The writings of political philosophers, like Rousseau and Voltaire, have even caused revolutions and diverted the course of history. Such is the power of writers who express their ideas and views with lucidity3 and cogency.4 Most writers who dwell upon5 the affairs of their countries are deeply conscious of their responsibility towards their countries and compatriots.6 This consciousness not only impels7 them to avoid issues which tend to divide the poeple but also to express their view on delicate issue in the most temperate language. Their main aim is to promote goodwill among the people of the country, and this they try to achieve in various ways.

In a country dominated by people of the same race and language, writers can promote goodwill among its people by clarifying political and economic issues which the people understand only vaguely. If the people are divided by ideological differences or by differences of economic status, writers can exercise their influence to remove the resentment and prejudices among the people. Even those who write on social problems can emphasise the issues that tend to unite the people. They can also suggest ways and means of removing the causes of resentment and frustration that exist among the people. As the written word is more effective than the spoken word, people tend to accept the view of writers more readily than those expressed verbally by various people.

But it is in countries in which people of various races reside that writers can make the greatest contribution to the promotion of goodwill among the people. In a country like Malaysia, for example, writers can concentrate on the issues that tend to unite the people. They should not be too critical of the attitudes of one race to gratify the emotions of an other race. If they do so, they will incite8 racial discord9 and even violence which may affect the whole country adversely. If short speeches to a small group of people can cause riots10 and racial conflicts in all parts of the country, writers can do greater harm, for the written word circulates more extensively for a longer period.

This power of the written, however, could be used by writers for the benefit of the whole nation. By giving prominence to the social aspects of life that affect the people as human beings and as individuals of a particular race, writers can help in the development of a common outlook among the people. They could also help in making the people realise the benefits in peace and harmony. A study of the history of very country reveals how the ways and habits of its people are influenced by the pen of distinguished writers. Even the leaders of the country are often guided by the opinions of noted writers.

Indeed, in times, of great discontent in a country, writers advise the people to exercise patience and moderation in expressing their grievances. There are many examples of how writers in various countries have been able to remove feelings of hatred among the people. The newspaper, for example, which is the product of the combined effort of

many writers is able to exert a restraining influence on people who are easily provoked.11 This is the best example of what writers could do to promote goodwill among the people of a country.

1. antiquity /%n't1kw6t1/ (n) thôøi coå xöa 2. exert /19'z3:t/ (v) ñöa ra (moät kyõ xaûo, söùc eùp, aûnh höôûng, v.v…) vaøo söû duïng 3. lucidity /lu:'s1d6t1/ (n) söï roõ raøng, deã hieåu; söï saùng suûa, minh baïch 4. cogency /'k6$d26ns1/ (n) söï thuyeát phuïc 5. dwell upon /'dwel 6,p4n/ (v) vieát, noùi maõi veà caùi gì 6. compatriot /k6m'p%tr16t/ (n) ñoàng baøo 7. impel /1m'pel/ (v) eùp buoäc hoaëc thuùc giuïc ai laøm caùi gì• 8. incite /1n'sa1t/ (v) kích thích, xuùi giuïc 9. discord /'d1sk0:d/ (n) söï baát hoøa, söï xích mích 10. riot /'ra16t/ (n) cuoäc baïo loaïn 11. provoke /pr6'v6$k/ (v) khieâu khích, choïc töùc

200. WHAT PART SHOULD THE TEACHING OF CRAFTS1 HAVE IN THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM ?

VIEÄC DAÏY NGHEÀ THUÛ COÂNG ÑOÙNG VAI TROØ GÌ TRONG CHÖÔNG TRÌNH HOÏC ÔÛ TRÖÔØNG The curriculum comprises of2 what the pupil is supposed to learn and study at the school. As knowledge expands, the curriculum also grows. The aim of education is to prepare the pupil for life such that he or she can settle in life as useful citizen, to themselves and to society at large. In order to be useful one should be trained to use his faculties or talents in the best way possible. The faculties are physical, mental and intellectual. There should be a sort of co-ordination3 between these faculties and they should be integrated4 in the course of education.

In ancient days and even quite recently education meant only training in the three R's viz--Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. But those days are gone. Many abilities other than that will have to be built in the child so that he may leave the school prepared to face the challenges of life.

Such abilities include the use of the hands as well. Man is not all brain. The curriculum must provide opportunities for motor activities. They can be conveniently called doing activities. These doing activities involve muscular co-ordination.

Man is an aesthetic5 animal, he can appreciate and admire good and beautiful things.

Given the chance and training man imitates nature and creates beautiful things. Man is the only creative animal. What we are today and all that our culture stand for, we own man's spirit of creation. Man has created a lot of beautiful artifacts. From the ordinary pin to the much sophisticated6 supersonic planes and computers, man has shown his ability to create and even to surpass nature.

This spirit of creativity involves what is called crafts in the school curriculum. Whenever the pupil uses his hands and fingers in doing and creating beautiful pictures of things, it is called art and craft. Art and craft can be learnt for its own sake or it can be also applied to science and technology.

Craft work pleases the person who practises it. From the child who makes castle in the sand the designer of complicated machinery, there is the pleasure in creation. Not only from the utility point of view but also from the point of view of pleasure, crafts must find a place in the school curriculum.

Another psychological factor involves the importance of teaching crafts. A normal child is active and wants to use his hands and feet. This is evidenced by many a child's activity. This instinct7 to act is being channeled on useful ways in the teaching of crafts.

So crafts can bring about a psychological transformation in the child. In fact it is the expensive medium for a not-too-intellectual.

There are many crafts like drawing, painting, carpentary, weaving8 and bookbinding.9 Some of these crafts have a professional value as well as recreational value. Realizing their educational value, Gandhi introduced his famous craft centered education which he called 'Basic Education.' Some of the crafts can be taught in the curriculum of special schools. Crafts have some value later in life for the students. He can practise crafts peculiar to a locality. For grown-up boys crafts with utility value like watch repairing,

electric wiring and radio repairing should be taught. This may mean extra work for the staff and additional expense to the society but it is worth the effort.

1. craft /kr%ft/ (n) thuû coâng, ngheà thuû coâng 2. comprise of /k6m'pra1z/ (v) bao goàm, goàm coù 3. co-ordination /k6$0:d1'ne1~n/ (n) söï phoái hôïp 4. integrate /'1nt19re1t/ (v) hôïp nhaát, hoøa nhaäp 5. aesthetic /i:'s8et1k/ (adj) coù thaåm myõ 6. sophisticated /s6'f1st1ke1t1d/ (adj) tinh vi, phöùc taïp 7. instinct /'1nst17kt/ (n) baûn naêng 8. weave /wi:v/ (v) ñan, deät 9. bookbinding /'b$kba1nd17/ (n) vieäc ñoùng bìa saùch

201. WHAT IS YOUR IDEA OF BEAUTY ?

QUAN ÑIEÅM CUÛA BAÏN VEÀ VEÛ ÑEÏP There is a saying "beauty is in the eyes of the beholder1." What one individual considers beautiful may not be beautiful to another. To me, beauty is not only something that pleases the eyes, but also pleases the other senses and the mind. I think true beauty makes you see beyond the lovely sight. It will give you insight or realisation of something interesting beyond just the outward appearance.

When we talk about beauty in people, we often refer to their physical attractiveness. Of course, a beautiful or handsome face is pleasant to look at. But I find that the most memorable "beautiful people" are those who have captivating2 personalities behind the pretty faces. In one of my previous classes, there were two beautiful girls, Sue and Lin. Both had almost flawless3 faces and trim figures. But Lin was used to getting her way.

She felt that her looks could help her get anything she wanted, especially among the boys. Sue, on the other hand, treated her beauty in a matter-of-fact4 way and she was nice to everyone. She was also a member of the debating team. Her personality made her a more outstanding beauty than Lin. There is another kind of beauty in people that attracts me greatly. This is what is known as inner beauty. People who have this kind of beauty have attained5 inner peace. They care about their fellow-man, and try to right the injustices in this world. Two well-known personalities who exemplify this are Nelson Mandela and Mother The reƒsa. Mandela is willing to sarifice his life and freedom to obtain equal rights for the Blacks in South Africa. Mother The reƒsa's mission is to help the poorest of the world's poor.

In fact, even around me, I know some people who are always ready to lend a hand to a person in trouble. I greatly admire the beauty of these people because they are the ones who make the world a better place. This inner beauty, I notice, gives a certain radiance6 to their looks.

I also love the beauty of art. I enjoy classical art as well as folk art which is painted by untrained artists. To me, the beauty of an artwork is not just in the skills involved. A painting that attracts me is one which evokes7 an emotional reaction. When I gaze at a painting, I am trying to figure out8 the artist's point of view. The beauty of art, to me, is that it gives a glimpse9 into the artist's life or his surroundings.

Where places are concerned, to me, there is nothing comparable to the sea. It may take on different colours, or be calm at one beach and choppy10 at another. But it is like a timeless beauty - always a pleasure to look at and often so appealing that you cannot resist jumping in for a swim.

Some people think that things of beauty are only attainable if you are rich. I disagree completely with this. Everyone has his idea of beauty, and we need to have things, people and places of beauty in our everyday life. In the words of a poet "a thing of beauty is a joy forever".

1. behold /b1'h6$ld/ (v) nhìn (nhaát laø caùi gì baát thöôøng) - beholder /b1'h6$ld6(r)/ (n) 2. captivating /'k%pt1ve1t17/ (adj) quyeán ruõ, meâ hoaëc 3. flawless /'fl0:l1s/ (adj) hoaøn haûo, hoaøn myõ

4. matter-of-fact /'m%t6(r) 6v f%kt/ (adj) thaûn nhieân 5. attain /6'te1n/ (v) ñaït ñöôïc, giaønh ñöôïc 6. radiance /'re1d16ns/ (n) söï raïng rôõ, söï hôùn hôû 7. evoke /1'v6$k/ (v) gaây ra, ñem laïi (moät phaûn öùng, moät söï ñaùp öùng, v.v…)

8. figure out /'f196ra$t/ (v) phaùt hieän, hieåu ñöôïc 9. glimpse /9l1mps/ (n) caùi nhìn thoaùng qua 10. choppy /'t~4p1/ (adj) (veà bieån) hôi ñoäng, soùng voã baäp beành

202. BEAUTY IN NATURE NEÙT ÑEÏP TRONG THIEÂN NHIEÂN Beauty is hard to define but easy to recognise. In nature, beauty may be discerned1 in all things and places, even in the most unexpected regions of the earth.

There is beauty in the infinite variety of flowers, birds, animals and plants, many of which are vividly colourful. There is beauty in mountain, valleys and hills, and in the skies. Thus, beauty can be found in all the creations of God. Then hunter who scans the forests for his quarry is often fascinated by the beauty that he finds in objects, which conceal2 beautiful flowers from human sight, suddenly reveal their secrets to him when he stumbles3 over them. The fisherman who turns to the sea for his livelihood is fascinated by the beauty of the multitudinous4 creatures that swam in the seas. Many of these creatures are found even on the shore. But the oceans often conceal the beauty that lies below their surface, and to catch a glimpse of the beauty of the world below the sea, hundreds of divers everywhere explore the bottoms of the oceans, even at the risk of losing their lives in the unknown regions of the world below.

Even the farmer and the traveller appreciate the beauty that is found in nature. The farmer finds beauty in the variety of the plants that he grows. The traveller is impressed5 with the beauty of distant hills and mountains, and the beauty of meandering6 river in large valleys. He is also appreciative of the beauty of the night.

As he travel in the moon-light, he looks at the landscape and is lost in admiration of it.

The beauty in nature is also appreciated by others. Almost every one delights to see the rushing streams and the numerous birds and animals that may be found in every part of the earth, for these are part of the ornaments of nature. Even the tiniest of creatures has a beauty of it own. In search of this beauty in nature, men in all parts of the world are travelling great distances and spending a great deal of money, even in some cases, even their life savings. It is this appreciation of natural beauty that impels men to visit distant lands, which have a beauty of their own. Men have also visited the islands that are spread throughout the world in search of the natural beauty. Many have visited the cold deserts in the Artics as well as the hot deserts where few plants grow, in search of the beauty that may be found in these regions, despite the lack of vegetation and animals life. The deserts are indeed the home of many beautiful plants and animals which find sufficient refuge in these parts, and many of the birds too, are remarkable for their beauty.

But the person who is most appreciative of natural beauty is the poet, who finds music and beauty even in the movement of the clouds and winds. His deep appreciation of the beauty that he finds around him impels him to give utterance7 to it in the most expressive language, which is itself often of imperishable8 beauty.

1. discern /d1's3:n/ (v) nhaän roõ (baèng giaùc quan, trí oùc, v.v…)

2. conceal /k6n'si:l/ (v) che giaáu, che ñaäy 3. stumble (over) /'st^mbl/ (v) vaáp, saåy 4. multitudinous /m^lt1'tju:d1n6s/ (adj) raát nhieàu, voâ soá 5. impress /1m'pres/ (v) gaây aán töôïng

6. meandering /m1'%nd6r17/ (adj) ngoaèn ngoeøo, uoán khuùc 7. utterance /'^t6r6ns/ (n) lôøi phaùt bieåu, lôøi baøy toû 8. imperishable /1m'per1~6bl/ (adj) baát huû, baát dieät

203. WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, ARE THE POSSIBLE CAUSES OF CHILD ABUSE ?1 THEO YÙ BAÏN, ÑAÂU LAØ NGUYEÂN NHAÂN COÙ THEÅ COÙ CUÛA VIEÄC ÑOÁI XÖÛ TAØN TEÄ VÔÙI TREÛ EM? Most child-abuse victims2 seem to be children of parents who are too busy earning a living and do not have much time for their children. Also more cases seem to occur in and around big cities like Kuala Lumpur. The rural areas do not generally have this problem.

So child-abuse is less likely to occur in a family where the parents have stable jobs and can spend time with the children. Children really have only a few basic needs. Besides food, shelter and love and care, they do not need anything else. But if any of these are not given, they may become very demanding. In turn the parents may turn on them and this can lead to abuse of the children.

Any parent who is obsessed3 with his or her work obviously has no time for the children.

By the time he or she returns from work, all he or she wants is some rest and not for anyone to bother him or her. A child, who has spent the whole day without the parent, yearns4 for attention and thus may demand it from the parent. In such a case, which I suspect, occurs in just about every household, the parent will have to be very careful not to let his or her temper loose. So in many cases, the parent may pacify5 the child with presents or a trip to town to have a drink or a bite to eat - anything for a bit of peace and quiet.

Sometimes however, anger may overwhelm6 the parent and he or she releases violence onto the child. If this becomes habitual, then the child will most likely be abused.

In a modern city like Kuala Lumpur, living is not easy. Most have to struggle to make ends meet. So the demands of work is already enough to fray7 the nerves of the parents.

Further demands from the children at home might cause a nervous reaction on the part of the parents.

Some parents in order to escape from the demands of the children, hand them over to child-minders.8 This handing over of responsibility does not solve the problem. All too often the minders are suffering the same difficulties of making a living and take on the children to supplement their income. So they are surely not going to be patient with someone else's children. Child-abuse is the result, often worse than what the parents can mete out.9 People living in the country are less prone to child-abuse simply because they do not have the stress of city-living. They are still closer to nature and this has the effect of making life easier and simpler. Children are less demanding as there are less things to demand. So rarely we hear of child-abuse in the villages. Also neighbours know each other pretty well and any abuse that is going on is soon found out. In impersonal cities, the abused victim can get killed and no one might even know.

So perhaps we can take a cue from the country folks. Parents will have to reappraise10 their priorities.11 Is making a living the only important thing, or is the welfare12 of their children of greater importance ? Which is more valuable, money in the bank or children who love them in the home ? They will have to answer these questions themselves.

1. abuse /6'bju:s/ (v) ñoái xöû moät caùch toài teä; laïm duïng 2. victim /'v1kt1m/ (n) naïn nhaân 3. obsess /6b'ses/ (v) aùm aûnh 4. yearn for /j3:n/ (v) ao öôùc, khao khaùt, mong moûi 5. pacify /'p%s1fa1/ (v) laøm dòu, laøm nguoâi 6. overwhelm /6$v6'welm/ (v) khuaát phuïc, aùp ñaûo 7. fray /fre1/ (v) (laøm cho caùi gì) trôû neân caêng thaúng vaø boái roái 8. mind /ma1nd/ (v) chaêm soùc hoaëc chaêm lo ñeán ai / caùi gì• - child-milder (n) ngöôøi giöõ treû 9. mete (out) /mi:t/ (v) ñöa ra hay thi haønh (söï taëng thöôûng, tröøng phaït) 10. reappraise /ri:6'pre1z/ (v) ñaùnh giaù laïi, xem xeùt laïi 11. priority /pra1'4r6t1/ (n) ñieåm öu tieân 12. welfare /'welfe6(r)/ (n) haïnh phuùc, söùc khoûe toát, v.v… cuûa moät ngöôøi hoaëc moät coäng ñoàng

204. WHY SHOULD WE HAVE GOOD MANNERS ?

TAÏI SAO CHUÙNG TA NEÂN COÙ NHAÂN CAÙCH TOÁT ?

Good manners are important to live happily among people. Without good manners we are only slightly better than animals.

The modern society consists of more people than it did in the past. These people are of various cultural, racial, religious and professional backgrounds. To live among such people therefore requires great powers of endurance and abilities of mixing with people. Good manners enables us to tolerate the disagreeable attitudes of others to a great extent. They also help to promote friendship among the people around.

If we have good manners we are respected by those who associate with us. Having good manners, however, does not mean that we should be polite, understanding, and sympathetic only when we are outside our home but also inside our home. There are many people who are very kind and polite to people outside their homes, but within their own homes they are worse than the devil themselves. Such people do not really have good manners.

Having good manners means that we should always be good to others. Our speech and habits as well as our behaviour should not hurt the feelings of others or cause them any inconvenience. We should also not talk ill1 about others or boast2 about our achievements or personal possessions. We must not laugh at the weaknesses and failure of others. Further, if we are angry we must try to use words in such a way that others are not offended.3 If we have all these qualities, we will have more friends and well-wishers. We will also have less trouble from others, and those who associate with us will also learn how to behave well. In this way, our good manners will help to spread better understanding and good-will among others. Thus, we can live a happier life. It is for all these reasons that we should have good manners.

1. talk ill /t0:k 1l/ noùi xaáu 2. boast /b6$st/ (v) khoe khoang, töï kieâu 3. offend /6'fend/ (v) laøm xuùc phaïm

205. WHY IS AGRICULTURE1 IMPORTANT IN THE WORLD TODAY ?

TAÏI SAO NGAØY NAY NOÂNG NGHIEÄP LAÏI COÙ VAI TROØ QUAN TROÏNG TREÂN THEÁ GIÔÙI ?

Since the dawn2 of history, agriculture has been one of the important means of producing food for human consumption.3 Today more and more lands are being developed for the production of a large variety of crops. In Asia, vast areas of land are being used to produce rice, wheat, rubber and a variety of other crops. More than half of the land occupied and developed by man beings in the world are devoted to agriculture.

The fact that agriculture is one of the most essential mean of producing food is realised easily when we think of the types of things that we eat. The rice or wheat that we eat comes from the land. Even potatoes and other roots or vegetables and even leaves such as tea, as well as the fruits that men eat are the products of the soil that covers the earth.

In fact, everything that we eat, except meat, fish and other kinds of flesh4 comes from the land, and what grows on the land is part of agriculture. Even the sugar, oil coffee and other beverages that we use are products of plants that grow on land. In the same way, many of the medicines that we use are made of plants that grow in various parts of the world. The tobacco that we use for relaxation also comes from a plant.

Thus, it can be easily observed that without agriculture we would be almost without food. It is true, however, that in the remote past men did live mainly on flesh that he obtained by hunting. But such a kind of life was unhappy and inconvenient, for animals were not found every-where easily. Therefore, men turned to agriculture for his livelihood. Today, agriculture continues to provide almost all the foods that men require to survive on the earth.

1. agriculture /'%9r1k^lt~6(r)/ (n) noâng nghieäp 2. dawn /d0:n/ (n) bình minh, buoåi ñaàu 3. consumption /k6n's^mp~n/ (n) söï tieâu thuï 4. flesh /fle~/ (n) thòt (ñoäng vaät)

206. WHY WE ARE TAXED1 TAÏI SAO CHUÙNG TA PHAÛI ÑOÙNG THUEÁ Nobody likes paying taxes. Even those who know that taxation is necessary and just, do not welcome the tax-collector as a bosom friend.2 It is not pleasant to see part of your monthly income taken away from you in income tax3 ; and the farmer feels aggrieved4 that so much of his rents, or the profits of his labour, is carried off by government officials. Ignorant people think this is an injustice and make a grievance5 of it ; so it is just as well that we should know why we are taxed, so that we can see the fairness6 of the system.

Every country must have a government of some sort, or life would be impossible. The primary duties of a government are to protect the life and property of the citizens, to maintain law and order and settle disputes between citizens in a just and orderly way through the law-courts, to defend the country from foreign foes7, and to maintain and roads and highways. Besides this, many governments maintain and direct education, provide hospitals for the sick, and attend to sanitation.8 All these great public duties need money : an army and navy have to be kept up, the police force and the judges have to be paid, schools have to be provided and teachers supported, expert health-officers and sanitary engineers have to be employed. Now where is all the money needed for these public services to come from ? That question is answered by another ; For whose benefit are all these services maintained ? The answer is, for the public. It is the people as a whole, rich and poor, that benefit by security of life and property, by the sound9 administration of justice, by the maintenance of roads, by the public hospitals, public schools, and good sanitation. Therefore it is only right that the public, the individual citizens of the country, should contribute the money needed ; for the money they give comes back to them in the shape of these public benefits which all enjoy.

So long, therefore, as we have a good and efficient government, so long as our money is being used in the right way, and so long as the burden of taxation is distributed10 fairly, as different classes can bear it, we have no right to grumble at having to pay our share of the taxes.

1. tax /t%ks/ (v) ñaùnh thueá, baét ñoùng thueá - taxation /t%k 'se1~n/ (n) heä thoáng thueá 2. bosom friend /'b$z6m frend/ (n) ngöôøi baïn taâm phuùc 3. income-tax /'1nk^m t%ks/ (n) thueá thu nhaäp 4. aggrieved /6'9ri:vd/ (adj) phieàn loøng, oaùn giaän 5. grievance /'9ri:vns/ (n) lôøi keâu ca phaøn naøn, söï baát bình 6. fairness /'fe6n6s/ (n) söï coâng baèng 7. foe /f6$/ (n) keû thuø 8. sanitation /s%n1'te1~n/ (n) heä thoáng veä sinh (caàu coáng, v.v…)

9. sound /sa$nd/ (adj) kieän toaøn, chu ñaùo 10. distribute /d1'str1bju:t/ (v) phaân phoái, phaân phaùt

207. QUALITIES OF A GOOD CITIZEN CAÙC PHAÅM CHAÁT CUÛA MOÄT COÂNG DAÂN TOÁT A good citizen is one who is a good person. There seems to be no scope1 for differentiating2 between the two - for a weak or a bad person cannot be a good citizen and it holds true the other way round also. It is a man's everyday behaviour and his every day virtues which count and contribute to his character. A good citizen is one whose behaviour is consistent with the canons3 of self-respect4 and social justice and he should be reliable both in peace and war.

The first and foremost5 quality asked of a good citizen is patriotism.6 He should have a genuine love for his country and should have a sense of involvement in its day-to-day affairs, in its economic policies and its international relationships. All this cannot be achieved overnight : it is the product of a good training and a good heritage7 and various other factors contribute towards patriotic feelings. The first among these is the right kind of upbringing. If a child hears only stories of betrayal8 and listens to a discussion of the various methods of making easy money, he is unlikely to imbibe9 any good qualities. The hand that rocks the cradle10 shapes the world. Honesty, integrity11 and self-respect are the qualities that can only be nurtured12 at home. These form the foundation of good citizenship.

A home and a family are a miniature13 group. If a person gets his values and priorities correct while living in it, he will make a good citizen. A good citizen must put the interest of his country before his own personal interest and he should not enter into any contract which may prove harmful to the interest of his country and he must do his share of the work and share due responsibilities. These are the qualities which add up to strength and character. A good citizen puts his country before self. There are many jobs which if correctly performed add to the national progress. Industries, when expanded properly, become a part of national wealth. They provide opportunities for employment and development. A farmer, a teacher, a soldier each one is important in his own role.

He who loves his country puts his heart in his job and does it to the best of his ability. A good citizen stays away from anti-social activities like smuggling14 and corruption.15 It is not only the passive virtue of not being anti-social which is important, but the positive quality of asserting oneself, being fearless enough to point out and face antisocial elements. It is not enough to slink out of their way and say that we are not concerned. Courage is not only physical but also moral : one does not require it only when faced by an enemy or in a moment of crisis but in day-to-day decisions and activities. Courage is intimately connected with self-respect. A man who is servile16 and can stoop down17 to any level will not be brave and will not be honest. A man who has a great deal of self-respect will be courageous in the face of odds.

Another thing which is necessary is good health. There may be circumstances which may be beyond our control ; but by and large it is the duty of a good citizen to look after his health. For if a man is healthy, he can bestir18 himself for others ; if he is healthy he can do his duty and can afford to be brave ; he can also save the most of many precious man-hours. A healthy mind finds its natural habitat19 in a healthy body.

Added to all these is the sense of pride a person has in his cultural tradition, the feeling of identification he has with his background. However, this pride should not be allowed to deteriorate20 into chauvinism.21 It should be seasoned with the proper degree of humility. No country is too small to be on its own ; and no country too big to learn from others. And a country needs its citizens to be free and fearless to make it strong. For as the poet has said : Not gold but only men can make A nation good and strong Men who for truth and honour's sake Stand fast and suffer long.

1. scope (for sth/to do sth) /sk6$p/ (v) cô hoäi ñeå laøm (caùi gì) 2. differentiate /d1f6'ren~1e1t/ (v) phaân bieät 3. canon /'k%n6n/ (n) qui taét, tieâu chuaån ñeå ñaùnh giaù (caùi gì) 4. self-respect /self r1'spekt/ (n) loøng töï troïng 5. foremost /'f0:m6$st/ (adj) quan troïng nhaát, chuû yeáu 6. patriotism /'p%tr16t1zm/ (n) loøng yeâu nöôùc vaø saün saøng baûo veä toå quoác 7. heritage /'her1t1d2/ (n) di saûn, taøi saûn keá thöøa 8. betrayal /b1'tre16l/ (n) söï phaûn boäi 9. imbile /1m'ba1l/ (v) tieáp thu hoaëc haáp thuï caùi gì• 10. cradle /'kre1dl/ (n) caùi noâi 11. integrity /1n'te9r1t1/ (n) phaåm chaát trung thöïc vaø chính tröïc 12. nurture /'n3:t~6(r)/ (v) nuoâi naáng, nuoâi döôõng 13. miniature /'m1n6t~6(r)/ (n) vaät thu nhoû 14. smuggling /'sm^9l17/ (n) naïn buoân laäu 15. corruption /k6'r^p~n/ (n) söï tham nhuõng, söï ñoài truïy 16. servile /'s3:va1l/ (adj) quî luïy, khuùm nuùm 17. stoop down /stu:p da$n/ (v) cuùi xuoáng, khom ngöôøi 18. bestir (oneself) /b1'st3:(r)/ (v) trôû neân linh hoaït hoaëc baän roän 19. habitat /'h%b1t%t/ (n) nôi cö truù, nhaø ôû 20. deteriorate /d1't16r16re1t/ (v) trôû neân xaáu ñi veà chaát löôïng hoaëc traïng thaùi 21. chauvinism /'~6$v1n1zm/ (n) chuû nghóa soâ-vanh hieáu chieán

208. THE DUTIES OF A CITIZEN TRAÙCH NHIEÄM COÂNG DAÂN The word citizen has three shades of meaning. It may mean to town-dweller as distinguished from a villager ; or, secondly, the member of a city, who has recognised municipal privileges1 and duties--as, a citizen of Manchester, or of Bombay ; or lastly, it may mean the subject of a sovereign state,2 in which sense we speak of an English citizen, or a French citizen.

The first meaning may be left aside here ; for the subject is concerned with the second and third meanings only. What, then, are the duties of a citizen to his city and his country ?

A citizen is the member of a community, whether that community is a town or a great country : and as the member of a community he has both privileges and duties. For we may think of a community as existing for the sake of its individual members, or, the individual members as existing for the sake of the community. The first view, held by individualists,3 emphasises the privileges of a citizenship ; the second view, held by socialists,4 emphasises the duties of citizenship. One says, the State exists for the good of the citizen and that is true ; the other says, the citizens exist for the good of the State - and that also is true. Both view must be combined and a citizen must recognize that the State he belongs to has a duty to him (his privileges) and that he has an obligation5 to it (his duties).

However, as we are in no danger of forgetting our privileges as citizens, it is wise to emphasise our duties.

The first obvious duty of a citizen is loyalty to the country of his birth or adoption.

Patriotism does not mean "My country, right or wrong" ; but is does mean that in a national crisis or danger, a citizen must be prepared to support and defend his country even, if necessary, with his life.

Secondly, it is the duty of a citizen to obey his country's laws. He must have no sympathy with crime, which is a breach of law. He may consider some laws imperfect, unwise and even unjust ; and he may, and should, use all constitutional6 means in his power, such as public speaking, writing to the press, organisation, and the use of his vote, to get such laws reformed or abolished. But so long as a law is a law, he must obey it.

Thirdly, he must do more than keep the law himself ; he must, as occasion arises, actively assist the guardians of the law in the performance of their duty in putting down crimes and arresting criminals. Criminals must be made to feel that they have, not only the police, but also all respectable citizens against them.

Fourthly, he ought to take an intelligent interest in politics ; for as a citizen he has a vote, and he is responsible for using that vote for the good of his country as a whole. He must form definite opinions as to what is best for his country, and what men are the best to rule it, and what new laws and reforms it needs, and then actively use such influence as he has to forward7 such measures.

Lastly, a citizen must be ready, if he has the ability and is called upon to do so, to render active voluntary service to his city or country, by serving on municipalities, education committees, and other public bodies, or even in the central legislature.8 Good citizens have no right to leave the management of local or national institutions to professional politicians.

1. privilege /'pr1v6l1d2/ (n) ñaëc quyeàn 2. sovereign state /'s4vr1n ste1t/ (n) quoác gia coù chuû quyeàn 3. individualist /,1nd1'v1d2$6l1st/ ngöôøi theo chuû nghóa caù nhaân 4. socialist /'s6$~6l1st/ (n) ngöôøi theo chuû nghóa xaõ hoäi 5. obligation /,4bl1'9e1~n/ (n) nghóa vuï, boån phaän 6. constitutional /,k4nst1'tju:~6nl/ (adj) veà hieán phaùp, hôïp hieán phaùp 7. forward /'f0:w6d/ (v) xuùc tieán 8. central legislature /,sentr6l 'led21sle1t~6/ (n) vieän laäp phaùp trung öông

209. MODES OF TRAVELLING CAÙC PHÖÔNG THÖÙC DU HAØNH People travel for various reasons -- for business, pleasure and discovery ; in different elements -- land, water and air ; and by divers1 methods, from walking to riding in train, ships and aeroplanes.

The simplest way of travelling by land is on Shanks's mare2 -- that is, on foot. This is the only mode of travel for the poor man; but some who could afford to tour by train or motor car, prefer, when travelling for pleasure, to walk.

From the most ancient times men have trained animals, such as the camel, the elephant, the donkey, and especially the horse, to carry them, or to draw wheeled vehicles in which they could rest in comfort ; and in the days before railways were introduced, most travellers rode on horseback, or in chariots,3 carts, carriages and coaches.4 But in these days, mechanical carriages, steam--or petrol-driven, have largely taken the place of horse carriages. Even the poor can now travel quickly and comfortably in the railway trains, and the well-to-do tour all over the country in their motor-cars. The humble bicycle, too, is a great help to men of moderate6 means.

The boat, propelled7 by oars, and the sailing-ship are very old inventions, and most of the famous explorers made their discoveries in wooden sailing-vessels. But the sailingship has now been almost driven from the ocean by the great steamers, which enable travellers to accomplish8 sea voyages in weeks, which formerly took months, and even years.

And now in our own century man has conquered the air, and travel as the birds travel.

The wonderful invention of the air-ship (or dirigible9 balloon) and the aeroplane will, when regular lines of air-craft are estabished, enable travellers to cover10 in days distances which take the fastest steamships weeks.

In all these modes of travel, men by their higher intelligence have harnessed11 the forces of nature, to carry them over the world -- animal strength, wind, steam, gas and electricity.

1. drivers /'da1v6:z/ (adj) khaùc nhau, nhieàu loaïi 2. ride Shank's mare /ra1d '~%7ksme6(r)/ (v) cuoác boä 3. chariot /'t~%r16t/ (n) xe hai baùnh, khoâng mui, do ngöïa keùo 4. coach /k6$t~/ (n) xe ngöïa lôùn (4 baùnh xe) 5. take the place of thay theá 6. moderate /'m4d6re1t/ (adj) phaûi chaêng, ñieàu ñoä 7. propel /pr6'pel/ (v) ñaåy ñi, thuùc ñi 8. accomplish /6'k^mpl1~/ (v) hoaøn thaønh, hoaøn taát 9. dirigible /'d1r1d26bl/ (adj) coù theå ñieàu khieån ñöôïc 10. cover /'k^v6(r)/ (v) ñi ñöôïc (moät quaõng ñöôøng naøo ñoù) 11. harness /'h@:n1s/ (v) cheá ngöï; khai thaùc ñeå saûn xuaát ñieän, maõ löïc

210. THE BENEFITS OF WORKING FOR A LIVING ÍCH LÔÏI CUÛA VIEÄC LAØM VÌ SINH KEÁ Most of us would like to have been born with a silver spoon in our mouths.1 We often envy the man who inherits wealth, and who can therefore live a life of idleness and pleasure. As we have not been born to riches, we sometimes hope that we may some day suddenly become rich by a lucky ticket in a lottery. Fancy not having to work for one's living !

Yet it is certainly a good thing for the community, and probably a good thing for us, that we cannot live without working. And, in our saner2 moments, we probably feel it is a good thing on the whole that God from the first said to man, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread"; and recognise the soundness of the apostle's3 rule, "If a man will not work, neither let him eat!"

The necessity of working for a living gives a man the proud spirit of independence. The beggar who lives upon alms, the parasite4 who attaches himself to some rich patron and earns his keep5 by insincere flattery, are types which all right-minded people pity or despise. Why, then, should we envy the idle rich, who live upon the wealth produced by others, and, like drones in the hive, produce no honey themselves ? The worker earns his keep by honest labour, and can look the world in the face, because he owes6 no man anything. And while he supports himself and his family with his own labour, he knows he is contributing useful goods or services for the benefit of the whole community. For him : "Each morning sees some task begin, Each evening sees its close; Something attempted, something done, Has earned a night's repose7".

Then again the regular daily work, which must be done, produces good habits--such as perseverance, application,8 punctuality, thoroughness, attention to details, and the habit of industry. These virtues may be humdrum9 and commonplace10 ; but many a promising11 life has come to nothing for lack of12 them. And no idler can acquire them.

So, blessed be drudgery13!

Lastly, compulsory14 work is often necessary to bring out and train a man's talents.

Many an author who has risen to fame would never have written a book if he had not had to earn his living by his pen ; and many a sucessful business-man would never have developed his gift for organisation and management, if he had been born rich. How many of the rich and aristocratic classes ever do anything of note15 ? Most of us would remain undeveloped and untrained if we could.

1. born with a silver spoon in one's mouth sanh ra trong moät gia ñình sung tuùc 2. sane /se1n/ (adj) coù ñaàu oùc laønh maïnh, tænh taùo, khoâng ñieân 3. apostle /6'p4sl/ (n) thaùnh Toâng ñoà 4. parasite /'p%r6sa1t/ (n) keû soáng baùm vaøo ngöôøi khaùc 5. keep /k1p/ (n) caùi ñeå nuoâi thaân 6. owe /6$/ (v) maéc nôï

7. repose /r1'p6$z/ (n) söï nghæ ngôi 8. application /%pl1'ke1~n/ (n) noã löïc 9. humdrum /'h^mdr^m/ (adj) buoàn teû, khoâng haøo höùng, ñôn ñieäu 10. commonplace /'k4m6nple1s/ (adj) taàm thöôøng 11. promising /'pr4m1s17/ (adj) nhieàu höùa heïn, ñaày hi voïng 12. for lack of (for want of) /l%k/ vì thieáu 13. drudgery /'dr^26r1/ (n) coâng vieäc cöïc nhoïc vaø buoàn teû 14. compulsory /k6m'p^ls6r1/ (adj) caàn phaûi laøm, cöôõng baùch 15. of note /n6$t/ (idm) quan troïng, noåi baät, noåi tieáng

211. PROGRESS - ITS BENEFITS AND HARMS TIEÁN BOÄ – ÍCH LÔÏI VAØ TAÙC HAÏI Progress normally means improvement, that is, a movement towards something better than what is. It is undoubted that progress does make living easier for mankind. It is also undoubted that we have to pay a price for progress. Thus progress has its benefits as well as its undesirable companion, harms.

The town I live in is undergoing great changes. A few years back there was greenery all around the town. Now the hills and forests are quickly removed for building houses. I admit that the houses are urgently required for the ever expanding population and the building of these houses certainly do benefit the residents. If these houses are not built then the result will be that illegal squatters1 will spring up2 and make matters worse.

However, progress for us has to be paid with a terrible price. The price of this is the loss of the hills and forests, and together with it the natural habitat of the flora3 and fauna4 that cannot say anything in protest. So a benefit for human beings results in harm to the natural environment. Which is more important, human benefit or natural preservation ? I really cannot answer that.

This trend of progress whereby it is beneficial to man and harmful to the environment is evident everywhere. The likelihood5 is that this trend will continue and probably get more intense. Look anywhere in the world where man has chosen to make progress and the evidence of environment destruction is plain to see.

For instance, the construction of supper highways is definitely necessary for the old system of roads simply cannot cater for the number of vehicles using them. These highways are of great benefit and convenience to human beings. To the environment, however, the highways are like great dividing lines that cut the hand into many sections.

No animal, and for that matter, human being, is allowed to cross from one side of the road to the other. In other words, physical contact between both sides of the road is restricted. An animal cannot go from one side to the other without the risk of being run over. Carcasses6 of such creatures can be seen daily on these highways. These dumb creatures do not know any traffic rule. So they get killed needlessly.

So the factories and other human constructions continue to eat into the natural environment. We human beings benefit each day as we grow in wealth and power. Our living become easier and more convenient as we invent more and more gadgets to do ourchores for us. We enjoy the fruits of our progress.

The Earth, however, has to provide us with all our comforts and as such, the natural world has to be denuded.7 So far the Earth can still cope with the unnatural demands of human beings. One day when we have exhausted our natural resoures we may find that, despite all our modern conveniences, and because of them, our world is no longer fit to live in. We would have destroyed it.

1. squatter /'skw4t6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi chieám duïng nhaø hoaëc ñaát ñai maø khoâng coù pheùp 2. spring up /spr17 ^p/ (v) xuaát hieän, phaùt trieån, v.v… moät caùch nhanh choùng vaø baát ngôø 3. flora /'fl0:r6/ (n) quaàn thöïc vaät (taát caû caùc caây coû cuûa moät vuøng ñaát hoaëc moät thôøi kyø rieâng bieät)

4. fauna /'f0:n6/ (n) quaàn ñoäng vaät (toaøn boä ñoäng vaät cuûa moät khu vöïc hoaëc moät thôøi kyø) 5. likelihood /'la1kl1h$d/ (n) söï coù khaû naêng 6. carcass /'k@:k6s/ (n) xaùc ñoäng vaät 7. denude /d1'nju:d/ (v) laøm cho (caùi gì) traàn truïi

212. TELEVISION - ITS USE AND ABUSE VOÂ TUYEÁN TRUYEÀN HÌNH – COÂNG DUÏNG VAØ SÖÏ LAÏM DUÏNG Television must be the most popular pastime1 for human beings today. Just about everyone watches television and just about every house has a television set. Every day and night people glue2 their eyes on their sets watching their favourite shows. So television exerts a very large influence on us.

It is fine if we just use television as a source of entertainment or to be informed about things happening around the world. In facet documentaries are very informative3 and we do learn many things from such programmes. News keep us up to date4 with latest developments. Cartoons keep childen entertained. For all people there are numerous programmes they can watch.

There is nothing wrong in watching these programmes, but they must be done in moderation. Then we use television wisely and do not get attached to it. However there is always the danger of making a habit of watching television.

A habit is something we always do and might get upset if we could not do it for some reason or other. A man who has made smoking a habit would be very upset if he is not allowed to do so. Someone who must have a cup of coffee every morning would be upset if he could not get one. Similarly a person who makes a habit of watching television would be upset if he misses his vaourite programmes. These are all symptoms5 of addiction, not unlike a drug addict.

To be addicted or attached to television is to abuse it, that is, one feels compelled to have the television on. In other words one becomes a kind of slave to it and may spend hours just watching it. The first thing my uncle does whenever he comes home is to switch on the television. He used to watch the television a lot. Now he just switches on the set and does something else. I have on occasions switched off the set because no one was watching it only to have my uncle switch it on again almost immediately. I asked him why and he said that he just wanted the set on. It is quite ridiculous really, but I noticed he is addicted to the sound from the television. He finds it unbearable not to have the set on.

One great abuse of television is on the part of advertisers. It is of enormous benefit to both advertisers and television station to have advertisements on television. The viewers also get to know what product are available. However, the situation on television now is such that the time allocate for advertisement is about the same as that for the actual programmes. I fact, in some popular programmes, the station spend more time screening advertisements than the actual show. This is sheer abuse. No one wants to have their programmes interrupted so often by repetitions of advertisements that become so boring after a while.

So we watch television. Finally only we know whether we are making use of it wisely or we are abusing it. Whichever it is we reap the results of our actions.

1. pastime /'p@:sta1m/ (n) troø tieâu khieån, troø giaûi trí 2. glue /9lu:/ (v) daùn vaøo, baùm chaët laáy - glue one's eyes on sth : daùn maét vaøo caùi gì• 3. informative /1n'f0:m6t1v/ (adj) cung caáp nhieàu tin töùc, coù taùc duïng naâng cao kieán thöùc 4. up-to-date /^p t6 'de1t/ (adj) coù hoaëc bao goàm nhöõng thoâng tin môùi nhaát; caäp nhaät 5. symptom /'s1mpt6m/ (n) trieäu chöùng

213. THE USE AND ABUSE OF PRIVATE TUITION1 COÂNG DUÏNG VAØ SÖÏ LAÏM DUÏNG CUÛA VIEÄC DAÏY TÖ Private tuition as against what is being done in regular school is resorted, to certain cases where the pupil is not able to follow his lessons well and wants to improve his performance. In some cases the parents want to make their child sit at his studies and in others it is a matter of prestige.

Whatever the reasons may be for private tuition, it can certainly complement and supplement the class work provided the teacher and his ward cooperate. It can be complementary when the lessons done in the class have not been fully understood by the student and he may have to be told more than to impress upon him for the lesson done in the class may not have caught his brain. For this reason, tuition at home may be the answer.

Generally, a classroom is not conductive2 for individual teaching. The teacher-pupil interaction3 highly spoken of is not possible in the class. A teacher normally tries to avoid a dull student. So, such a student may fail to catch the eye of the teacher. In such cases private tuition may be helpful. The pupil may not only be taught but also be made to work at exercises which they would normally avoid in class. If the tuition master is earnest, the pupil can progress and improve gradually.

Some of the topics that they are not covered in the class or which requires supplementary reading could very well be done in the tuition hour. Additional exercises could be done, better reading is possible which may lead to better comprehension.

Discussion and dialogue may lead to better understanding.

Private tuition becomes necessary where the student would not be capable of sitting at his studies by himself because he has no inclination or the parents have no time to look at their child's academic progress. Most pampered children need a private tutor as a permanent feature.

From the examination point of view some may seek tuition. The students who want to achieve very good results in competitive courses may resort to tuition. This has become a common practice for getting seats in medical, engineering and technological courses.

An ordinary classroom lecture does not cater to4 the needs of such students. For many aristocratic5 families, it is a prestige to arrange for tuition in music and dancing.

Let us now look at the abuses. Tuition may lead to too much of pampering and may kill the self effort of the student. The student would not touch the book unless the tuition master turns up. Instead of his working and learning on his own, he becomes so dependent on the tuition master that ultimately the gain would be perceptibly nil.6 There are also pupils adopting devious7 means through the tuition masters to get a pass.

The poor tuition master makes himself cheap and worries more about the promotion of his ward8 than about his own children. Often it is not uncommon to see a boy having more than one tuition master for each one of his subjects. Because he pays for the tuition, he looks down upon the poor teacher who is likely to lose his dignity.9 But one fact that stands foremost is that tuitions cannot be thorough learning and at best there can only be nibblings of the learing process as the student has recourse to10 likely questions that may come in the examination through the tuition teacher.

In order to avoid the evils of private tuition, educational institutions themselves may arrange tutorial classes. If the regular teachers cannot attend to the tutorials special, tutors may be appointed to attend to very small groups of needy students. Such contacts may help build confidence in the students. Such tutorial classes may be complementary as well as supplementary. The tutorial system when properly organised will go a long way to improve the efficiency of the student.

1. private tuition /'pra1v1t tju:'1~n/ (n) söï daïy tö, söï daïy theâm (cho caù nhaân hoaëc nhoùm nhoû) 2. conductive /k6n'd^kt1v/ (adj) coù theå daãn ñeán 3. interaction /1nt6r'%k~n/ (n) söï hôïp taùc, söï phoái hôïp 4. cater (to) /'ke1t6(r)/ (v) coá thoûa maõn hay ñaùp öùng nhu caàu hoaëc ñoøi hoûi ñaëc bieät 5. aristocratic /%r1st6'kr%t1k/ (adj) thuoäc hoaëc tieâu bieåu cho taàng lôùp quyù toäc 6. perceptibly nil /p6'sept6bl n1l/ coi nhö soá khoâng 7. devious /'di:v16s/ (adj) khoâng ngay thaúng, khoâng thaät thaø, laùu caù, ranh ma 8. ward /w0:d/ (n) ngöôøi (thöôøng laø moät ñöùa treû) ñöôïc baûo trôï 9. dignity /'d19n6t1/ (n) phaåm giaù, phaåm caùch, loøng töï troïng 10. have recourse to (sb/sth) /r1'k0:s/ (idm) troâng caäy vaøo

214. THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE CINEMA NHÖÕNG THUAÄN LÔÏI VAØ BAÁT LÔÏI CUÛA RAÏP CHIEÁU BOÙNG Cinemas are a common sight nowadays. They are found in every town. The existence of so many cinemas reflects their popularity. They have indeed become the most popular places of entertainment.

The cinema attracts large numbers of people everyday. It is the magnet of the town. It sometimes attracts even those who do not wish to see a film.

As it is so popular, the cinema exerts a profound1 influence on the minds of many people, young and old. The influence is sometimes good, and sometimes it is bad. Films showing criminal2 activities and the sensual desires3 of man have caused much harm to many youths. Some youths have become criminals themselves though almost every film shows how the good always triumphs over the evil. The cinema has also caused many people to waste money. Such people have become so addicted to visiting the cinema that they see almost every film, good or bad. In this way money is wasted not only on purchasing tickets for admittance4 to the cinema but also on travelling and many other things.

Often, however, the cinema helps to spread knowledge. There are many films which show the activities of the various races of people living in the remote regions of the earth. Some films show how man has struggled through the centuries to make the world a better place to live in. There are also films which show the events that led to some of the important battles in the past. They are shown with so much realism5 that one remembers them for a long time. Such films are indeed invaluable, especially to those who are illiterate. In this respect the cinema could be regarded as a school. Even the dullest student learns many things if he sees an educational film in the cinema, though he may learn nothing from his teacher or his books. Such is the effect of the film, and in many countries, educational authorities are trying to make the best use of the cinema to spread knowledge and information.

It is therefore clear that the cinema has many advantages as well as disadvantages.

Often the advantages outweigh6 the disadvantages. Those who visit the cinema with the purpose of learning something good are sure to benefit from almost every visit to the cinema.

1. profound /pr6'fa$nd/ (adj) saâu saéc 2. criminal /'kr1m1nl/ (adj) lieân quan ñeán toäi phaïm – (n) ngöôøi phaïm toäi aùc 3. sensual desire /,sen~$6l d1'za16(r)/ (n) ham muoán tình duïc 4. admittance /6d'm1tns/ (n) quyeàn ñöôïc vaøo 5. realism /'r16l1zm/ (n) chuû nghóa hieän thöïc 6. outweigh /a$t'we1/ (v) coù giaù trò hôn hoaëc quan troïng hôn (caùi gì)

215. THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF A GOOD MEMORY NHÖÕNG THUAÄN LÔÏI VAØ BAÁT LÔÏI CUÛA MOÄT TRÍ NHÔÙ TOÁT There is no need to dwell on the importance of having a good memory. A bad memory is such a handicap1 in life that everyone realises the advantages of a good one. By a good memory we mean a retentive2 and accurate memory, one that will retain3 for us knowledge once gained, and retains it correctly. How slow and erratic4 is the progress of a student who cannot remember what he has learnt ! He is like Sisyphus, the poor wretch the Greek fable tells about, who was condemned to push a stone up a hill in Hades5, which was forever rolling down again before it reached the top. In business life, a man who cannot remember his appointments and is always forgetting the orders he receives will soon be left behind. A servant who forgets to do his work at the proper time, quickly losses his job. One of the poorest excuses6 we can make for work undone is, "I am awfully sorry ; but I forgot!" And it is an excuse that is not excused7 if it is made too often. A good memory is essential for the student, the businessman, the employee, the politician, the statesman -- in fact for every one in every walk of life. It is necessary, too, in social life ; for a person who forgets his social engagements8 and can never remember the faces of those he has met will not be a social success.

People with bad memories, however, need not despair ; for even the worst memory can be improved by training, like every other faculty. The chief cause of a bad memory is inattention,9 lack of concentration.10 We often blame our memories for not retaining knowledge, when as a matter of fact we never gave it the knowledge to retain. It is not the memory that is to blame, but our lack of attention, when learning. You read a book, and at once forget all about it ; you forget it because you never really read the book.

Your eyes passed over the words on the page, but your mind was wandering,11 and you never really took into your mind what the author wrote. The first step in training a memory is to learn to concentrate our mind on what we are doing, and give it our whole thought. We must learn to notice things, carefully observe what we see, consciously12 and determinedly attend to what we are about ; and then regular repetition of the knowledge we have gained will quickly strengthen memory, till remembering becomes a habit.

The only disadvantage of a good memory is our inability to forget things we do not want to remember. There are events, desires, and thoughts in our past life which we would like to forget. The only way to forget such unpleasant things is to fill our mind with good thoughts. For you cannot forget by trying to forget.

1. handicap /'h%nd1k%p/ (n) söï caûn trôû, ñieàu baát lôïi 2. retentive /r1'tent1v/ (adj) coù söùc nhôù laâu, coù khaû naêng nhôù caùc söï kieän, aán töôïng…

3. retain /r1'te1n/ (v) baûo trì, giöõ laïi 4. erratic /1'r%t1k/ (adj) ñöôïc chaêng hay chôù, thaát thöôøng 5. Hades /'he1di:z/ (n) ˆaâm phuû, aâm ty 6. excuse /1k'skju:s/ (n) coù, lyù do, lôøi baøo chöõa 7. excuse /1k'skju:z/ (v) tha thöù, boû qua 8. engagement /1n'9e1d2m6nt/ (n) söï öôùc ñònh, heïn gaëp

9. inattention /,1n6'ten~n/ (n) söï khoâng chuù yù 10. concentration /,k4nsn'tre1~n/ (n) söï taäp trung 11. wander /'w4nd6(r)/ (v) phieâu löu, ñi lang thang 12. consciously /'k4n~6sl1/ (adv) moät caùch coù yù thöùc

216. THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF BEING AN ONLY CHILD NHÖÕNG THUAÄN LÔÏI VAØ BAÁT LÔÏI KHI LAØ ÑÖÙA CON DUY NHAÁT TRONG GIA ÑÌNH In our parents' days, being an only child was unusual. In those days, people have bigger families, and it was common for a family to have four or five or even more children. But for our generation, I notice, two or even one child seems to be the norm.1 An only child often gets more attention from his parents. As there is no other sibling to compete for his parents' attention, it is easy for an only child to get his way. My neighbour Cecilia is an only child. Since she was young, she has always been the first one to own the latest toy and gadget. Now that she is a teenager, Cecilia is always dressed in the latest fashion.

The only child often has no one to play with. As a result, he is more resourceful in keeping himself entertained. He is usually good at an activity that he can indulge in without a companion such as creative writing, reading and painting. An only child also tends to be mature faster because he is always surrounded by adults.

I think the greatest disadvantage of being an only child is that he does not have any brother or sister to play with.

As children, my sister and I were always playing together. We would play all kinds of games. When we grew up, we exchange news about clothes and friends, and confide in2 each other.

Of course, we often quarrel and bicker3 with each other. But our sibling bond4 is special. The only child has the disadvantage of not knowing this relationship. It must also be lonely at times not to have a companion of his age group in the family.

As the only child often gets his way, he does not have the opportunity to learn to share.

A child with siblings inevitably have to learn to share food, toys and even their parents' attention. This can be annoying in childhood, but it will help him get along with people as he grows older. On the other hand, an only child who does not receive parental guidance will take it for granted that his needs and wants will always come first. That is why some people who grow up as an only child have trouble sharing things in school. As they grow up, they will also face the same problem in situations which require teamwork.

An only child may also face unreasonable expectations from his parents. They may focus5 all their dreams on the child, and assume that he would fulfil them.

I am sure that there are times when an only child wishes that he has brothers and sisters.

Perhaps it would help him to know that there are times when some of us who have siblings envy the privileges and attention enjoyed by an only child.

1. norm /n0:m/ (n) chuaån hoaëc maãu ñieån hình (cho moät nhoùm, v.v…)

2. confide (in) /k6n'fa1d/ (v) giaûi baøy taâm söï 3. bicker /'b1k6(r)/ (v) caõi nhau veà nhöõng vieäc khoâng quan troïng 4. bond /b4nd/ (n) quan heä chaët cheõ 5. focus (sth on sth) /'f6$k6s/ (v) taäp trung (söï chuù yù cuûa mình, v.v…) vaøo caùi gì•

217. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NEWSPAPERS TAÀM QUAN TROÏNG CUÛA BAÙO CHÍ As the name suggests, newspapers are a source of news and information. In several respects1 they are also a medium2 of communication among the peoples of the world.

Today there are hundreds of newspapers all over the world. Every-where there is a keen desire to learn more and more about the affairs of the world. This is partly the result of the spread of education which sharpens one's curiosity to learn about distant lands.

As a source of news, the newspaper is almost indispensable3 to those whose thirst for knowledge is insatiable. They contain news on events in distant corners of the earth.

Information about such events arrives almost immediately. As a result, people everywhere are informed about the most important events in the world very quiclky and almost at the same time. For example, if a war break out in one part of the world today, the people in the other parts will certainly come to know about it tomorrow. As a result, all the countries of the world are able to do something quickly to help those who have suffered because of the war or to persuade the countries at war to cease fighting.

Newspapers also play an important part in keeping the peoples of the world informed about the troubles that might arise in the future, if nothing is done to prevent them from happening. For example, if a dispute arises between two countries for any reason, the newspapers can keep the peoples of the world informed about what might happen if nothing is done to persuade the two countries to resolve their differences peacefully. In this way many wars have been avoided because of the intervention4 of some countries in the disputes of many countries which were given prominence in newspapers.

When all this is considered, we feel that there is some silent communication among countries through the medium of newspapers for the common benefit of the countries of the world.

Further, constant reading of newspapers improves one's outlook5 on life and makes one a more reasonable person. The importance of the newspaper is therefore obvious.

1. respect /r1'spekt/ (n) khía caïnh hoaëc chi tieát cuï theå 2. medium /'mi:d16m/ (n) (snh media) phöông tieän ñeå dieãn ñaït caùi gì hoaëc truyeàn tin gì• 3. indispensable /1nd1'spens6bl/ (adj) khoâng theå thieáu ñöôïc 4. intervention /1nt6'ven~n/ (n) söï can thieäp 5. outlook /'a$tl$k/ (n) quan ñieåm, caùch nhìn

218. THE IMPORTANCE OF READING NEWSPAPERS TAÀM QUAN TROÏNG CUÛA VIEÄC ÑOÏC BAÙO The newspaper, today, plays a vital role1 in human affairs. Its importance has not been diminished2 by the appearance of the radio or the television.

Men no longer have travel to get information. The newspaper has become the main source of information about local and foreign affairs. Though the radio and television convey3 important news and messages quicker than the newspaper, they seldom give the details of an incident. The newspaper, on the other hand, gives not only more details about a particular incident but it also contains more news items. This is of great importance today when political changes occur with a rapidity unknown before.

Besides, the newspaper is easier to carry and it could be read at any time during the day.

Further, the permanence of the printed word helps one refresh one's memory of certain facts and incidents reported in the past.

The importance of the newspaper has been increased greatly by the spread of education.

Education sharpens one's curiosity about events in distant lands and also makes one conscious of the necessity to maintain one's reading habits. In both respects the newspaper appeals4 most, especially if one finds little time to read books.

The newspaper should, however, be read with caution, for its capacity5 to do harm is great. Most people believe every thing that is reported by the newspaper. As a result, the newspaper exerts a profound influence on the minds of its reader. Therefore, when some news is reported wrongly either by mistake or design, it may cause a lot of harm.

On the other hand, if the policy of the newspaper is to promote the welfare of the people, it could do a lot of good. For example, it could exercise its influence to persuade the government of a country to do many things for the benefit of the people. In a country like Malaysia, where there are many races of people, the newspaper could also use its influence to promote goodwill and harmony among the people. It is therefore important to know the policy of the newspaper that one reads.

In general, however, the newspaper tries to report as accurately as possible, for there are various magazines and periodicals6 competing with the newspaper to provide accurate information on world developments, and it is the newspaper that links us with the outside world.

1. vital role /,va1tl 'r6$l/ (n) vai troø thieát yeáu 2. diminish /d1'm1n1~/ (v) laøm giaûm, haï bôùt 3. convey /k6n've1/ (v) chuyeân chôû, truyeàn ñi 4. appeal /6'pi:l/ (v) haáp daãn, loâi cuoán 5. capacity /k6'p%s6t1/ (n) khaû naêng (taïo ra caùi gì) 6. periodical /p16r1'4d1kl/ (n) taïp chí xuaát baûn ñònh kyø

219. THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER TAÀM QUAN TROÏNG CUÛA NÖÔÙC Since the beginning of time, water has continued to be an important thing to all living things. Without water nothing could live. Animals, birds, human beings, insects and plants that we may change our food according to the climate of a place but we find no substitute for water. Man has always looked for pure fresh water to slake1 his thirst.

Water not only quenches2 our thirst but it is also a source of food to us. From the sea we catch large quantities of fish and other creatures. We use water to irrigate3 our lands to produce crops. Many parts of the world are dry and barren because there is no water there. People in such places lead a very hard life. Even the plants and animals find it a real struggle to survive. They can obtain water only by some means of ingenuity. Water also helps to increase the fertility4 of the land in several parts of the world. The alluvium5 that is brought down by rivers is very fertile and it yields6 large quantities of corps. Even electricity, which has changed our lives completely, is produced by waterpower in many countries.

Further, water is an important means of communication. We use waterways to carry our goods of trade. Water transport is cheaper than land transport and in many remote regions, rivers are the only means of communication. In many countries rivers are used to bring down timber7 from the hilly regions to the lower regions where the timber mills are. In this way much money is saved.

It is true, however, that water has also caused much destruction to life and property throughout human history. Heavy rainfall, swollen rivers and the angry waves of the sea have killed thousands of people and destroyed homes and crops. Yet, water is indispensable to life, and people everywhere are trying their best to bring water to places where it is scarce, to control its flow in times of floods and to make greater use of it.

1. slake /sle1k/ (v) thoûa maõn (côn khaùt, v.v…)

2. quench /kwent~/ (v) thoûa maõn (caùi gì) baèng vieäc uoáng; laøm heát (khaùt) 3. irrigate /'1r19e1t/ (v) cung caáp nöôùc (cho ñaát ñai, caây troàng, v.v…); töôùi 4. fertility /f6't1l6t1/ (n) tình traïng maøu môõ - fertile /'f3:ta1l/ (adj) maøu môõ, phì nhieâu 5. alluvium /6'lu:v16m/ (n) ñaát phuø sa 6. yield /ji:ld/ (v) sinh ra, mang laïi 7. timber /'t1mb6(r)/ (n) caây goã (thích hôïp cho vieäc xaây döïng hoaëc laøm moäc)

220. THE IMPORTANCE OF RIVERS TAÀM QUAN TROÏNG CUÛA SOÂNG NGOØI Rivers have been very useful to men in all parts of the earth since very early times.

They provide water to slake the thirst of men, to fertilize their lands and to provide a means of communication for the goods that they transport from place to place.

Early civilization began on the banks of the great rivers of the world, such as the Nile and the Indus. These rivers provided the water that the people on their banks needed for all their purposes. As people in those early days did not have the transport facilities1 that we have today, they had to live close to the rivers to transport their goods to places along the rivers and to draw the water that they needed.

Rivers not only provided water for their domestic2 needs and agricultural purposes but also enabled the people to move from place to place along their banks. Boats or rafts were used to travel from one end of a river to another. In the same way, goods were also transported. With the transport of goods and the contacts of people between different parts of the same river, there were also many cultural exchanges. Thus, rivers helped to spread civilization.

It is true, however, that rivers have also caused much misery and unhappiness of millions of people throughout history. They have caused floods and destroyed lives and properties in all parts of the earth. For example, the Hwang Ho in China has been described as "the sorrow of China" because of the destruction that it had caused in the past.

But it should be realised that floods occur once in several years. Therefore, the damage that rivers cause are not so great as the benefits that they confer3 on humanity. Today, rivers continue to be used not only as a source of water for drinking and fertilizing the lands or as a means of transport but also as a source of electricity which has revolutionized society.

The importance of rivers is therefore not difficult to appreciate.

1. facilities /f6's1l6t1z/ (n) nhöõng tieän nghi, phöông tieän 2. domestic /d6'mest1k/ (adj) thuoäc veà trong nhaø hoaëc trong nöôùc 3. confer (on sb) /k6n'f3:(r)/ (v) trao taëng

221. THE PART THAT MONEY PLAYS IN OUR LIVES VAI TROØ CUÛA TIEÀN TEÄ TRONG ÑÔØI SOÁNG CHUÙNG TA Money plays an important part in our lives. In several respects it is the most important thing in life. It is therefore much sought after.1 Without money we could not buy our food, clothes and all the other things that we need to live comfortably. We require money to travel, to buy medicine when we are ill and also to pay for the services rendered to us by others. In truth, money is almost indispensable to our survival. Most of our activities are therefore directed towards earning as much money as possible.

We use money not only to meet the basic needs of life but also to pay for our own advancement. We use it for education which helps us to live a better life. Thousands of students are unable to attend school or continue their studies for want of money. Lack of money also causes great hardship and sorrow in hundreds of families. Thousands of people are dying everyday throughout the world because they are not able to pay their doctors fee or because they cannot buy nutritious food.

As money is so important, many crimes are committed everyday in all parts of the world to gain possession of it. Some are driven2 by hunger and desperation3 to steal, rob, and even kill to get at least what they require to keep body and soul together. Others commit the most serious crimes out of sheer greed for money. Such people cause much trouble and unpleasantness in society, and to bring them to justice, large sums of money are spent by every government.

Today, millions of dollars are being spent by the various governments in the world for the betterment of the people. Numerous schools and hospitals are being built, and hundreds of acres of land are being cultivated to produce more food for the growing population of the world. As a result, the world is gradually becoming a better place to live in.

At the same time, however, much money is being wasted in producing deadly weapons of war. Countries which have more money than the others have become more powerful by strengthening their armed forces. This has led to rivalries4 among the powerful nations, and several parts of the world are in turmoil.5 All this shows what an important part money plays in human affairs.

1. seek (after sth) /si:k/ (v) (sought /s0:t/) coá tìm hoaëc kieám ñöôïc caùi gì• 2. drive /dra1v/ (v) buoäc (ai) haønh ñoäng; thuùc ñaåy 3. desperation /desp6're1~n/ (n) traïng thaùi tuyeät voïng 4. rivalry /'ra1vlr1/ (n) söï kình ñòch, söï ganh ñua - rival /'ra1vl/ (n) ñòch thuû 5. turmoil /'t3:m01l/ (n) söï roái loaïn

222. MONEY IS A STUPID MEASURE OF ACHIEVEMENT BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT IS THE ONLY UNIVERSAL MEASURE WE HAVE. STATE ITS IMPORTANCE TIEÀN TEÄ LAØ MOÄT ÑÔN VÒ ÑO LÖÔØNG THAØNH QUAÛ NGÔÙ NGAÅN. NHÖNG RUÛI THAY ÑOÙ LAÏI LAØ ÑÔN VÒ ÑO LÖÔØNG DUY NHAÁT TREÂN TOAØN CAÀU MAØ CHUÙNG TA COÙ ÑÖÔÏC. TRÌNH BAØY TAÀM QUAN TROÏNG CUÛA TIEÀN TEÄ In life there must be a measure of achievement. In ancient society achievement was measured by the head of cattle one possessed, by the acres of land he owned and by the battle he had won. Among the cannibals1 by the skulls he had won ; very grotesque2 and cruel indeed. In these examples we find it was never the money that counted in measuring achievement. Instead of money some societies had different measures, for examples, it may be the cowries3 or even salt. There are areas where the achievement cannot be measured numerically because of the uniqueness of the achievement, for instance, in the case of conquering Mt. Everest or landing on the moon.

However, today it is money. It can command a measure of achievement. If he has a big bank balance4 he is looked upon as a man of success. How he got them and at whose cost he got them are not questioned.

But the real worth of money is its exchange value. When money was there, of course then too there were transactions.5 They exchanged one commodity for another, called the barter6 system in the olden days. If one had a cow he may exchange it for wheat ; if one had wool he may exchange it for finished products. With the complexities of the market and the multiplicity of commodities, barter is not possible. We can't say it is completely out of fashion for in international trade a kind of barter is still going on. A country exporting wheat may in turn get sugar. A country exporting tin and rubber, may import motor cars. But as a measure of value, money is the best. As such it has brought many good things and bad things too.

To measure the achievement money is also used as a standard. The achievement of amassing7 great wealth has to be looked into.8 Has it come by honest work or dishonest means ? This moral side is very often eclipsed9 by the ostentatious10 show of the wealth. People are dazzled11 by the riches, the limousine12 a person drives, the brilliant gems13 his wife wears and other items of luxury.

Let us see why it is a stupid measure. How can one get money ? Can he get by inheritance, by being the owner of some natural resources e.g. petroleum, good land speculation or having a good market for products ?

Still we want a measure by which other things can be valued. Money is the greatest common factor and the genius who thought of money as such must have been a very brainy fellow indeed. It makes marketing and accounting easy. It is easy to carry.

Intangible14 becomes tangible.

But all is not well with money. The value of money is only relative. It depends on how much a particular unit of currency can buy in the market. Some currencies are backed by good economic strength while others are weak. That is the picture we see today. To decide achievement by money alone is a very poor yardstick.

1. cannibal /'k%n1bl/ (n) ngöôøi (thuoäc boä laïc) aên thòt ngöôøi

2. grotesque /9r6$'tesk/ (adj) kyø quaëc, phi lyù 3. cowrie /'ka$r1/ (n) voû oác nhoû, tröôùc ñaây nhieàu vuøng ôû chaâu Phi vaø chaâu AÙ duøng laøm tieàn trao ñoåi 4. balance /'b%l6ns/ (n) soá tieàn hieän coù trong taøi khoaûn 5. transaction /tr%n'z%k~n/ (n) söï giao dòch 6. barter /'b@:t6(r)/ (n) söï trao ñoåi haøng hoùa naøy laáy haøng hoùa khaùc maø khoâng duøng ñeán tieàn 7. amass /6'm%s/ (v) tích luõy 8. look into (sth) /'l$k 1nt6/ (v) ñieàu tra hoaëc xem xeùt (caùi gì) 9. eclipse /1'kl1ps/ (v) laøm lu môø, laøm aùt ñi 10. ostentatious /4sten'te1~6s/ (adj) phoâ tröông, khoa tröông 11. dazzle /'d%zl/ (v) laøm choaùng vaùng, laøm baøng hoaøng 12. limousine /'l1m6zi:n/ (n) loaïi xe hôi to sang troïng, ñaëc bieät coù taám kính ngaên caùch ngöôøi laùi xe vaø ngöôøi ngoài sau; xe li-mu-zin 13. gem /d2em/ (n) ñaù quyù hoaëc ngoïc ñaõ ñöôïc caét ra vaø ñaùnh boùng 14. tangible /'t%nd26bl/ (adj) höõu hình - intangible /1n-/ (adj) voâ hình

223. THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING GEOGRAPHY1 TAÀM QUAN TROÏNG CUÛA VIEÄC HOÏC ÑÒA LYÙ Geography is a fascinating subject, it reveals all the wonderful changes and activities that have been going on in the world since the beginning of time.

By reading Geography we learn not only about our own country but also about countries beyond the seas. We also learn about the mountains, oceans, istands, lakes, volcanoes,2 the winds and a number of other very interesting things about the world and the universe.

Among the important things that we learn in Geography are the infinite3 varieties of creatures, plants, birds and land features that exist in the world. We know that there are millions of creatures, small and large, of various kinds in all parts of the earth. We also know that many of the early creatures have now become extinct, while many of them have changed from their original forms. Reading about all these is indeed very interesting.

We also learn about the various types of plants and birds that exist throughout the world.

The plants and birds in the cold lands are not the same as those in warmer lands.

In the same way, the land forms in the cold regions are different from those in other regions. In the equatorial4 regions, for example, plant and animal life is luxuriant,5 while in the poles the land is covered with snow, and animal and plant life is less abundant.6 In equatorial regions abundant rain has produced large rivers and lakes, while in areas where little rain falls there are large deserts without many rivers and lakes.

As the climate and vegetation7 of one place are not the same as those of another, the habit and activities of the people of different regions are also different. Even their religious convictions and languages are different parts of the world.

Thus, Geography is a very important subject, and because of its width and variety it is one of the most interesting subjects to read.

1. geography /d21'49r6f1/ (n) ñòa lyù hoïc 2. volcano /v4l'ke1n6$/ (n) nuùi löûa 3. infinite /'1nf1n6t/ (adj) raát lôùn, voâ haïn 4. equatorial /ekw6't0:r16l/ (adj) thuoäc veà hoaëc gaàn xích ñaïo 5. luxuriant /l^9'zj$6r16nt/ (adj) xum xueâ, phong phuù 6. abundant /6'b^nd6nt/ (adj) nhieàu, thöøa thaõi 7. vegetation /ved21'te1~n/ (n) thöïc vaät

224. THE VALUE OF LIBRARY GIAÙ TRÒ CUÛA THÖ VIEÄN A good library is an ocean of information, whose boundaries1 continue to extend2 with the endless contribution of the numerous streams of knowledge. Thus, it has a peculiar fascination for scholars, and all those whose thirst for knowledge is instable.

The usefulness of libraries in the spread of knowledge has been proved through the years. The field of knowledge is so extensive and life is so brief, that even the most avid reader can never expect to absorb it all. Those who have a love for knowledge, therefore, try to master3 only a small fraction4 of it. Even this requires reading of hundreds of books, cheap and expensive, new and old. But few people are able to buy all the books on the subject in which they wish to attain proficiency. It is therefore necessary for them to visit a good library, where they can read a great variety of books on the subject they love. Besides, many old and valuable books on certain subjects are found only in a good library. Even the original manuscript5 of an author, who died several years ago can be found in it, sometimes.

Today, men everywhere have discovered the benefits of learning. More and more books are being written to extend human knowledge and experience. Governments and individuals throughout the world are, therefore, opening more and more libraries to enable people to read as many books as possible. Libraries have been opened even in the remotest regions of the earth, so that people who are unable to buy books from the towns can still gain access to the various sources of knowledge. Mobile libraries serve the people in various parts of the earth.

The importance of libraries, however, is felt most acutely by students in schools and universities, where most students are engaged in deep studies. The number of books that a students has to study, especially at a university, is so large that unless he comes from a rich family, he can hardly buy them all. Besides, many of the books may not be available in the book-shops within his reach. It is therefore to his advantage to visit a good library.

Some people even have their own private libraries in which they spend their leisure reading the books that they have collected over the years, and drive great intellectual benefit and pleasure.

In short, libraries have contributed so much to the extension of knowledge that they have become almost indispensable to all literate men.

1. boundary /'ba$ndr1/ (n) ranh giôùi 2. extend /1k'stend/ (v) keùo daøi, môû roäng 3. master /'m@:st6(r)/ (v) naém vöõng, lónh hoäi 4. fraction /'fr%k~n/ (n) soá löôïng, boä phaän hay phaàn nhoû (cuûa caùi gì) 5. manuscript /'m%nj$skr1pt/ (n) baûn thaûo (vieát tay hoaëc ñaùnh maùy)

225. THE VALUE OF BOOK GIAÙ TRÒ CUÛA SAÙCH Deep in the heart of every good book lies the distilled1 wisdom of centuries. To read it is to become wiser.

Books are written for the benefit and pleasure of all those who like to read them. But they are of various types. There are books for children, as well as for adults. Some books are written for the specialists, some are written for students in the schools and universities, and many are written just for the pleasures of the mind. In deed, the variety of books is infinite.

One of the reasons for the existence of such a wide variety of books is that, the field of knowledge is very extensive. Even to grasp2 a small part of it, one has to read several books for many years. another reason is that different people have different likes and dislikes. The book that one likes to read, the other may not like. To meet these broad and varying needs of people for information, knowledge, recreation and aesthetic enjoyment, more and more books are being written every year.

Those who aim to specialize3 in a certain branch of knowledge concentrate more on the books that provide information on their particular field of study. In the libraries and book-shops they look mainly for such books. But those who have no particular interest in any subject, read and buy all types of books. Sometimes they buy books intended for the specialist, sometimes they buy those written for children, and sometimes, if they are preparing for some examination, they buy books which give some information on their examination subjects.

Almost every book extends the knowledge of the reader and develops his intellect as well. Even if the reader does not learn any new facts from the book, he may at least learn a few new words, expressions or ideas. In fact, certain books are written mainly to acquaint the reader with the beauty of language and ideas. They do not deal with facts or actual human experiences. Books of this type provide great pleasure to the mind, and almost everyone, who loves reading buys a few of such books.

Books have also helped to promote better understanding among the peoples of the world. By reading books, the people of one country have come to know about the achievements of those in other countries.

Thus, books could be regarded as one of the channels of communication among men.

Indeed, without books man would not have made so much progress as he has made today. By applying the knowledge that he has gained from books, to practical purposes, he has made the world a pleasant place to live in. Civilization therefore, owes a great debt to these inanimate4 things called books.

1. distill /'d1st1l/ (v) ruùt ñöôïc hoaëc thu ñöôïc (töø caùi gì) 2. grasp /9r%sp/ (v) hieåu thaáu, naém vöõng (caùi gì) 3. specialize (in sth) /'spe~6la1z/ (v) chuyeân veà (moät ngaønh hoïc, v.v…) - specialist /'spe~6l1st/ (n) chuyeân gia 4. inanimate /1n'%n1m6t/ (adj) voâ tri voâ giaùc

226. THE VALUE OF EDUCATION GIAÙ TRÒ CUÛA GIAÙO DUÏC Briefly, education means the acquisition1 of knowledge and abilities, and the development of one's character and mental powers by systematic training and instruction. Education is therefore of great value to any person.

It has been realized that a person without education is deprived2 of many benefits. He lacks not only the knowledge of human affairs but also the ability to appreciate the value of many of the things that concern his own welfare. Thus, he is not able to contribute his full share to the progress of society and the world. Neither is he able to develop his personatily to the fullest extent.

One of the greatest benefits of education is that it helps a person to understand the position that he occupies in society. It helps him to speak and conduct himself3 with confidence and dignity which earn him the respect and admiration of others. Thus, he occupies an important position in society, and people look up to him as their leader.

Another benefit of education, today, is that it hepls one to secure lucrative4 employment. In the world of today, almost every kind of employment requires some understanding of a few basic princicples of science, mathematics, economics, engineering, accountancy or some other subjects, on the part of the worker. Thus, the better education a person has better prospects he has of securing attractive positions in the various professions.

Finally, education makes a person sympathetic and considerate towards others. He is helpful to those who need his advice and guidance, and is not critical of those who commit offences or mistakes out of ignorance or necessity. Further, he does not like to hurt the feelings of others. Even if he is extremely provoked, he tries to express his displeasure or anger in words which give the slightest offence to others and yet express his outraged5 feelings adequately.

As a result of all these qualities that a person acquires through education, he becomes a very pleasant person to associate with. He thus lives a fuller life in society.

1. acquisition /%kw1'z1~n/ (n) söï thu thaäp ñöôïc 2. deprive (sb/sth of sth) /d1'pra1v/ (v) töôùc ñi, laáy ñi caùi gì cuûa ai / caùi gì• 3. conduct oneself /k6n'd^kt/ (v) cö xöû theo caùch nhaát ñònh naøo ñoù 4. lucrative /'lu:kr6t1v/ (adj) sinh lôïi, sinh ra nhieàu tieàn 5. outraged /a$tre1d2d/ (adj) baát bình, bò xuùc phaïm

227. THE VALUE OF HIGHER EDUCATION GIAÙ TRÒ CUÛA NEÀN GIAÙO DUÏC ÑAÏI HOÏC Since the dawn of civilization, great thinkers like Plato and Aristotle have been doing their utmost1 to spread education to the remotest corners of the earth. It is realised that education develops the intellect and enables one to discriminate2 between the good and the bad. More and more universities and other educational institutions are therefore being opened in all parts of the world to provide higher education.

In almost every country, today, there is a lot of unemployment. Only those who have received a high standard of education are able to secure high positions in society and in the various professions. It has therefore become necessary for many people to attend institutions of higher learning to improve their prospects of employment.

Higher education confers many other benefits. It broadens the mind and increases one's powers of thinking, reasoning3 and imagination. Further, it makes one more sympathetic towards others. It helps us to understand the problems and weaknesses of man, and we become less suspicious of strangers and others. We also become more thoughtful of the feelings and needs of others. As a result, we are able to mix better with people. Besides, higher education helps us greatly in deciding what is right and what is wrong, what is true and what is false. Therefore, people can hardly deceive or mislead us. Higher education also teaches us how to spend our leisure moments. We learn to make the best use of our spare time. Even during old age we know how to keep ourselves occupied. Again, higher education develops self-confidence. We learn to have faith in our own abilities. As a result, we are able to meet and talk with people anywhere. All these qualities, acquired through higher education, combine to make one a leader among men. One is able to live a better life in society.

The benefits of education are therefore many, and everyone should try his best to acquire the highest of education, either by attendance at an educational institution or by private studies.

1. utmost /^t'm6$st/ (n) möùc toái ña 2. discriminate /d1'skr1m1ne1t/ (v) phaân bieät 3. reasoning /'ri:z6n17/ (n) söï laäp luaän

228. THE VALUE OF MUSIC TO THE HAPPINESS OF MAN GIAÙ TRÒ CUÛA AÂM NHAÏC ÑOÁI VÔÙI HAÏNH PHUÙC CUÛA CON NGÖÔØI Music has always been a source of happiness to all men on the earth. From their primitive days, men's love of music has led them to make instruments of all descriptions to produce beautiful music for their enjoyment and happiness.

Without music the world would indeed be a very dull place to live in. Even nature is full of music. There is music in the movements of the winds, the sea, as well as the trees ; there is music in the calls of the birds, flies and insects and also in the flight of the birds and animals. It is from all these things that men have learnt to appreciate the value of music. The same things have also taught men how to produce music from the simplest of things such as sticks, bamboos,1 and animal horns.2 Men make many kinds of flutes3 with bamboos which produce beautiful music.

That music is very important for men's happiness is hard to deny. Music removes4 men's depression and fills them with gladness. It is for this reason that music is played even in hospitals to cheer up the sick people.

As music has the capacity to make men happy, it contributes greatly to men's success in life. A happy man is a good and hard worker. He works happily among people and earns the goodwill of all around. People like to associate5 with him and to employ him in all kinds of work. Thus, he leads a happy and sucessful life.

The value of music in the happiness of man is therefore great.

1. bamboo /b%m'bu:/ (n) caây tre 2. horn /h0:n/ (n) söøng (ñoäng vaät nhö höôu, nai, v.v…)

3. flute /flu:t/ (n) oáng saùo 4. remove /r1'mu:v/ (v) loaïi boû (caùi gì) 5. associate (with-sb) /6's6$~1e1t/ (v) giao du, keát giao (vôùi ai)

229. THE USE OF FORESTS LÔÏI ÍCH CUÛA RÖØNG Forest form an important part of the wealth of a country ; and in India, the preservation1 of the forests is so important that it has long been taken over by the Government, and is in charge of2 the Government Forest Department.

Forests have a great influence upon climate ; for they attract rain and preserve moisture3 - an important matter in a dry country like India. The leaves of a tree are always giving off4 moisture ; and this contant evaporation5 cools the surrounding atmosphere. In consequence, when moisture-laden6 winds blow over a forest, the moisture they carry is condensed and forms clouds and these dissolve7 in rain. This is not mere theory. It has been proved that the destruction of forests of any extent quickly changes the climate of the whole district. Whereas before it had an abundant rainfall, after disafforestation8 the rainfall became scanty, the land went out of cultivation and became an arid9 desert. On the other hand, afforestation10 or the planting of forests, will turn a desert into a well-watered and fertile district.

Further, forests on hill sides do much to prevent destructive floods. When heavy rain falls on bare hills, it rushes down at once to the plains in roaring torrents, carrying parts of the hill with it, and flooding11 the country below. But when the hills are covered with forests, the tree and the spongy12 soil they create absorb a large part of the water, and allow the rest to flow down to the plain quietly and without any destructive effects.

Forest products, especially timber, form an important part of a nation's wealth. The Indian forests supply all the timber that is required in the country and much is exported, the sale of it bringing in a very respectable revenue13 to the State. Forests also provide abundant fuel to the districts near by.

The planting and preservation of forests is therefore a matter of great importance.

1. preservation /,prez6've1~n/ (n) söï baûo quaûn 2. in charge of /t~@:d2/ phuï traùch, ñaûm nhieäm 3. moisture /'m01st~6(r)/ (n) hôi aåm 4. give off /91v 4f/ (v) phaùt ra, boác ra 5. evaporation /1,v%p6're1~n/ (n) söï boác hôi 6. moisture-laden /'m01st~6 'le1dn/ (adj) coù nhieàu hôi nöôùc 7. dissolve /d1'z4lv/ (v) tan ra, hoøa tan 8. disafforestation /,d1s6f4r1'ste1~n/ (n) naïn phaù röøng ñeå laáy caây 9. arid /'%r1d/ (adj) khoâ raùo, khoâ khan 10. afforestion /6,f4r1'ste1~n/ (n) vieäc troàng caây gaây röøng 11. flood /fl^d/ (v) laøm luït, laøm ngaäp nöôùc 12. spongy /'sp^nd21/ (adj) xoáp, coù theå huùt nöôùc 13. revenue /'rev6nju:/ (n) thu nhaäp

230. THE UNSELFISH DEVOTION OF A HOUSEWIFE SÖÏ COÁNG HIEÁN HEÁT LOØNG CUÛA NGÖÔØI NOÄI TRÔÏ The housewife has always been among the unappreciated lot. Her unflagging1 devotion to her husband, children and grandchildren has always been taken for granted. She slaves all day as wife, mother, nanny,2 cook and housekeeper without any thoughts of rewards. Her only satisfaction lies in the harmony that her hardwork creates in the family.

Her main duty lies in creating a comfortable environment so that the breadwinner3 can come home from work to relax. She becomes the sympathetic listener of all his problems at the office. She dusts, vacuums and sweeps all day. Her hobbies normally include knitting, sewing and flower making for the purpose of creating a more delightful home. She mends his favourite shirt time and time again without grudging4. Her only gratification5 comes from those casual compliments she receives for the delicious dishes she serves which involve so much preparation and work.

Little children are quite lost without their dear mummies. The mother nurses the tiny, helpless infant.6 She cares for, feeds, washed and cloths the baby. She gets up several times in the middle of the night just so that her baby is soothed and comfortable, rocking7 and singing to her baby the old, lovely lullabys.

The mother never forgets birthdays and always manages to whip8 up a cake for that special day. She remembers our first words, looks out9 for our first front tooth. She is always there to wipe our tears after we toddle, tumble and fall.

She is always there to teach us our numbers and alphabet. She works and wears herself out to prepare us for our first day at school. She runs out of the house at the last minute to hand to us our forgotten homework book we have left behind. She always manages to stand just outside the school gate with an umbrella so that we do not get soaked in the rain.

Her sharp eyes always watches for the first signs of cold. She waits over her children night and day worried and anxious as they go through their share of flu, measles,10 mumps11 and chicken pox.12 She coddles13 her poor sick children. Then when we are well again, she scolds us sharply for not finishing our vegetables.

She administers the timely slaps on the hand everytime we get into those mischievous pranks.14 She angrily sends the whole lot to bed without any supper. Then she gets up in the middle of the night to pull over us our blankets and stroke our hair reassuringly.

She continues to remain her daughter's best friend, her son's best confidant. She nags15 at us with her old fashioned values and chides16 us for being stubborn. But she is always there when things go wrong to lend a shoulder for us to cry on.

Her grandchildren look to her as a marvellous "sugar-mummy" who spoils them with home-made toys, sweets, ice-cream and jellies. She has an infinite store of old, fascinating stories to keep us bewitched17 for hours. She has a marvellous knack18 for providing delightful old fashioned remedies to cold, cuts or broken toys.

There is indeed no tribute19 which is fitting to the housewife's simple, selfless devotion to her family.

1. unflagging /^nfl%917/ (adj) khoâng meät moûi 2. nanny /'n%n1/ (n) baø (noäi, ngoaïi) 3. breadwinner /'bredw1nn6(r)/ (n) truï coät gia ñình, ngöôøi kieám tieàn nuoâi soáng gia ñình 4. grudge /9r^d2/ (v) ñaén ño, mieãn cöôõng khi laøm hoaëc cho ñieàu gì• 5. gratification /9r%t1f1'ke1~n/ (n) söï maõn nguyeän 6. infant /'1nfnt/ (n) ñöùa treû (trong ñoä tuoåi töø luùc môùi sinh cho ñeán vaøi naêm sau ñoù) 7. rock /r4k/ (v) ñu ñöa, laéc lö 8. whip (up) /w1p/ (v) ñaùnh (tröùng, kem, v.v…) baèng moät duïng cuï naøo ñoù (ñeå laøm baùnh) 9. look out (for) /'l$k a$t/ (v) deø chöøng, canh chöøng, chuù yù ñeå thaáy hoaëc tìm ra ai / caùi gì• 10. measles /'mi:zlz/ (n) beänh sôûi 11. mumps /m^mps/ (n) beänh quai bò 12. chicken pox /'t~1k6n p4ks/ (n) beänh thuûy ñaäu 13. coddle /'k4dl/ (v) chieàu chuoäng; chaêm chuùt vaø aâu yeám 14. prank /pr%7k/ (n) troø ñuøa tinh nghòch 15. nag /n%9/ (v) raày la (ai) lieân tuïc 16. chide /t~a1d/ (v) raày la, traùch maéng 17. bewitch /b1'w1t~/ (v) laøm (ai) raát say meâ, thích thuù 18. knack /n%k/ (n) söï kheùo tay, sôû tröôøng 19. tribute /'tr1bju:t/ (n) haønh ñoäng, lôøi noùi ñöa ra ñeå bieåu loä loøng toân kính hoaëc caûm phuïc cuûa mình

VAÊN PHAÛN AÙNH Phaûn aùnh laø taùi hieän nhöõng ñaëc tröng, thuoäc tính, quan heä cuûa moät ñoái töôïng, hoaëc neâu leân thoâng tin veà moät hieän töôïng khaùch quan cuøng vôùi nhöõng dieãn bieán, taùc ñoäng vaø aûnh höôûng cuûa noù. Ñoái töôïng ñeå phaûn aùnh coù theå laø moät hieän töôïng töï nhieân, nhö "Flood", "Drought", v.v… hoaëc moät hieän töôïng xaõ hoäi nhö "Hospitality", "The rising cost of living", v.v… Trong baøi luaän vaên phaûn aùnh, ngöôøi vieát phaûi thaät söï khaùch quan khi taùi hieän hoaëc moâ taû laïi ñoái töôïng phaûn aùnh, khoâng ñöôïc theâm thaét, hoaëc hö caáu, ñoàng thôøi cuõng khoâng phaân tích, giaûi thích hoaëc ñöa yù kieán chuû quan cuûa mình veà baøi vaên. Ñoâi khi, tuøy theo yeâu caàu cuûa ñeà baøi, ngöôøi vieát coù theå neâu leân nhaän xeùt ruùt ra ñöôïc töø hieän thöïc khaùch quan ñoù, veà taùc ñoäng vaø aûnh höôûng cuûa chuùng leân ñôøi soáng con ngöôøi, chaúng haïn nhö theá. Ví duï: "Today, girl dress like boys and young men look like women. Do you find anything significant in this ?"

Yeâu caàu chuû yeáu khi vieát baøi luaän vaên thuoäc theå loaïi phaûn aùnh laø ngöôøi vieát phaûi coù moät oùc quan saùt thaät nhaïy beùn, saéc saûo vaø tinh teá veà caùc söï vaät vaø söï vieäc xaûy ra trong ñôøi soáng, phaûi coù söï quan taâm saâu saéc ñeán caùc vaán ñeà xaõ hoäi, cuõng nhö phaûi coù moät voán töø ngöõ phong phuù nhaèm giuùp baøi luaän coù söùc thu huùt vôùi ngöôøi ñoïc nhieàu hôn.

231. FLOODS LUÕ LUÏT Floods are a natural phenomenon.1 They cause tremendous havoc2 to human life and property but are sometimes also a blessing in disguise because they bring alluvial soil which is essential for crops. This is a great benefit compared to the havoc it creates.

Floods are natural calamities3 and occur regularly in certain low lying area. The unexpected flood causes great misery. The rush of water demolishes4 houses and destroys homes. It inundates5 large areas under cultivation, wrecks public services and makes the life of the survivors miserable. Sometimes man is prepared for it and has learnt to take advantadge of floods to enrich their soil, trap fish and more logs of wood.

Floods, however have always brought out the best in men. Men organise rescue and relief6 activities for strangers without expectation of personal gain. Voluntary organisations organise relief camps and provide medical facilities. Floods bring out the best in men to the surface. People throughout the world make collections and airlift relief materials to the victims.

The increasing incidence of floods can be reduced by contruction of dams and catchment areas7. These activities cannot be carried out by a single man, but can be achieved only by the Government as these require colossal8 resources, organisation and manpower.

Every single man can contribute to prevent flood by planting trees and preventing denudation9 of vegetable plots. Forestation is one of the best alternatives to arrest floods.

1. phenomenon /f6'n4m1n6n/ (n) (snh phenomina) hieän töôïng 2. havoc /'h%v6k/ (n) söï taøn phaù 3. calamity /k6'l%m6t1/ (n) tai öông, thieân tai 4. demolish /d1'm4l1~/ (v) phaù huûy 5. inundate /'1n^nde1t/ (v) ngaäp nöôùc 6. relief /r1'li:f/ (n) söï cöùu vieän, söï trôï giuùp 7. catchment area /,k%t~m6nt 'e6r16/ (n) löu vöïc 8. colossal /k6'l4sl/ (adj) raát lôùn, meânh moâng, khoång loà 9. denudation /di:nju:'de1~n/ (n) söï baøo moøn, söï laøm traàn truïi

232. HOSPITALITY LOØNG HIEÁU KHAÙCH Hospitality is everywhere regarded as a virtue ; but it is perhaps more common in the country than in the town. It is a common saying that in a big city like London, a man does not know even his next-door neighbour,1 and there is no place where one can feel so utterly lonely as among the millions of that huge city. The inhabitants of a large town would be astonished if a passing traveller, a complete stranger, came to their houses and demanded food and lodging from them. They would probably shut their doors in his face.2 But it is the commonest thing for villagers to welcome a passing stranger and give him freely food and shelter and entertainment3, expecting nothing in return4. This is not only because villagers are simpler and more unsophisticated5 than town-dwellers but because their lives are so lonely and monotonous6 that a visit from a stranger is a welcome7 event ; and also because in the sparsely populated country-side there are, as a rule, no public inns or rest-houses where travellers can stay. So in the country, hospitality is looked on more as a duty than a virtue, the performance of which is a matter of pride.

The people of the East, especially in Arabia and parts of India, are noted for their hospitality. And among the people of the North-West Indian Frontier, the laws of hospitality are strictly observed8; and even the most lawless raider9 will never rob or hurt a man who has eaten his salt10, even though he be an enemy.

A great deal of hospitality is merely a matter of fashion, and is selfish in its spirit.

People ask acquaintances to dinner, not because they want to do them a service but because it is "the thing to do" and because they hope to be asked back again in return.

This is not the kind of hospitality which is a virtue ; for that is unselfish and inspired by kindly feelings. So the Founder of Christianity11 taught his disciples to show hospitality only to the poor, who needed food, and who could not reward them for their kindness.

While he sat at meal in the house of a rich Pharisee who had invited him to dine with him one day, he said to his host : "When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, nor thy kinsmen, nor rich neighbours, lest haply12 they also bid thee again and a recompense13 be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, bid the poor, the maimed14, the lame, the blind ; because that have not wherewith15 to recompense thee."

1. next-door neighbour /,nekst d0:(r) 'ne1b6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi laùng gieàng saùt vaùch 2. in one's face (idm) vaøo maët ai 3. entertainment /,ent6'te1nm6nt/ (n) söï tieáp ñaõi, chieâu ñaõi 4. in return /1n r1't3:n/ ñeå ñaùp laïi, ñeå ñeàn ñaùp 5. unsophisticated /,^ns6'f1st1ke1t1d/ (adj) ñôn giaûn, chaát phaùc 6. monotonous /m6'n4t6n6s/ (adj) buoàn chaùn, ñôn ñieäu 7. welcome /'welk6m/ (adj) coù tính caùch hoan ngheânh 8. observe /6b'z3:v/ (v) toân troïng, tuaân theo 9. raider /'re1d6(r)/ (n) keû ñoät kích 10. to eat one's salt (v) laøm khaùch cuûa ai, aên gì cuûa ai

11. Christianity /,kr1st1'%n6t1/ (n) ñaïo Cô ñoác 12. haply /'h%pl1/ (vaên coå) vaïn nhaát, ngaãu nhieân 13. recompense /'rek6mp6ns/ (n) phaàn töôûng, vaät boài thöôøng 14. the maimed /me1md/ (n) ngöôøi bò taøn pheá 15. wherewith /we6w15/ = with which /w1th w1t~/ vôùi caùi ñoù

233. CROWDS ÑAÙM ÑOÂNG A crowd is a gathering of many people in a place of limited size, such as in a hall, a supermarket or a town square.1 In a crowd, the movement of a person is restricted. He or she cannot move freely and may often have to take action to avoid collision2 with another person.

I have been in many types of crowds before and I have to say that the experience is not pleasant. Though a crowd can be bearable, most of the time it is uncomfortable to be in one and I get out as quickly as possible.

Once I had the misfortune of going to a popular supermarket when it was having a sale on. I did not know that until I reached the place. All I wanted to buy was some mosquito coils and some sweets. When I arrived there I was shocked to see the place packed with people. Nevertheless, as I had come quite a distance by bus, I decided to join in the crowd to see what was inside the supermarket that attracted the people so.

That was one of the biggest mistakes of my life. The moment I squeezed into the crowd at the entrance, I was swept into the supermarket by the sheer wave of eager people.

There were all sorts of people here. Young and old, men, women and children were all gripped3 by the 70% discount fever that was plastered4 all over the place.

I had intended to go to the confectionery5 section but I was pushed against my will towards the clothes section. That was where most of the action was taking place. The clothes were on sale. I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw respectable-looking adults involved in what looked like a gold-rush. They were literally tearing at the clothes. No quarter was given or asked. It was madness. I could see how people could behave when they stood to gain from something. Manners, courtesy and shyness were all thrown aside as they grabbed the dirt-cheap clothes.

After some struggle I managed to free myself. However it was no different in other sections. I had to fight my way through the throng to get what I wanted. Then I had to wait in line at the checkout counter, which was the only orderly place in the entire supermarket, for a long time to pay for what I got. After paying it was another struggle to get to the exit. Finally outside the supermarket, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. I swore that I would never join in such a mad crowd again.

Another crowd that is unpleasant is the going-home crowd in the bus station every evening. As night approaches everyone is eager to get home and that is when people can become impatient and unruly6. Young and old jostle with each other to get on the bus. The conductors yells out obscenities7 but no one takes any notice. All each person wants is to go home, regardless of others. So everyone rushes. If one does not then one has to wait for the last bus.

There are other crowds like those in stadiums, processions and other social activities that involve many people. Not all are unruly. This is so as long as there is no disturbance. A crowd, however, has the tendency of turning into a mob if there is suffident excitation, as evident in football matches. I shy away from8 such dangerous emotions. A crowd is definitely not my cup of tea.

1. square /skwe6(r)/ (n) quaûng tröôøng 2. collision /k6'l12n/ (n) söï va chaïm, söï ñaâm vaøo nhau 3. grip /9r1p/ (v) thu huùt söï chuù yù, v.v… cuûa ai 4. plaster /'pl%st6(r)/ (v) daùn ñaày (caùi gì) leân (caùi gì) 5. confectionary /k6n'fek~6n6r1/ (n) keïo, baùnh, soâ coâ la, v.v…

6. unruly /^n'ru:l1/ (adj) maát traät töï, gaây roái loaïn; ngang ngaïnh, öông böôùng 7. obscenity /6b'sen6t1/ (n) lôøi noùi (hoaëc haønh ñoäng) thoâ tuïc 8. shy away from sth /a1/ (phr v) laån traùnh, troán traùnh (caùi gì) (vì nhuùt nhaùt, sôï haõi, v.v…)

234. DROP IT WHERE IT BELONGS HAÕY BOÛ NOÙ VAØO ÑUÙNG VÒ TRÍ The Ministry of Environment is gearing up1 its campaign on television with an advertisement accompanied by a song. The song ends with a melodious2 jingle called "drop it where it belongs" with the letters shrinking and going inside the dustbin3.

Environment is the surroundings such as the roads, lanes, grounds, private or government housing estates. Singapore is the world's cleanest city and it is important that every citizen tries to maintain the record. We should make sure that all places are kept clean and tidy.

Littering on roads, lanes, playgrounds or anywhere would make the places dirty. The drains should remain clean without being clogged up4 with waste materials or stagnant5 water as these are the ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other flies. Though the Ministry of Environment and the Community Centres arrange to maintain the housing blocks clean and tidy, it is the duty of every citizen to see that these places are not polluted by the rubbish6 thrown indiscriminately. That is why dustbins are provided in every nook and corner7 for us to throw or drop it where it belongs.

The clean environment should start from our houses itself. The leftover foodstuffs, other wastes and rubbish should be put in a plastic bag, tied and disposed through chutes. We can see the Ministry of Environment garbage trucks collecting these wastes daily. Since we have been provided with so much facilities, we should try our best to keep the city clean.

Our Government periodically launches "clean environment" campaigns to make every citizen aware of the value of a dust-free, pollutionfree, clean, neat and tidy country.

Strict measures, such as heavy fines for littering may achieve this purpose. But it is the citizens who are reminded of their responsibility to keep a pollution free environment for a healthy and comfortable lifestyle in Singapore.

1. gear (up) /916(r)/ (v) vaän ñoäng 2. melodious /m1'l6$dj6s/ (adj) (thuoäc veà hoaëc taïo ra khuùc nhaïc) eâm tai, du döông 3. dustbin /'d^stb1n/ (n) thuøng raùc 4. clog (up with sth) /kl49/ (v) bò taéc bôûi caùc chaát ñaëc vaø dính 5. stagnant /'st%9n6nt/ (adj) (veà nöôùc) tuø, ñoïng 6. rubbish /'r^b1~/ (n) raùc röôûi 7. every nook and cranny (idm) khaép moïi ngoùc ngaùch, khaép nôi

235. THE CLOTHES WE WEAR QUAÀN AÙO CHUÙNG TA MAËC It sounds strange to say that of all the animals on Earth, only human beings wear clothes.

Well, we cannot deny this. Anyone who walks around without clothes on will probably be quickly apprehended and set to the nearest asylum.1 So we all wear clothes, basically to protect our bare bodies from the elements of nature and from unwanted attention from our fellow humans.

We also wear clothes to project an image of what we think we are or represent. Most of us would not have the guts to war anything outside our assumed social standing. As far as I can remember my grandmother has always worn the traditional Chinese samfu. It is so much a part of her image that she would wear nothing else. It would indeed be a shock to us if she suddenly wears a skirt for instance. That is very unlikely to happen.

However, my mother who is one generation younger would never be found wearing the old-fashioned samfu. She would not dare to be that brave. For her, like her friends, skirts and jeans are the acceptable norms.

My sister, a further generation down, would wear clothes that shock even my mother.

Some of my sister's latest clothes defy2 classification. They are a combination of skirt, jeans and pyjamas all sewn together like rags.3 Well, that is according to me anyway.

For her, it is the very latest in fashion. I really cannot argue on that. One girl's fashion is another's rags.

In our country where so many races live together, each day we can see various types of clothes worn by different people. A typical Muslim woman is almost totally covered from head to toe. An Indian lady wears the body-hugging sari with her midriff4 exposed.

An old Chinese man walks around in his striped shorts-cum-underwear5 and singlet.6 A tall Punjabi stands prominently with his huge turban7 covering his head.

Early in the morning before nine, young executives in business suits can be seen seated with labourers in T-shirts at various tea-stalls around town. Though the clothes they wear are very different, they would just as happily sit down together for a glass of the tarik.

Students, of course, do not have much choice about the clothes they wear in school.

Once outside, however, it is a totally different story. Colourful clothes that are both cool and practical are favoured by teenagers. These younger people seem to have discarded8 the traditional clothes of their ancestors for modern trendy ones. Well, I suppose it is an inescapable consequence of modernisation.

Judging from what I have seen on films and in magazines, the clothes worn by people of other nations are far different from ours. One thing is clear though, people wear clothes to suit the conditions they live in. As for me, I normally wear T-shirts and jeans for they are the most practical clothes to wear in this hot climate. This is all right for a teenager. I can see that when I begin to work in the future, I will have to wear different clothes to suits the situation. Well, when the time comes, I will know what to wear.

1. asylum /6'sa1l6m/ (n) nhaø thöông ñieân 2. defy /d1'fa1/ (v) baát chaáp, thaùch ñoá, coi thöôøng

3. rags /r%9s/ (n) aùo quaàn raùch röôùi 4. midriff /'m1dr1f/ (n) phaàn buïng ôû cô theå ngöôøi 5. shorts-cum-underwear /'~0:ts k^m ^nd6we6(r)/ (n) quaàn vöøa laø quaàn sooùc vöøa laø quaàn loùt 6. singlet /'s179l1t/ (n) aùo may oâ 7. turban /'t3:b6n/ (n) khaên xeáp (cuûa ngöôøi Hoài giaùo) 8. discard /d1'sk@:d/ (v) thaûi boû

236. "TODAY, GIRLS DRESS LIKE BOYS AND YOUNG MEN LOOK LIKE WOMEN." DO YOU FIND ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT IN THIS ?

“NGAØY NAY, NHÖÕNG COÂ GAÙI AÊN MAËC GIOÁNG CON TRAI COØN CAÙC CAÄU TRAI TREÛ LAÏI TROÂNG NHÖ PHUÏ NÖÕ”. BAÏN COÙ NHAÄN THAÁY ÑIEÀU YÙ NGHÓA NAØO ÑOÙ QUA HIEÄN TÖÔÏNG NAØY? When girls dress like boys and young men look like women there is something deeply wrong. Going deeper into the root of this, it maybe worthwhile to note why men and women dress as they do. From simple nakedness into which man is born, he began to dress himself. At first he had to dress against the rigours of weather especially cold. As long as clothing served this basic purpose, he never cared whether it was soft or rough material from which it was made. As knowledge of weaving, dyeing and much later, the knowledge of tailoring1 developed, man began dressing and woman drapping herself in fashionable clothings. This change was more rapid in Western countries than in the East.

In Europe, they held on to a dress of a particular fashion because they were conservative.2 But the change in dressing has been at a fast pace3 in America. The War (Great World War 2) accelerated4 this trend. For the sake of conventience and economy, certain types of dresses became a regulation dress and the civilian also took to it because it was found to be comfortable and convenient. The "slacks"5 may be cited as an example.

The cinemas set up new trends in fashion and youngesters began clamouring for such dresses. Thus the tight pants and beach dress in the case of girls became a fashion.

The way youngsters dress was a revolt against the established order and norm. Many of the movements got started in America and today, because of its permissive society, the dress has become too short and is now only a miro mini. They do it in bravado6 spirit of "What can you do?"

Young hippies dress like women, grow hair and sometimes appear like mendicants.7 They lead a life of their own. They want to live like "Adam and Eve" indulging in free love. Nowadays it is common to see men wearing chains, bracelets and ear rings like women. The opposite way of dressing is taking place.

In the case of some girls they want to get noticed and seek attention so they wear clothes that are worn by men like tight jeans that are torn at knee caps to make a statement of their dressing.

By dressing this way both sexes are trying to defy each other and veering away8 from established fashion trends.

1. tailor /'te1l6(r)/ (v) may (quaàn aùo) 2. conservative /k6n's3:v6t1v/ (adj) baûo thuû, khoâng theo söï thay ñoåi ñoät ngoät 3. pace /pe1s/ (n) nhòp ñoä tieán boä vaø phaùt trieån 4. accelerate /6k'sel6re1t/ (v) thuùc ñaåy 5. slacks /sl%ks/ (n) quaàn daøi, nhaát laø quaàn thuïng 6. bravado /br6'v@:d6$/ (n) söï taùo baïo (thöôøng khoâng caàn thieát hoaëc laøm ra veû) 7. mendicant /'mend1k6nt/ (n) ngöôøi kieám soáng baèng ngheà haønh khaát 8. veer /v16(r)/ (v) ñi leäch, leäch khoûi

237. THE PROBLEMS FACED BY OLD PEOPLE IN OUR SOCIETY CAÙC VAÁN ÑEÀ MAØ NGÖÔØI GIAØ PHAÛI ÑÖÔNG ÑAÀU TRONG XAÕ HOÄI CHUÙNG TA Modern society is built by the young for the young. It is a dynamic creation that does not give much consideration to the old, sick, handicapped or incapable. They are merely tolerated as so much liability1 or nuisance. So these hardly wanted people face much problems in their everyday living.

The old, who were once young, helped to make the present society. Now they pay the price of their former neglect2 of the old. They themselves are neglected and unappreciated in turn.

An old person does not have the physical ability of a young person. Walking can be an effort. Crossing a road can be impossible without assistance. On many occasions I have come across old men and old women who just could not cross a busy road that had no pedestrian crossing. No driver stopped for them. So these old folks3 had to wait patiently until a kind soul happened along to lead them across. I have helped a number of them.

Some of them were very grateful but some simply cursed the traffic. Whatever their attitudes, they were better off staying at home.

It is common to hear of old people being knocked down by vehicles on the roads. They just cannot handle the traffic anymore.

This busy world is certainly not kind to old folks. Crossing a road is just one problem they encounter. Getting onto a bus is another. The old person is usually the last to get on, if he manages. I have seen a bus conductor telling an old man to wait for the next bus because his bus was full. If the old man does get on, the likelihood is that he will have to stand, which does no good for his old bones. Rarely does anyone give up his seat for an old man, or old woman.

In the old days, most people did not go very far from their brithplace and thus families usually stayed together. The family unit is strong and practical. Today the family unit is breaking apart as young men and women travel widely in search of better jobs. So the chances are that the old folks will be left alone and neglected. Sometimes they are not wanted by their children at all. The luckier ones may have a child or two staying with them. The less fortunate ones may have to pine their lives away in an old folks' home or in their now empty house that once was filled with the sound of children's laughter. This neglect is a very real problem in our society and it is what the old dread the most - being unwanted and uncared for in the time of need.

There are other problems old folks face, but none can be as bad as the indifference and neglect of the young. The young have no time for the old even though the old have virtually no time left. Soon they will die and the young will take their place.

1. liability /la16'b1l6t1/ (n) ñieàu baát lôïi, gaùnh naëng 2. neglect /n1'9lekt/ (n) vieäc xao laõng hoaëc boû beâ – (v) xao laõng, boû maëc 3. folk /f6$k/ (n) ngöôøi - old folk ngöôøi giaø

238. THE RISING COST OF LIVING GIAÙ SINH HOAÏT LEO THANG Older people like my parents are always complaining about the rising cost of living. At first I did not understand what they were talking about until they explained to me what the cost of living was.

My father says that he used to be able to get a bowl of noodles for 20 sen. That is hardly believable considering that a bowl today costs more than a ringgit. Then my grandmother says that a bowl of noodles cost half a sen before World War II. That is even more unbelievable ! Now I understand what the cost of living means. It simply means how much it costs to buy things we need.

The cost of living seems to be always rising. The first car my father bought cost less than six thousand ringgit brand new. Nowadays a second hand car costs more than that.

Apples used to cost 20 sen each, as my mother says. Now they cost almost a ringgit each.

My grandfather used to earn 5 ringgit a month and that was enough to feed his family of five comfortably. I marvel at that because 5 ringgit today is hardly enough for a meal at a fast food centre. Things have certainly become more and more expensive and there is no indication that they will cost less in the future. Compared to my grandfather, my father earns a princely sum of a thousand ringgit a month. That is two hundred times what my grandfather earned. However I know it is hardly sufficient for my father to meet the family expenses. Fortunately my mother earns a bit as a part-time seamstress1 to help ease the burden. Otherwise he can hardly cope.

Things a few decades ago were much cheaper than today. Besides that there were less things to want. Today, the prices of goods shoot up partly because of increased demand and partly because of advertising expenses. There was hardly any advertisement in the days when my grandfather was young. Today advertisements govern2 every facet3 of modern living. We are bombarded by them from every angle, via newspapers, magazines, radio and television. No wonder we have to pay more for what we buy.

Also in those days of old, radios were rare and television were unheard of. The people have less to want. So they do not have to spend much. They spend only on everyday necessities. Today there are so many things to want. Some are unnecessary but we still buy them, thus adding to our expenses.

Anyhow bygone4 days cannot be recovered. The cost of living will keep rising. I hear that in Japan, most people cannot even afford to buy a house, even though they earn much more than people here. That goes to show how the cost of living can rise to crazy levels. My father says that his Japanese friend told him that my father's monthly salary cannot even pay for a night's stay in one of Tokyo's hotel. That is an example of how high the cost of living has become.

I suppose the cost of living will continue to rise. When I have children of my own in the future I may have to tell them how cheap things were in my youth. Things will probably cost much more than today and I will have to earn much more than my father in order to cope. Anyhow, when the time comes I will know what to do. I will have to pay whatever the cost of living requires.

1. seamstress /'semstr1s/ (n) (cuõng sempstress) coâ thôï may 2. govern /'9^vn/ (v) chi phoái 3. facet /'fe1s1t/ (n) khía caïnh (cuûa moät tình hình hoaëc vaán ñeà) 4. bygone /'ba194n/ (adj) ñaõ qua, quaù khöù

239. NEIGHBOURS GOOD AND BAD LAÙNG GIEÀNG TOÁT VAØ XAÁU Wherever we stay we are bound to have neighbours. They are the people who live nearby. Unless we go and live in the desert or deep in the jungle we will always find them near. Come to think of it there are also neighbours in deserts and jungles but they may not be of the human kind.

My family and I live in Happy Garden, a neighbourhood of terrace houses and a few rows of shops. Our house is somewhere in the middle of this housing estate so we are surrounded by other houses. Some of the neighbours are wonderful while some are horrible. Yet there are others who simply prefer not to know the others.

Right next to my house on the left is a family consisting of a young couple and their three young children. The parents earn a living selling vegetables in the night market. In the morning they go out collecting vegetables from the farms. Come afternoon they will be busy cleaning and sorting the vegetables for sale in the night. They are an industrious lot. The little ones, the youngest is about four, help their parents in their chores. We are grateful they live next oor for they are helpful and kind people. We regularly get vegetables from them at reduced price and sometimes for nothing at all. In turn we keep an eye on their house whenever they are away on business, which is practically every night.

The other next door neighbour is a retired teacher and his wife. Their children have all grown up and left the nest. They are left pretty much on their own. In the ten or so years that they have been our neighbours we hardlly know them. I would say they are aloof.1 We tried to be friendly with them when they first moved in, but our efforts were of no avail. They simply nod their heads in reply or just ignore us completely. Now we leave them alone. That seems to be the way they want things to be. They have erected2 an invisible wall between us and them. The other neighbours also have the same experience with them. So this ex-teacher and his wife live like hermits3 in the midst of so many people.

Further down the road is the noisiest family in the whole of Happy Garden. Their radio is on almost 24 hours a day at a hardly tolerable volume. Fortunately we are a good five houses from them, so the noise is not too bad. The people nearer to them either enjoy the loud music or they have become deaf to the noise. Whatever it is no one seems to complain about it. Perhaps it is because of the man of the house is a huge burly-fellow who drives a tanket for a living.

Opposite us on the other side of the road is another wonderful family. The salesman father is usually away on business. So the wife looks after their two children and the kids come over to my house often to play with our toys. They are not much younger than me so we get along very well. The wife often brings food for us to eat. She is a great cook. The biscuits and cakes she makes are especially delicious and we always welcome her to our house. The salesman's mother also live with them. She is a gentle old woman now in her late sixties. She normally sits on a rattan4 chair just outside her front door and watches us play.

The other neighbours are generally good people. I would say that our neighbourhood is free of bad habits and troublesome people. I have never seen any arguments between

neighbours. Anytime any difficulty arises we seem to be able to settle it before the situation gets out of hand.5 For example, there was a man who started bringing home his huge lorry. For a time we had to bear the noise of the diesel engine early in the morning and late in the night. Then someone must have made a complaint to this man and soon he never brought the lorry back again. So we have peace except for the fellow with his loud radio. However that is tolerable.

On the whole I suppose most of the people living here adopt a live-and-let-live attitude.

We do not make trouble for each other. Some are very friendly but some are not so.

However we do not have any hostile6 neighbour. That is something to be thankful for.

1. aloof /6'lu:f/ (adj) hôø höõng, laõnh ñaïm 2. erect /1'rekt/ (v) döïng leân, thieát laäp 3. hermit /'h3:m1t/ (n) ngöôøi soáng aån daät, aån só 4. rattan /r%'t%n/ (n) thaân caây maây duøng ñeå ñan soït, baøn gheá, v.v…

5. out of hand (idm) khoâng kieåm soaùt ñöôïc 6. hostile /'h4sta1l/ (adj) thuø nghòch caêm gheùt

240. THE ILLS OF MODERN CITIES NHÖÕNG CAÊN BEÄNH CUÛA ÑOÂ THÒ HIEÄN ÑAÏI The most glaring ill of modern cities is that the people in it are always in a hurry.

Businesspeople, wage-earners, labourers, pedlars,1 crooks2 and assorted characters all rush about in their activities. It is rush, rush and more rush. City foolks rush to work, rush to get their work done, rush to have lunch and rush home. Then perhaps they rush to have dinner or rush to a party. Finally in the early hours of the morning it is a rush to, as they say, grab some sleep before the rush next morning.

I was in Sydney, Australia, for a visit once. As I took a leisurely stroll along the city streets, I was amazed at how everyone seemed to be walking very quickly past me.

Even old ladies of seventy simply overtook me without any difficulty. Some younger ones were actually running towards God knows where. To cross the busy roads, everyone crowded near the traffic lights. The moment the lights changed to green for the pedestrians, they took off not unlike sprinters off the blocks. That was rush indeed. I was forced to walk quickly too, otherwise I was likely to be trampled3 on by the crowd.

No wonder modern city-dwellers suffer from all sorts of stress-related diseases. Some of these stressed people are probably rushing towards an early grave too.

In a city like Kuala Lumpur, after the workers have gone home, the uglier side of the city emerges. The night-spots open up attracting all sorts of people. Prostitutes,4 drug addicts, drug pushers,5 con-men,6 thugs7 and other potentially dangerous characters abound. The police are hard-pressed to handle them. The crime rate is always rising.

However, compared to other cities like New York, Kuala Lumpur is relatively tame. In New York, everyone knows that it is dangerous to even go for a walk in some areas after 5 p.m. The likelihood of getting mugged or even killed is very high. The street gans rule and no sane person would go out to tempt them. Still robberies, murders and all manner of human perversion continue. Certainly there is great ill in this city. This trend of lawlessness is spreading in other cities as well and there is no indication that things will get better.

While skyscrapers dominate the skyline in a city, one could say squatters and shanties8 dominate the baseline. In some cities, it is estimated that these shanties occupy more than half the city space. On one side, the wealthy ones rush around in their posh cars, while on the other side, the less fortunate ones rush around stealing them. the imbalance of wealth is glaring and nothing is done about it. This is another ill of modern cities.

What are the remedies for these ills of modern cities ? It would seem that nobody knows. Nobody seems to care too, which is another typical city illness. At the rate the cities are progressing, it certainly looks like they are headed for some sort of social disaster. Already the inner areas of some huge cities are experiencing a breakdown of law and order. The authorities simply cannot cope. There is not much an ordinary person can do to alleviate9 these ills. All he can do is to hope that they will go away, which seem very unlikely.

1. pedlar /'pedl6(r)/ (n) (cuõng peddler) ngöôøi baùn haøng rong 2. crook /kr$k/ (n) keû löøa ñaûo

3. trample /'tr%mpl/ (v) giaãm ñaïp 4. prostitute /'pr4st1tju:t/ (n) gaùi ñieám 5. drug pusher /dr^9 'p^~6(r)/ (n) (cuõng pusher) ngöôøi baùn daïo ma tuùy baát hôïp phaùp 6. con-man /'k4n m%n/ (n) keû löøa ñaûo 7. thug /8^7/ (n) keû coân ñoà hung aùc 8. shanty /'~%nt1/ (n) nhaø oå chuoät, nhaø luïp xuïp toài taøn 9. alleviate /6'li:v1e1t/ (v) laøm bôùt gay go, laøm dòu

VAÊN LYÙ LUAÄN Haàu heát moïi ngöôøi ai cuõng muoán ñöa ra nhöõng yù kieán hoaëc quan ñieåm hôïp lyù vaø ñöôïc suy nghó caån thaän veà nhieàu vaán ñeà voán laø moái quan taâm chuû yeáu trong cuoäc soáng. YÙ kieán hoaëc quan ñieåm thoâng minh phaûi döïa treân baèng chöùng thöïc teá vaø hôïp loâgic. Caùc yù kieán hoaëc quan ñieåm nhö theá khoâng phaûi laø khoâng thay ñoåi ñöôïc moät caùch cöùng nhaéc, maø neáu nhö coù ai ñoù ñöa ra laäp luaän döïa treân moät baèng chöùng hoaëc khaùi nieäm môùi meû nhöng hôïp lyù, thì vaãn coù theå laøm cho ngöôøi ñoïc thay ñoåi ñöôïc quan ñieåm cuûa mình.

Khi bieän luaän cho moät yù kieán hoaëc quan ñieåm naøo ñoù, muïc ñích cuûa baïn laø phaûi giaûi thích, laøm saùng toû vaø minh hoïa ñöôïc yù kieán hoaëc quan ñieåm ñoù, ñoàng thôøi tìm caùch thuyeát phuïc ngöôøi ñoïc ñoàng yù vôùi baïn, baèng caùch söû duïng nhöõng döõ kieän, lyù leõ, ví duï, caùc trích daãn töø nhöõng nguoàn ñaùng tin caäy, vaø caùc loaïi chöùng côù khaùc. Baïn coù theå hoûi taïi sao laïi phaûi daãn chöùng? Neáu khoâng daãn chöùng thì ngöôøi ñoïc khoâng chaáp nhaän yù kieán cuûa ngöôøi vieát sao? Baïn phaûi hieåu raèng, moät yù kieán ñôn thuaàn haàu nhö voâ giaù trò. Ai cuõng coù theå coù yù kieán, nhöng neáu chæ thuaàn tuùy trình baøy yù kieán cuûa mình thì seõ khoâng thuyeát phuïc ñöôïc ngöôøi ñoïc ñoàng thôøi vôùi mình. Ngöôøi ñoïc coù theå cho ñoù laø moät daáu hieäu cuûa söï löôøi bieáng, thieáu hieåu bieát, hoaëc laø baïn khoâng coù khaû naêng baûo veä yù kieán cuûa mình. Do ñoù, ñeå thuyeát phuïc ñöôïc cho duø vôùi ngöôøi ñoïc khoù tính nhaát, baïn phaûi hoã trôï cho yù kieán cuûa mình baèng nhöõng döõ kieän thöïc teá, caùc soá lieäu thoáng keâ, kinh nghieäm caù nhaân, ví duï cuï theå, hoaëc nhöõng thoâng tin trích daãn töø caùc nguoàn coù giaù trò, nhö laø töø ñieån baùch khoa toaøn thö, saùch baùo, hoaëc chuyeân gia coù uy tín veà chuyeân moân. Khoâng neân ñöa vaøo nhöõng phaùn xeùt coù tín chuû quan cuûa caù nhaân baïn, hoaëc nhöõng phaûn öùng thieân veà tình caûm. Ñeå taïo ñöôïc hieäu quaû khi laøm moät baøi vaên lyù luaän, baïn coù theå söû duïng moät vaøi kyõ naêng ñöôïc aùp duïng cho theå loaïi trình baøy, nhö laø: a. Ñeå hoã trôï cho moät yù kieán hay quan ñieåm, haõy daãn vaøo moät söï vieäc coù yù nghóa nhaèm minh hoïa cho yù kieán hoaëc quan ñieåm ñoù. b. Ñeå giaûi thích moät yù kieán hoaëc quan ñieåm, haõy moâ taû tieán trình thöïc hieän hoaëc toàn taïi cuûa moät söï vieäc naøo ñoù. c. Laøm saùng toû moät yù kieán baèng caùch xaây döïng moät ñònh nghóa hoaëc khaùi nieäm roõ raøng.

Löu yù: 1. Khi vieát moät baøi vaên lyù luaän luoân ghi nhôù raèng coâng vieäc cuûa baïn khoâng chæ laø trình baøy vaø giaûi thích vaán ñeà ñang tranh luaän cho ngöôøi ñoïc, maø coøn phaûi thuyeát phuïc ngöôøi ñoïc, baèng caùch söû duïng nhöõng daãn chöùng hoã trôï hieäu quaû, raèng yù kieán cuûa baïn laø ñuùng ñaén, hôïp lyù vaø coù giaù trò.

2. Coù vaøi ñeà baøi neâu roõ theå loaïi yeâu caàu laø lyù luaän, ví duï: a. "20th Century is an age of greed". Do you agree with this statement ? b. "Students study just to pass the exam". Do you agree ?

Tuy nhieân, moät soá ñeà baøi khoâng theå hieän roõ reät yeâu caàu veà theå loaïi. Do ñoù, deã gaây ra söï laãn loän giöõa hai theå loaïi trình baøy vaø lyù luaän. a. Write about the job you think is most suitable for women b. The life of a modern country undoubtedly depends on oil c. Which two inventions have benefited your own country most.

(Suy nghó cuûa baïn coù theå khaùc vôùi suy nghó cuûa ngöôøi khaùc. Do ñoù baïn phaûi tìm caùch thuyeát phuïc hoï raèng hai phaùt minh maø baïn ñaõ choïn laø hai phaùt minh quan troïng nhaát)

241. IS A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE DANGEROUS ?

KIEÁN THÖÙC HAÏN CHEÁ COÙ NGUY HIEÅM KHOÂNG? Yes, a little knowledge is always dangerous not only to that person, but also to others.

There is certainly a great deal of truth in this statement. We may also refer to another proverb "empty vessels make most noise".1 Knowledge is desirable and should be attained by anyone at any cost, however a little knowledge, which may be slightly better than no knowledge, can be dangerous.

It is normal to see people with little knowledge trying to make others believe that they are very knowledgeable. This often makes them proud and they tend to treat others with little respect as well as looking down upon others. Somtimes, some people might believe them and with this "little knowledge", these people will try to lead others which will usually end in disappointment and disaster.

Those with little education and some of a particular age and sects2 of women are such examples. They will try to read on a variety of subjects and then try to impress others. In employment they will think themselves to be high and mighty. They always feel that work is below their dignity. The result is that they will be fired.3 These people woll become dejected,4 disappointed and confused.

Some people may disagree that a little knowledge is not a dangerous thing. On the other hand, it can motivate5 them to further their efforts to gain more knowledge. This may be true in some cases. But psychological studies have revealed that this type of persons are very rare.

So it is always good to know something well. Gaining knowledge in a particular field wil definitely makes one a master in a subject. Let us not be jack of all trades and master of none.6 Let us at least be a master of some.

1. empty vessels make most noise (idm) thuøng roãng keâu to 2. sect /sekt/ (n) giaùo phaùi nhoû, nhoùm nhoû (nhöõng ngöôøi coù cuøng nieàm tin hoaëc tö töôûng) 3. fire /fa16(r)/ (v) sa thaûi (ngöôøi laøm coâng) 4. dejected /d1'd2ekt1d/ (adj) chaùn naûn, buoàn baõ 5. motivate /'m6$t1ve1t/ (v) thuùc ñaåy, laøm ñoäng cô thuùc ñaåy 6. jack of all trades and master of none (idm) bieát nhieàu vieäc nhöng chaúng tinh thoâng ngheà naøo

242. SHOULD THERE BE SCHOOL DURING WEEKENDS ?

COÙ NEÂN ÑI HOÏC VAØO NGAØY NGHÆ CUOÁI TUAÀN? The weekend or holiday is a concept1 which came up with the observation of Sabbath2 as a holiday by Christians who regard it as God's Day. The idea is kept true to form and so the weekend has come to stay with all nations and countries with the exception of the Islamic countries. There Friday is the weekend instead of Sunday. Whatever the idea may be, schools and other institutions observe Sunday as a holiday.

Whether there should or shouldn't be school on Sunday is a matter of opinion. Let us first see the case for the school working on Sunday. Most of the parents may be for it.

For children at home on Sunday make life a hell for parents. They neither revise nor do their homework. They make a lot of noise and there is no end to their homework mischief. The parents find it difficult to concentrate on their work because children come in the way. Hence for all these reasons, they feel that the school should work even on Sundays.

Since education is a continuous process there need not be a Sunday. Just as our organs work continuously, the process of education must also be continuous. The break upsets the course since very often no useful work is down and when they come to school there is the feeling of Monday blues.3 Rest does not mean break from work. Very few children will be bent on any serious work during holiday. There is a lot idleness.4 Rest period in between work is desirable rather than a day long of rest. The stiffness of the limbs which goes with the long rest can be seen with the sitffness of learning process after a Sunday. Hence people argue school should work even on Sunday.

But there are people who insist on the weekend because people need rest after an arduous5 and taxing week. The rest will refresh them, and some freedom from the frame of time tables and discipline is desirable for the young minds.

Teachers need the weekend off to do serious preparation for the coming week. They also need some time to attend to their personal needs. They may even engage themselves in leisure activities in which even pupils may take part.

Since parents are also having a holiday they would like to spend some time with their children. It will help them to look into the books and notebooks of the child or perhaps help the child to do some holiday homework. For instance, there is the weekend washing. It may be worth-while to visit places or friends that day. Hence the weekend is a necessity.

1. concept /'k4nsept/ (n) khaùi nieäm 2. sabbath /'s%b68/ (n) ngaøy xaba (ngaøy trong tuaàn leã daønh ñeå nghæ ngôi vaø thôø phuïng Chuùa; ñoái vôùi ngöôøi Do Thaùi laø Thöù Baûy vaø ngöôøi Cô ñoác giaùo laø Chuû nhaät) 3. blues /blu:z/ (n) noãi buoàn hoaëc thaát voïng gheâ gôùm 4. idleness /'a1dln1s/ (n) söï nhaøn roãi 5. arduous /'@:dj$6s/ (adj) gian khoå, gay go

243. SAY WHETHER SCHOOL HOURS SHOULD BE MADE LONGER COÙ NEÂN KEÙO DAØI THEÂM GIÔØ HOÏC ÔÛ TRÖÔØNG? Children of today spend a lot of time in school. Besides the normal hours in class there are also extra-mural activities, games and sports. Sometimes we spend the whole day in school. I would say that school hours should not be made longer. If possible I would rather we have shorter school hours.

School children have to sit in class everyday for about 6 hours. This happens five days a week, except for holidays. Thus it is quite a strain to spend so much time trying to learn the things that are put onto us. We have to learn mathematics, geography, history, science, art and other subjects, one after another with hardly a break. It is not easy to switch from one subject to another everytime the bell rings, but we do try. It is especially difficult after a gruelling1 session in trigonometry2 to switch to the population of North American cities. There are so many things to remember. We, as humans, sometimes do forget.

The daily break of 20 minutes is a much welcome thing. It enables us to recover a bit from the constant onslaught3 of information in class. But then it is back to the grind4 until school is over.

After a hard day at school we cannot look forward to any rest. There are tons of homework to do everyday. The teachers seem to think that we are only learning the subjects they teach. So they load us with homework, not realising that other teachers have loaded us with their homework as well. Rarely we get an understanding teacher who give us a minimum amount of homework. Usually we have to spend the rest of the day at home doing our homework. Otherwise we will have to answer to the teachers for failing to finish the homework on time.

Some days we have to return to school after normal school hours to participate in sports, games and other activities. These are compulsory and so we spend more time in school.

These activities are interesting sometimes. Often they are not.

In short, it is evident we school children do not have much time to spend on our own.

School takes much of our time. Homework takes a huge part of the rest. If we do not have such long school hours then we will have more time for ourselves to relax and do the things we want. Also shorter school hours mean that we do not have to absorb so much information. This is definitely less strain on our young minds. Furthermore we wil have less teachers giving us homework. So we have less homework to do.

Some adults say that children have too much free time. They have come to this conclusion because they see some kids loitering5 in shopping complexes and public areas. What they see are only a handful of kids. The majority of us have to slog6 in school or spend time finishing our homework. Anyway these loiterers are the ones who just cannot cope with the pressure in school. So they simply give up and loaf around. I cannot really blame them for school is indeed tough.7 The weaker of us cannot take it.

Long hours in school cooped up in a classroom do nothing to help the situation.

It would not be correct to say that shorter hours will make school more pleasant. I would say that longer hours will make the situation worse. We need free time for ourselves.

We need to do the things we want. Sometimes we need to do nothing in particular. We have to relax and take things easy. Otherwise we are likely to go mad or join the

loiterers in the shopping complexes. So I have to say to those in power : please don't make school hours any longer. The hours are already too long.

1. gruelling /'9ru:6l17/ (adj) gay go, meät nhoaøi 2. trigonometry /tr196'n4m6tr1/ (n) löôïng giaùc hoïc 3. onslaught /'4nsl0:t/ (n) cuoäc taán coâng döõ doäi 4. grind /9ra1nd/ (n) söï coá gaéng theå chaát hoaëc tinh thaàn laâu daøi, ñeàu ñeàu, meät moûi vaø buoàn teû 5. loiter /'l01t6(r)/ (v) la caø 6. slog /sl49/ (v) mieät maøi, caëm cuïi 7. tough /t^f/ (adj) khoù khaên, khaéc nghieät

244. DO YOU THINK THAT HOMEWORK SHOULD BE ABOLISHED1 ?

BAÏN COÙ CHO RAÈNG TA NEÂN LOAÏI BOÛ BAØI TAÄP ÔÛ NHAØ KHOÂNG? Homework is a bitter pill for many students. Teachers always give homework. They are given to help students to revise2 what has been done in the class and also to finish a given task set in school which the pupil could not finish on time.

Education and mastery of knowledge is a matter of skill so the more practice has the better skill. There are skill subjects and knowledge subjects. Both these categories require drill3 and repetition. The teacher to some extent, drills the student in the class but in the classroom each individual student cannot be expected to do the same amount as skills of students vary from each other.

Homework need not necessarily be repeating what has been done in the class, it may be more study. The student goes through references and acquires more and better knowledge. The world of knowledge is so wide that the class alone cannot bring everything into the grasp of the student. So the student must take up some initiative4 of his own. This is one of the purposes of homework.

The school also must see that the students are not overburdened5 with homework. The teachers must see to it that the homework is distributed evenly throughout the week.

Still there are subjects like mathematics or transcription in the lower classes which require daily attention. There are other aspects of school work which can be attended to during the weekend, for example, map making and drawing diagrams.6 Simply because some boys find homeworks too much to cope up with, it cannot be abolished. The school should provide some facilities, so that the boys can conveniently attend to their home work and the teachers can come willingly forward to help such boys.

1. abolish /6'b4l1~/ (v) huûy boû 2. revise /r1'va1z/ (v) oân laïi, xem laïi 3. drill /dr1l/ (v) luyeän taäp tæ mæ baèng nhöõng baøi taäp thöïc teá vaø thöôøng laëp ñi laëp laïi –(n) baøi luyeän taäp coù tính chaát ñoù 4. initiative /1'n1~6t1v/ (n) oùc saùng kieán 5. overburden /6$v6'b3:d6n/ (v) ñeø naëng 6. diagram /'da169r%m/ (n) bieåu ñoà

245. DO YOU AGREE THAT THE STUDY OF MATHEMATICS IS ESSENTIAL1 TO THE PROGRESS OF THE HUMAN RACE ?

BAÏN COÙ ÑOÀNG YÙ RAÈNG VIEÄC NGHIEÂN CÖÙU TOAÙN HOÏC RAÁT CAÀN THIEÁT CHO SÖÏ TIEÁN BOÄ CUÛA NHAÂN LOAÏI? Though the study of Mathematics had occupied the attention of Egyptian and Greek scholars centuries ago, yet it was only after the advent of the Industrial Revolution that the importance of the subject was fully realised by scholars and educationists everywhere. Today, Mathematics is one of the most important subjects in all the schools and universities of the world.

Before the Industrial Revolution, men lived very simple lives. Agriculture, hunting and fishing were then their main sources of more comfortable if they only exercised their mental faculties a little more and organised a system of knowledge, which we now call the Science, and applied it to practical purposes. Thus, they turned to nature for sustenance,2 and were satisfied with what they could acquire from nature with their skills. This simple mode of existence was, however, disturbed by the inventions of a few men, sometime in the eighteenth century, which caused people everywhere to think of new ways of improving their conditions of living. The inventions revealed new sources of comfort, and power for the production of goods. Thus, the Industrial Revolution began. More and more machines were invented for the rapid production of goods, and the study of Mathematics began to receive great encouragement, for it was realised that machines function on mathematical principles.

The intensive study of Mathematics revealed its potentialities.3 It was soon applied not only to invent new machinery but also to explain abstruse4 subjects such as Physics, Logic and many others. In fact, Mathematics is now used to teach and explain almost every important subject in schools and universities. Even the construction of buildings and bridges requires a deep knowledge of Mathematics.

The study of Mathematics has also helped to increase the mental powers of men. They are not only able to think more clearly than they could before but are also able to understand and explain many of the things which they could not understand earlier.

Sometimes, however, Mathematical principles have been applied for tragic consequences. In battles and wars, bombs and cannon-balls5 have been released with remarkable accuracy6 to destroy the enemy. this fact reveals how a knowledge of Mathematics could be used to hinder7 human progress. But such a situation develops only when men have lost their patience and their capacity for compromise8 and fortunately the leaders of the world today are trying their utmost to remove the causes for war.

In general, however, men have a natural impulse to live in peace and harmony with others, and almost every invention is aimed at promoting the welfare of the peoples of the world. Thus, the human race has benefitted from the efforts of those who have made the fullest use of Mathematical principles for all their inventions. I therefore agree that the study of Mathematics is eesential to the progress of the human race.

1. essential /1'sen~l/ (adj) thieát yeáu, caàn thieát 2. sustenance /'s^st1n6ns/ (n) chaát boå döôõng (cuûa thöùc aên thöùc uoáng)

3. potentiality /p6ten~1'%l6t1/ (n) tieàm naêng, tieàm löïc 4. abstruse /%b'stru:s/ (adj) khoù hieåu 5. cannon-ball /'k%n6nb0:l/ (n) traùi phaù, troïng phaùo 6. accuracy /'%kj6r6s1/ (n) söï chính xaùc 7. hinder /'h1nd6(r)/ (v) caûn trôû, ngaên chaën söï tieán boä cuûa ai / caùi gì 8. compromise /'k4mpr6ma1z/ (n) söï thoûa hieäp

246. PRIVATE TUITION - IS IT NECESSARY ?

HOÏC TÖ COÙ CAÀN THIEÁT KHOÂNG? As far as I am concerned, I find that private tuition is not necessary for me. I shall give some reasons.

I find that if I pay attention in class when the teacher is teaching, it is adequate to see me through my lessons and homework. If there is any doubt I can always ask the teacher concerned.

Today most of the things taught in school are not too difficult to follow, as long as1 I do not neglect my work. Mathematics, Science, Geography, History, and English are not that difficult to handle2 provided3 I take an interest in them and put in some genuine effort. So in all my years in school I never had to have any private tuition. Yet I can get through my examinations without any problem.

I notice that my classmates who take private tuition are usually not interested in their studies. In class they have a "couldn't-be-bothered" attitude thinking that their tuition teachers will cover the lessons for them later. What they do not realise is that it is so much easier to pay attention in class than having to spend extra time in the afternoons just to cover up for the wasted time in school. The extra time can easily be spent for other more constructive things than having to repeat a lesson.

Also private tutors do not come cheap. The parents have to fork out4 a considerable sum of money for the services of the tutors who are ordinary teachers anyway.

The trouble with taking private tuition is that the students can become too dependent on the tutors and cannot function on their own. Everything has to be spoon-fed.5 Private tuition is only necessary if the child is really weak in certain subjects. But nowadays it is trendy to go to tutorial centres or engage private tutors.

Whether private tuition does really improve the performance of an ordinary student is debatable. Some of my classmates take private tuition. I do not see them doing exceptionally well in tests and examinations. Some of them still fail. Those who do not take private tuition perform just about the same as those who do. I, for one who does not have private tuition, does not feel disadvantaged nor less capable than those who do.

I have to concede6 that not everyone has the same ability or intelligence. So some students may really need extra tuition before they can grasp what is being taught.

Perhaps then these people can benefit from private tuition. But for the majority of students, like my classmates, they do not need private tuition. What they need is to do their classwork properly and they should have no troubles passing any examination.

The teachers in school are always there to help if we bother to ask them. They are already paid for their services. So there is no need to pay them extra for the same things they teach in school.

1. as long as (idm) vôùi ñieàu kieän laø; ñeán chöøng naøo maø 2. handle /'h%ndl/ (v) giaûi quyeát, xöû lyù 3. provided (that) /pr6'va1d1d/ (conj) mieãn laø, vôùi ñieàu kieän laø 4. fork out /f0:k a$t/ (v) traû (tieàn) moät caùch mieãn cöôõng 5. spoon-feed /'spu:n fi:d/ (v) giuùp ñôõ hoaëc daïy ai quaù nhieàu ñeán noåi khoâng coøn ñeå cho hoï töï mình suy nghó; nhoài nheùt 6. concede /k6n'si:d/ (v) thöøa nhaän

247. STUDENTS STUDY JUST TO PASS THE EXAM. DO YOU AGREE ?

HOÏC TROØ HOÏC CHÆ COÁT ÑEÅ THI ÑAÄU THOÂI. BAÏN COÙ ÑOÀNG YÙ NHÖ THEÁ KHOÂNG ?

I agree fully with the above statement. I am a student and I study just to pass examinations. It seems the same with my schoolmates. We are all only concerned with examinations. We do not study other things.

The reason that we do not study other things is because we have no time for them.

School subjects take up all our time in school and much of our time out of school.

Everyday we have to learn so many things whether we like it or not. Lessons continue one after the other with hardly a break. Our brains switch from history to geography to mathematics to science unceasingly. We manage most of the time, but sometimes it gets so tiring. For me, any initial interest I have in any subject is quickly killed off by the sheer amount of information I have to absorb. No one is allowed to learn at his or her own pace. Everyone is force-fed1 a diet of information regardless whether he or she can cope with it or not.

Then there is always the next examination around the corner. Since very young we have been taught this : passing an examination is good, failing is very bad. We are expected to pass. Our parents, teachers and all grown-ups applaud us when we pass. If we fail, we are made to feel worthless. I myself had been caned2 by my father because I got red marks in my report card.

No one wants to be considered worthless or be punished for failure, but that is what the world is. So we become obsessed3 with examinations. We study because we do not want to fail. I have heard some teachers say that we should study to acquire knowledge.

Knowledge is considered something precious. It is all very well and idealistic4 to say such things but I do not see anyone practising it. The only knowledge I acquired in my years in school is that if I fail I am finished. I have to pass.

That is how I feel. For some of my classmates who cannot cope with the workload, they simply give up studying. They are already marked as failures by the teachers so they see no point in studying anymore. I do not fall in that category. I still study and do my homework as diligently as I can, but I do these things with only one thing in mind and that is : I have to pass my examinations.

So the students study, some of them very hard indeed. Passing means success in the world. Failure is unspeakable. The fact remains that they study not for the sake of knowledge but only so that they can pass the next examination. I am no different from them.

1. force-feed /'f0:s fi:d/ (v) buoäc (ngöôøi hoaëc vaät) phaûi aên uoáng 2. cane /ke1n/ (v) tröøng phaït baèng roi voït 3. obsess /6b'ses/ (v) aùm aûnh 4. idealistic /a1d16'l1st1k/ (adj) (thuoäc chuû nghóa) lyù töôûng vaø khoâng thöïc teá

248. EDUCATION IS VERY NECESSARY. DO YOU AGREE ?

BAÏN COÙ ÑOÀNG YÙ RAÈNG GIAÙO DUÏC LAØ ÑIEÀU RAÁT CAÀN THIEÁT? Whether or not education serves the right purpose in our society is a diffcult question to decide. Very often people do not take up professions for which they are trained ; at other times they do not get the opportunity to use their training. When most education at the school level is either free or subsidised,1 it becomes essential to examine the question in great detail.

Is education really necessary ? Did we not live before this quantitative expansion took place, before education began to be imparted2 to members of all classes. In Britain till mid-nineteeth century education was class privilege. Britain could expand the area of its education on the basis of the industrial relation. Can the developing and the underdeveloped countries afford to take similar measures ?

For generations our people have depended only on life to educate them and they have all learned through experience. Even at a higher stage of education mere theoretical knowledge is not enough ; it has to be related to actual experience. Many young engineers and technicians find that what they have learned in their schools and colleges is not of much use to them and they have to learn everything anew3 once they take to practical work.

However solid these arguments may appear to be, I firmly believe that education alone can save us. It alone can help us build a better future. Ignorance never was bliss4 and to believe in it would be a folly. It is not gold that makes good people or good countries. It is knowledge. Knowledge is the only thing which can come to the help of mankind.

Education is one we cannot neglect. If we want young minds to grow and be aware of the world around them, if we want our country to be in the forefront5 or at least on par with6 other countries, we must educate our people for all advanced knowledge and for peace and war education is necessary. We can never be free if we depend on other countries for the technical know-how.7 Even if practical knowledge is acquired in the fields and the factories, we have to have some one who knows about the soils and the fertilizers and can build our factories.

Today war is not a mere matter of bravery of courage. Wars are won or lost on the basis of literacy. Modern weapons are so sophisticated that an illiterate soldier cannot use them. Education is not a mere ability to sign one's name. It is the basis of something much more important. Even basic hygiene and cleanliness are connected with the level of edcation. To some extent they are also connected with the economic situation.

Education helps to solve both the problems at one go. With better education better jobs will be available.

There is no time to dilly-dally8 about matters related to education. If we want progress, we must ensure minimum education for all.

1. subsidise /'s^bs1da1z/ (v) trôï caáp cho (ai / caùi gì) 2. impart /1mp@:t/ (v) phoå bieán 3. anew /6'nju:/ (adv) theo moät caùch môùi hoaëc khaùc; laïi moät laàn nöõa 4. bliss /bl1s/ (n) nieàm vui lôùn, haïnh phuùc troïn veïn

5. forefront /'f0:fr^nt/ (n) haøng ñaàu hoaëc vò trí quan troïng 6. on par with (sb/sth) /p@:(r)/ (idm) ngang taàm quan troïng, chaát löôïng, v.v… vôùi (ai / caùi gì) 7. know-how /'n6$ ha$/ (n) bí quyeát thöïc hieän (töùc kieán thöùc hoaëc kyõ naêng thöïc teá (traùi vôùi lyù thuyeát) trong moät hoaït ñoäng) 8. dilly-dally /'d1l1 d%l1/ (v) laõng phí thôøi gian, daây döa

249. DO YOU THINK SCHOOL LEAVERS SHOULD GET SOME WORKING EXPERIENCE BEFORE GOING FOR FURTHER STUDIES ?

BAÏN COÙ CHO RAÈNG HOÏC SINH TOÁT NGHIEÄP TRUNG HOÏC COÙ NEÂN ÑI LAØM ÑEÅ COÙ THEÂM KINH NGHIEÄM TRÖÔÙC KHI HOÏC TIEÁP BAÄC ÑAÏI HOÏC KHOÂNG? It would certainly be a good thing if school leavers get some working experience before going for further studies. One reason is that they get a taste of what work is and thus are in a better position to know what they want to study further.

As it is, the smarter students get channelled1 directly into universities and colleges the moment they finish school. Most, if not all, of them do not know what the real working world is like. When they finish their studies they are plunged into the competitive work market often without a hint of what it is like. So they have to learn very quickly how to cope with the sudden change. The luckier ones get jobs they like. Many get stuck in jobs they have no inclination for and only keept at the jobs because they do not know what else they can do.

This causes job dissatisfaction. The result are unhappy workers in unhappy companies.

However, if school leavers were to get a taste of working life first, they will soon have a pretty good idea of what it is. They will have probably discovered too what sort of jobs they prefer to do. With this precious knowledge, they will then know what courses to take up to ensure they secure the right jobs on graduation.

Most of my teachers are those who went straight to university or college on finishing school. They have virtually no experience of life outside school. So when they return to school to teach, they are ill-equipped to teach the children what it is like outside the school. Some teachers who had had to work outside before becoming a teacher have far better knowledge of the outside world. The difference is obvious. I am in no way saying that the former2 are inferior3 teachers. It is just that they would be better ones if they have had outside experience.

As for myself, the moment I leave school, I am going to get myself a job. It does not matter what job it is or for how long I will have it. In only want the experience of working. Only by involving myself fully in the working world will I know what it is like and how to cope with it. Even if it is for a few months, by that time, I will have a fairly good idea of working life. Thus I will be in a good position to decide what I will like to do in the future. I will not be a confused jobseeker nor an unhappy employee.

1. channel /'t~%nl/ (v) höôùng ñeán 2. the former /'f0:m6(r)/ (n) laø ñoái töôïng ñaàu tieân ñöôïc noùi ñeán giöõa hai vaät hoaëc ngöôøi (≠ the latter) 3. inferior /1n'f16r16(r)/ (adj) thaáp hôn, keùm hôn

250. "FAR TOO MUCH ATTENTION IS PAID TO EXAMINATION RESULTS WHEN SELECTING CANDIDATES FOR EMPLOYMENT". ARGUE EITHER FOR OR AGAINST THIS STATEMENT. “KHI CHOÏN LÖÏA ÖÙNG CÖÛ VIEÂN CHO MOÄT COÂNG VIEÄC, NGÖÔØI TA ÑAÕ CHUÙ YÙ QUAÙ NHIEÀU ÑEÁN KEÁT QUAÛ THI CÖÛ”. HAÕY LYÙ LUAÄN HOAËC UÛNG HOÄ HOAËC PHAÛN ÑOÁI YÙ KIEÁN NAØY. I feel that today it is no longer1 real merit2 which helps one in landing3 a good job ; rather it is the grade one has secured on an examination. Not only the degrees have multiplied over the years, but the possible areas of specialisation have also increased. A look at the dailies is an educative experience. The various openings are for men and women who have successfully gained a large number of qualifications. It is imperative for one to have had a consistently bright academic record. A prospective candidate feels he has lost the chance even before having been fairly tried because the paper qualifications stand between him and the final interview.

It is easy enough to guess the way the employers think. They feel that anyone who has had the courage and determination to slog for long hours has proved his capacity for hard work. In the process, they assume, he has also proved his sense of responsibility and reliability. Thus the candidate's seriousness of purpose stands him in good stead.4 But would it not be worthwhile to examine the other side of the case ? The person who has slogged so hard has perhaps lost all his initiative and has not allowed his imagination scope to develop. In order to be a good examinee one may have to wear blinkers, give up all extra-curriculum and time-consuming activities and thus develop a lopsided5 personality. The qualities required for a good examinee do not always go to make a good administrator or officer or technician.

Firms, employment agencies and prospective employers who attach a great deal of importance to examination result are mistaken in their assessment6 of the examination system. A written examination is by no means a foolproof7 test of a person's intelligence. The syllabus8 seldom changes and in certain cases the questions tend to follow a set pattern. The examination system, besides being subject to many vagaries,9 leads to memorising by students. On the other hand, a candidate who may not have fared well where marks and percentage are concerned, may have a fully developed, rich personality. Instead of selecting a few important topics he might have worked hard over the whole syllabus; instead of memorishing, he might have understood and grasped the course. What is more important is his involvement in extra-curriculum activities which would have been more sincere and genuine.

The main purpose of education is to teach one how to think, how to act, to develop one's initiative and to be able to take decisions. In fact, education equips us for facing life, for solving and braving,10 the problems which may confront us from day to day. To link education solely to the examination grades is to distort11 its meaning, to falsify its essence, and to prove our own inadequacy in such matters.

Many businessmen a great acumen have had no formal training in the trade they pursue ; many able administrators may not have had much success in examinations. School dropouts12 and delinquents13 have often risen to meet a challenge much more strongly than successful examinees. In many a village in the East it is still possible to come

across old men and women who store the wisdom of the ages. In today's world the educational system need not necessarily inculcate14 sound moral values, and examinations are in no way a real test of brilliance. If I were to choose people it would not bother me how well they have performed in the various examinations ; but my concern would be to discover how much they know of their subject and how quick and alert they are in their responses and the way they react to a problem. Thus the interview should be the proper base for selection and not the grading in the examination though it has to be conceded that the minimum grade should have been obtained.

1. no longer /'l476(r)/ (adv) khoâng coøn… nöõa 2. merit /'mer1t/ (n) phaåm chaát toát ñaùng ñöôïc khen thöôûng 3. land /l%nd/ (v) giaønh ñöôïc (moät choã laøm, moät giaûi thöôûng, v.v…)

4. stand sb in good stead /sted/ (idm) coù ích cho ai hoaëc giuùp ñôõ ai khi caàn 5. lopsided /l4p'sa1d1d/ (adj) leäch laïc 6. assessment /6'sesm6nt/ (n) söï ñaùnh giaù 7. foolproof /'fu:lpru:f/ (adj) khoâng theå cheäch höôùng hay bò hieåu laàm; raát roõ raøng vaø ñôn giaûn 8. syllabus /'s1l6b6s/ (n) chöông trình hoïc 9. vagary /'ve196r1/ (n) söï thaát thöôøng 10. brave /bre1v/ (v) ñöông ñaàu vôùi (moät vaán ñeà, v.v…) vôùi thaùi ñoä duõng caûm 11. distort /d1'st0:t/ (v) xuyeân taïc, boùp meùo 12. dropout /'dr4pa$t/ (n) ngöôøi boû hoïc nöûa chöøng 13. deliquent /d1'l17kw6nt/ (n) ngöôøi cheånh maûng, lô laø vôùi nhieäm vuï 14. inculcate /'1nk^lke1t/ (v) khaéc saâu

251. DO YOU THINK THAT PHYSICAL EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT ?

BAÏN COÙ CHO RAÈNG REØN LUYEÄN THAÂN THEÅ LAØ ÑIEÀU QUAN TROÏNG ?

The value of physical education has been realized since the earliest times of human existence. The Greeks and the Romans considered it indispensable to the development of a good personality and character.

Today, in all schools and universities in the world, a great deal of emphasis is being placed on physical education as a means of producing citizens of good character and personality.

Physical education develops the muscles1 of the body scientifically and increases muscular activity and physical strength. All this makes the body active and efficient. It is now also realized that there is a close connection between the body and the mind.

Therefore, if the body is active, the mind too is active. Proof of this can be easily found among children. Children who are inactive physically are usually also mentally lazy. An active and efficient body is a healthy body. When the body is healthy, the mind too is healthy and therefore happy. Thus, physical education contributes greatly to the health and happiness of an individual. Such an individual could do a great deal for the good of society.

Physical education can also contribute to the strength of a nation. If the youths of a country receive proper physical education, they can build up a strong country to protect itself from foreign attacks or invasions.

Further, physical education provides opportunities for contacts with people of other lands. Athletes2 of all countries meet at various countries at various times to compete with one another and thus promote common understanding among countries for the benefit of one another. It is, therefore, not without reason that physical education has been a part and parcel of3 academic4 pursuit5 today. I do therefore agree that physical education is important to all people.

1. muscle /'m^sl/ (n) cô baép, baép thòt - muscular /'m^skj$l6(r)/ (adj) thuoäc veà cô baép 2. athlete /'%8li:t/ (n) vaän ñoäng vieân 3. part and parcel of sth (idm) phaàn thieát yeáu cuûa caùi gì 4. academic /%k6'dem1k/ (adj) thuoäc nhaø tröôøng 5. pursuit /p6'sju:t/ (n) söï theo ñuoåi

252. PARENTS AND CHILDREN - ARE THERE WAYS TO IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING ?

BOÁ MEÏ VAØ CON CAÙI – COÙ CAÙCH NAØO ÑEÅ CAÛI THIEÄN SÖÏ THOÂNG HIEÅU LAÃN NHAU? In our modernised world today, we tend to take for granted others opinions and feelings.

What matters most is our own opinions and ideas. Parents and their children are not excluded from this category. Parents expect their children to think and behave like they do. Their children on the other hand expect them to understand and respect their feelings. This, I feel is the root of all parent-child problems.

In my opinion, it is perfectly normal for parents to want to protect their children.

However, this natural instinct should not be overdone or the consequences would be most undesirable. Youngsters of over-protective parents tend to exhibit1 rebellious tendencies.2 Behind their parents' backs they exhibit all kinds of bad behaviour and some even find themselves involved with bad company. Worst still, some youngsters deliberately do things forbidden by their parents right under their parents' noses. This will inevitably result in parent-child quarrels and misunderstandings.

Youngsters on the other hand, inspite of having the right of freedom of speech, thought and action should not be over-demanding. They must realize that parents most often know what is best for them. Thus, advice and, less often, scoldings, should be taken constructively and in a humble manner. They should not regard these as obstacles and hindrances but rather as care and prevention for them to face the world. After all, these parents have tasted more of the spices3 of life.

Thus, looking at there two points, it is important for parents and their children to strike a balance.4 Parents must allow freedom but there must be a limit to it. Youngsters must be satisfied with their freedom and respect their parents' wishes. They must take their parents' protectiveness as a sign of concern and love and not of selfishness and possessiveness.

In obtaining freedom of speech, youngsters must know the difference between standing up for5 a point and being merely rude and stubborn. Freedom of thought must be guided so as not to lead one astray. Freedom of action does not mean that one can do anything regardless of other peoples' wishes and desires. These are the techniques that parents wish to impart to their children and should therefore be accepted gratefully.

Apart from these factors, youngsters, at the age of adolescence are prone to imitating others. They get easily influenced by others, especially by the media. They become impressed by the western idea of freedom and independence. The youngters who try to adhere religiously to this western norms often abandon the ever-essential virtue, that is, filial piety6.

The enormous generation gap between parents and their offspring is the only unavoidable factor giving rise to the parent-child problems. Parents fail to realize the needs of the child because they have never felt these needs during their times. On the other hand, their youngsters fail to realize their parents' needs as they have not reached that age of wisdom yet. Thus, in my opinion, the only way one (either parent or child) can overcome this problem is by being tolerant. As Harper Lee wrote in the book To Kill A Mockingbird, one can only understand others when one jumps into their shoes and walks around in them !

1. exhibit /19'z1b1t/ (v) phoâ baøy, bieåu loä 2. rebellious tendency /r1,bel16s 'tend6ns1/ (n) khuynh höôùng (muoán) noåi loaïn 3. spice /spa1s/ (n) gia vò 4. strike a balance /'stra1k 6 b%l6ns/ (idm) thoûa hieäp; tìm ra ñieåm hôïp lyù, trung dung giöõa hai thaùi cöïc, v.v…

5. stand up for sth (idm) noùi, laøm vieäc, v.v… uûng hoä ai / caùi gì 6. filial piety /,f1l16l 'pa16t1/ (n) loøng hieáu thaûo ñoái vôùi cha meï

253. DO YOU THINK MARRIAGES SHOULD BE ARRANGED BY PARENTS OR LEFT TO THE CHOICE FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE CONCERNED ?

BAÏN CHO RAÈNG VIEÄC HOÂN NHAÂN NEÂN ÑEÅ CHO CHA MEÏ SAÉP ÑAËT HAY CHO LÔÙP TREÛ TÖÏ CHOÏN LÖÏA LAÁY? This is a question which may be viewed from different angles, the parents' point of view, the couples' point of view and then there is also the common sense1 point of view.

A parent wants his son or daughter married because he wants his species propagated.2 He wants his son or daughter married to a healthy person who would prove a good life mate3 for his children. The parent cares also for the stock. In other words he wants to assure himself that the person with whom his son or daughter settles down does not suffer from any disease. They must have a good name in society. Very often, the financial position of the parties concerned gets top priority. All alliance4 is made when there is a financial gain thrown in. Sometimes, the youngsters may not like such an alliance and so the marriage ends in unhappiness and disaster.

Young couples these days want to be free to choose their life long partner themselves. It may be the personal qualities of the girl he likes that he is attracted to so much so that in the first freshes of love, he is likely to overlook5 many other factors and because he is not experienced and worldly-wise, his choice may not always be correct. Such wrong alliances contributes to more misunderstanding and divorces in western countries. Under the wrong notion of love there have been more illicit6 connection and children born out of wedlock.7 So wise youngsters would better think twice before they get married. They would not lose anything by consulting their parents and getting their advice, blessing and approval before getting married.

1. common sense /'k4m6n sens/ (n) leõ phaûi thoâng thöôøng 2. propagate /'pr4p69e1t/ (v) nhaân gioáng, truyeàn gioáng 3. life mate /la1f me1t/ (n) ngöôøi baïn ñôøi (vôï hoaëc choàng) 4. alliance /6'la16ns/ (n) söï keát thoâng gia 5. overlook /6$v6'l$k/ (v) boû qua, boû soùt 6. illicit /1'l1s1t/ (adj) baát hôïp phaùp, baát chính 7. born out of wedlock /'wedl4k/ (idm) sinh ngoaøi giaù thuù / (con) ñeû hoang

254. "I'D MUCH RATHER BE AN ONLY CHILD THAN HAVE SIX BROTHERS AND SISTERS." HOW FAR DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS VIEW ?

“TOÂI THAØ LAØM CON MOÄT HÔN LAØ COÙ SAÙU ANH CHÒ EM”. BAÏN ÑOÀNG YÙ VÔÙI QUAN ÑIEÅM NAØY ÔÛ MÖÙC ÑOÄ NAØO ?

Having an only child, the parents can spend well in the upbringing of the child. The child can be provided with better nutritious and well balanced food which may not be possible in a big family. The child can have fruits drinks, and nice things to eat like biscuits and chocolates. The child can have better clothing of good materials and new fashions.

Besides these the child can enjoy a good education. He can be sent to a good school from the beginning because the parents can afford to meet the expenses. Good education means good books, good teachers and good learning tools. For instance, where there are many children, an average parent cannot find means to provide even a good atlas1 and instrument box. Picture books and story books will be out of question.

Because of better attention to his education, the only child can hope to reach high rungs2 of the ladder provided, of course, he had the brains.

Another signal advantage is the parent can attend on the child personally. This will help the parent to shape the child in the fashion he likes. Barring, petting and pampering, the parent can be helpful in the mental and intellectual growth of the child. There can be an intimacy3 which will help in later years.

There are also disadvantages in being an only child. The child feel lonely, companionless and no one to share his joys and sorrows. The parent cannot take the place of a brother or sister because of the age gap. Being the only child he may be petted and pampered and so will easily become a spoilt child. He will develop more negative qualities like selfishness, pettiness and obstinacy. He won't have the opportunity to develop many human qualities. Love, affection, kindness, sympathy, appreciation and many such qualities cannot easily develop in an only child. The chances for development of these qualities will be far and few between.4 There will be few opportunities to give expression to these qualities. When they are not developed, he can't have a healthy growth and he cannot become a well rounded personality. He cannot understand the value of give and take which is very important in life. He will become so selfish that he would like to have everything for himself. He cannot understand the importance of loving and giving for others.

In a corporate society each memeber has to live with others. This means adjustments and a lot of give and take. A big rope is after all a combination of lots of straws and its strength depends on how well it has been twisted. So too unless the society is made up of well seasoned members, it cannot stand the onslaught of bad powers and influence.

So the lonely child with many a minus points cannot easily fit in. Taking all these into consideration I would like to have brothers and sisters than be a lonely child.

1. atlas /'%tl6s/ (n) taäp baûn ñoà 2. rung /r^7/ (n) thanh ngang taïo thaønh baäc cuûa moät caùi thang 3. intimacy /'1nt1m6s1/ (n) traïng thaùi thaân maät, tình baïn thaân thieát hoaëc quan heä gaàn guõi 4. far and few between (idm) thaát thöôøng, vôùi nhöõng khoaûng thôøi gian chôø ñôïi laâu daøi

255. YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE MORE PROBLEMS THAN ADULTS. DO YOU AGREE ?

LÔÙP TREÛ GAËP NHIEÀU VAÁN ÑEÀ RAÉC ROÁI HÔN NGÖÔØI LÔÙN. BAÏN COÙ ÑOÀNG YÙ THEÁ KHOÂNG ?

Every person, at some point of his life, will encounter problems. I agree that young people have more problems than adults, especially in today's world where things are changing quickly.

Certainly, adults have their own share of problems. I have known of adults who face financial difficulties, particularly if they have a family to support. Some also have health problems, and there are others who worry about finding a life partner or trouble with their marriage.

Young people have their own problems. Our problems are harder to solve because there are often no clear-cut1 solutions to them. One of areas that can trouble young people is the search for identity. This is an inevitable2 problem in a teenager's life.

He is no longer a child, yet not quite an adult. Some younger people who have been pampered and sheltered during their childhood years find it hard to become more independent. I know some students who come from such a background and they have trouble adjusting to teenage life. They still expect things to be handed to them.

Sometimes their parents make decisions for them.

On the other hand, there are those who want to be 'instant' adults. To show that they are grown up, they feel that they have to smoke and keep late hours. As a result, they miss out3 on normal teenage activities like sports and other extra-curriculum acitivities which they will never experience again.

Some young people also rebel against conventional4 ideas to assert5 their identity. It is typical to show their rebellion in their choices of clothes and music. But those who have weak family ties may run away from home, or be caught up in bad company.

Young people also become more aware of their looks and the opposite sex at this stage.

Among some of them, there is a tendency to judge people by their looks. I have heard boys and even girls disparage6 a girl for her plain looks. This attitude can make the less attractive girl self-conscious and unsure of herself.

During the teenage years, young people begin to show an interest in dating. There is so much pressure from the popular media which constantly features stories and songs about couples and romance. Some students realise that dating will interfere with their studies, but they may feel like a "nerd" if they do not date. Young people who date often cannot handle the pressures of the relationship as well as their studies. As a result, they suffer failure in both.

Nowadays, young people face a lot of pressure to do well in their studies. For most of us, we know that academic success is good for us, but at times we do feel the stress. No one wants to disappoint his parents.

In many ways, it is wonderful to be young. There are so many things to learn, and the whole world to explore. But I think we have more problems to resolve than adults have.

I suppose overcoming these problems will lead us on the path towards adulthood.

1. clear-cut /'kl16(r) k^t/ (adj) roõ raøng, döùt khoaùt

2. inevitable /1n'ev1t6bl/ (adj) khoâng theå traùnh khoûi, chaéc chaén seõ xaûy ra 3. miss out (on sth) /m1s a$t/ (v) maát moät cô hoäi ñöôïc lôïi töø caùi gì hoaëc töø söï thích thuù 4. conventional /k6n'ven~6nl/ (adj) theo quy öôùc 5. assert /6's3:t/ (v) khaúng ñònh 6. disparage /d1s'p%r1d2/ (v) cheâ bai, xem thöôøng

256. "MAN TO LEAD, WOMAN TO FOLLOW". DO YOU AGREE ?

BAÏN COÙ ÑOÀNG YÙ VÔÙI QUAN ÑIEÅM “NAM GIÔÙI LAÕNH ÑAÏO, NÖÕ GIÔÙI PHUÏC TUØNG” ?

Any man who says this to a feminist1 would probably be called a "Male Chauvinist Pig", MCP for short. The days when men led, and women followed are gone.

Long ago, the men were the one who had the physical ability to provide food and shelter for his charges,2 which included women and children. Men were made to do the job of hunting, ploughing and other activities that required physical strength and skill. Women do not have the necessary physical attributes. They were made to have children and keep a home.

Nowadays things are very different. In most parts of the world now, there is no need for anyone to go hunting for good or demanding physical work. In fact hunting has largely vanished.3 In its place are large farms of domesticated animals that provide all the necessary food. To work the farms, there are machines that can do the work better than any man or men. So man's physical strength is hardly necessary for survival now.

The main concern for man and woman of this age is how to survive in this increasingly complex world. This requires knowledge, not physical strength. And as far as knowledge is concerned, man and woman have about the same ability.

We have women who are doctors, engineers, teachers, drivers, lecturers, prime ministers and other professionals. They are in no way inferior to men and in some ways better although no man would like to admit this. Thus women can survive equally well in this world as men.

To ask a woman professional to submit4 to a man who does not even have half her ability would be foolish and immature. Only a male chauvinist would do this, and there are plenty around, especially the religious ones who still cling on to religious precepts although these precepts have far outlived their usefulness. It is the egoistic5 male who insists he leads when clearly he is incapable of doing so.

For the most part of man's history, men have been the leaders. If we are nature enough to look at the facts of our world, we have to admit it is these men who have made a mess of it. The men had had thousands of years of practice in running the world and they have failed miserably. They are still trying without much success. They led, and the rest suffered. This is not to say that women can do better. Perhaps if men and women had shared the reins of leadership, the world would not be in this awful mess.

It would be for the better if the human race in general discard this prejudice of women being inferior to men. Men and women are made to complement6 each other, not for one to subjugate7 the other. One cannot exist without the other, so it is only logical that they share the responsibilities of living together. It is not a matter of who leads who. It is a matter of walking side-by-side-together.

1. feminist /'fem1n1st/ (n) ngöôøi uûng hoä thuyeát nam nöõ bình quyeàn 2. charge /t~@:d2/ (n) ngöôøi hoaëc vaät ñeå cho ai troâng nom, coi soùc 3. vanish /'v%n1~/ (v) thoâi khoâng toàn taïi hoaëc maát daàn 4. submit /s^b'm1t/ (v) chòu phuïc tuøng, chòu qui phuïc 5. egoistic /i:96$'1st1ks/ (adj) (veà moät ngöôøi) ích kyû 6. complement /'k4mpl1m6nt/ (v) boå sung 7. subjugate /'s^bd2$9e1t/ (v) chinh phuïc, khuaát phuïc

257. "WOMEN SHOULD BE RESTRICTED TO WORK CONNECTED WITH THE HOME AND CHILDREN. THEY SHOULD NOT ENGAGE IN POLITICS, COMMERCE OR INDUSTRY." HOW FAR DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT ?

“NEÂN GIÔÙI HAÏN PHUÏ NÖÕ TRONG NHÖÕNG COÂNG VIEÄC CHAÊM SOÙC NHAØ CÖÛA VAØ CON CAÙI. HOÏ KHOÂNG NEÂN THAM GIA VAØO CAÙC LÓNH VÖÏC CHÍNH TRÒ, THÖÔNG MAÏI HOAËC COÂNG NGHIEÄP”. BAÏN ÑOÀNG YÙ VÔÙI QUAN ÑIEÅM NAØY ÔÛ MÖÙC ÑOÄ NAØO ?

Before I begin with my opinion of the statement, let me analyse the statement itself.

The word "work" should not be taken to mean doing something for a salary but rather to engage1 in an activity. To agree with the first sentence would be to say that women can only obtain jobs such as teaching, since they would be dealing with children then, if they were teaching, lower levels, or jobs like being domestic servants, seamstresses, cooks or interior decorators, since they would then be doing something connected with the home.

The statement implies2 that women should not engage in charity3 work, literary work, nursing, acting, singing and dancing and many other activities which they do remarkably well and have received critical acclaim for, for example Lady Edwina Mountbatten for her charity work, Jane Austen for her perceptive writing on Victorian society, Anna Parlova and Margot Fonteyn for their breathtakingly beautiful ballet dancing, and Florence Nightingale for the new hospital hygiene rules she established in nineteenth century in England and which we inherit today. Obviously, the whole idea behind the statement is that women should not engage in activities unconnected with the home and children because they are not capable of doing them at all, especially in politics, industry and commerce.

This idea is not necessarily true. For decades and centuries women have been involved in activities not even remotely connected with the home and done them well.

In the fifteenth century, the famous woman Joan of Arc led the soldiers of her country to war, to the admiration of many. Queen Elizabeth I ruled England in the sixteenth century, using her own wisdom and never allowing the decisions of her ministers overrule her, nor did she ever marry. England did not see ruin during her time and in fact, it flourished,4 especially in arts and culture. The famous and revered works of William Shakespeare, among those of other equally famous writers, were produced in that period. Queen Victoria of England ruled almost half the world, the great British Empire, at the peak of her reign in the nineteenth century. Even in contemporary times there existed Golda Meir of Israel, Indira Gandhi of India, etc. The remarkable thing about these women is that the people voted that they do such work, and they have performed on par with their male counterparts.5 With regards to industry, a tour of any factory today will yield the sight of rows of women along the assembly lines,6 working to produce consumer products which are the basis of today's civilisation. In Singapore, women contribute largely to the economy in this way and have helped fill the labour shortage in this area. This is a vital contribution since Singapore is a country based very much on industrialisation. Women are needed in industries and should engage in them, either at the assembly department or even at the top of the company as administrators.

Commerce is one area where women are not a rarity7 either and where they can succeed. Women today do set up their own businesses and make huge successes of them. Take for instance the cosmetic business with big names like Helena Rubinstein or Elizabeth Arden, or even the fashion business. True, these are businesses largely directed at women, but the fact is that women are also running them and doing it well.

Another reason why the statement restricts women to the home and children would be that if a woman was to engage in something so diversely different from the home, she may neglect her own family and home. This is a cynical8 approach because, in fact, if a woman were allowed to broaden her horizons and outlook, she would make an openminded approach towards her family and home. She would make an interesting conversationalist, relate better with her children since she could better understand what they face daily outside home and be a source of knowledge and inspiration to them and also relate better with her husband since she would understand how taxing a job or demanding activity outside the home could be. With today's modern appliances and gadgets, she would have no excuse for neglecting her housework either, and in fact, it is about time that the family helped women out with the housework.

Therefore, I feel that women should be encouraged and trained to venture into any field of activity if they feel capable of handling it.

1. engage (in) /1n'9e1d2/ (v) (laøm cho moät ngöôøi) tham gia vaøo moät vieäc 2. imply /1m'pla1/ (v) nguï yù 3. charity /'t~%r6t1/ (n) loøng töø thieän, söï giuùp ñôõ do loøng töø thieän 4. flourish /'fl^r1~/ (v) phaùt trieån maïnh, thònh vöôïng, phaùt ñaït 5. counterpart /'ka$nt6p@:t/ (n) beân töông öùng, beân ñoái taùc 6. assembly line /6'sembl1 la1n/ (n) daây chuyeàn laép raùp 7. rarity /'re6r6t1/ (n) söï hieám coù, söï hieám hoi 8. cynial /'s1n1kl/ (adj) ích kyû, khinh thöôøng ngöôøi khaùc, chæ quan taâm ñeán lôïi ích cuûa mình

258. "WOMEN MAKE BETTER TEACHERS THAN MEN." DO YOU AGREE ?

BAÏN COÙ ÑOÀNG YÙ RAÈNG “NÖÕ GIÔÙI LAØM GIAÙO VIEÂN GIOÛI HÔN NAM GIÔÙI” HAY KHOÂNG ?

I do not agree with the above statement. It is unfair to both sex to make a sweeping1 statement like that. I have had good women teachers as well as good men teachers. I also have had bad women teachers and bad men teachers.

Generally I can say that women teachers are gentler in their approach to teaching. They, being the so-called fairer sex, usually try very hard to make their lessons interesting.

Sometimes they succeed and sometimes they don't.

A class of thirty odd young children is not a easy thing to handle by any means.

Occasionally there are a class or two that are more difficult to handle than others. I happened to be in one of these classes. Though we meant no malice2 towards any teacher, I remember making our woman mathematics teacher cry because we did not follow what she was teaching. She did her best, but looking back I could see that she was too soft with us. That made us fool around a bit thus disrupting the class.

She was replaced by a hefty3 six-foot muscleman. The very sight of this no-nonsense Hercules made us pay attention in class. One could say there was the proverbial "pindrop silence" whenever he was in class. Did we learn anything from him ? Well, we all did very well in mathematics. We had to. It was better than being targets for him to exercise his muscles on.

Then there was this woman who taught us English. She exudes4 an air of strictness that would put an army sergeant5 to shame. We could not fool around with her. She had a way with words that would make anyone feel small. Her command of the English language was astonishing. To argue with her was to get a barrage6 of words that we had no reply for. So to avoid being stung by this waspish7 lady we usually did as told. Though we did not like her words I must admit we learned a great deal from her. If it had not been for her I doubt if I could write as I am doing now.

I have been taught by many other teachers. They all have their own abilities and approaches to teaching. Some of them are definitely uninterested in teaching, especially some older ones of both sex. Perhaps they were fed up with teaching the same thing year after year. So they make lousy8 teachers. But for those who tried their best, which most of them did, I realise that I cannot judge them. Whether they are men or women, each have their own strong points and weak points. Each was good is his or her way. Sex does not determine how good a person is as a teacher.

1. sweeping /'swi:p17/ (adj) (veà lôøi noùi) khoâng coù ngoaïi leä; chung chung; vô ñuõa caû naém 2. malice /'m%l1s/ (n) aùc yù, aùc taâm 3. hefty /'heft1/ (adj) (veà ngöôøi) to vaø khoûe 4. exude /19'zju:d/ (v) loä ra hoaëc toaùt ra moät veû hoaëc moät tình caûm veà (caùi gì) 5. sergeant /'s@:d26nt/ (n) trung só 6. barrage /'b%r@:2/ (n) moät loaït (caâu hoûi, lôøi pheâ bình, v.v…) neâu ra nhanh vaø noái tieáp nhau 7. waspish /'w4sp1~/ (adj) coù nhöõng bình luaän hoaëc ñoái ñaùp gay gaét, chaâm choïc 8. lousy /'la$z1/ (adj) raát toài teä hoaëc raát xaáu, chaúng ra gì

259. A GOOD WOMAN INSPIRES A MAN, A BRILLIANT WOMAN INTERESTS HIM, A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN FASCINATES HIM BUT A SYMPATHETIC WOMAN GETS HIM. DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS VIEW ?

MOÄT PHUÏ NÖÕ TOÁT TRUYEÀN CAÛM HÖÙNG CHO MOÄT NGÖÔØI ÑAØN OÂNG, MOÄT PHUÏ NÖÕ TAØI GIOÛI KHIEÁN OÂNG TA THÍCH THUÙ, MOÄT PHUÏ NÖÕ XINH ÑEÏP LAØM ANH SAY MEÂ, NHÖNG NGÖÔØI PHUÏ NÖÕ BIEÁT THOÂNG CAÛM SEÕ CHIEÁM HÖÕU ÑÖÔÏC ANH. BAÏN ÑOÀNG YÙ VÔÙI QUAN ÑIEÅM NAØY KHOÂNG ?

The question deals with women of different accomplishments1 and how man reacts towards them. The qualities of woman categorized here are goodness, brilliance, beauty and sympathy. Apposite to them are put inspiration, interest, fascination and getting or winning respectively.2 To know women of these traits,3 one must have a wider experience which is rather difficult but the lapse4 could be made up by a knowledge of history and literature of the world. On the world stage there had been and there are still women of different accomplishments and here and there mention will be made of them.

In general the question deals with man's relation with women but for a single man to have contact or relation with the different women mentioned here, the chances may be rare unless he is a great figure who has a galaxy of women hovering around him. To inspire is to give life, to fill life with hope, to pull up the crestfallen5 one from despondency6 to optimism. When we take in air we say we inspire because we are taking in the life giving, blood purifying oxygen. So the action or the words of woman may be inspiring. The one may be the wife or a good friend or as sometimes happens a mistress. To inspire, such persons must basically be good. Their words and actions must have a soothing effect on the soul and result in goodness to the recipient. Quite recently and during our times we have heard of Florence Nightingale or the Lady of the Lamp and Mother The reƒsa. They have given their love instinctively for the sick and ailing ; how their work has inspired many to follow their footpath. A husband or a son must be really blessed indeed to have a good woman as the wife or mother ; for the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.

To interest one is to make one think of the benefits that may accrue.7 One may be interested in a proposition because it may bring one some benefits. The benefits need not necessarily be material ; it may even be mental, say a speech. Brilliance relates to the dazzle in appearance, speech and manners. The brilliance in appearance may incite jealousy, the brilliance in wit and humour attracts and interests. It was said of late Sarojini Naidu that her conversation was full of wit and humour and so she shone among her friends like a briliant star in the firmament. So people were interested to hear what she would say in general and in particular.

To fascinate is to attract. The fascination may be real or false, the fascination may be for good or bad. The fascination of the moth for fire is a classical example where it is attracted by the light of the fire only to die. The beauty refers, may be, only to the external a woman may be beautiful to look at and as an opposite sex, man is fascinated by her but if the inner woman is not as beautiful as the outer then the man having to do anything with her will be ruined beyond measure. There are stories of beautiful women who have fascinated men only to destroy them. That is why beautiful women are used as

spies.8 In World War 1 one Mata Hari was sued as a spy to destroy the morale of army men in the allied ranks. While it is true a beautiful woman fascinates there are stories in which the beauty of a woman was responsible for the destruction of a country or an empire. For example, the beauty of Helen was responsible for the fall of Troy and in the Ramayana the fall of Ravana was caused by the beauty of Sita.

To get is to own. To own means also the power to command over. When I own a horse I can ride at my will and pleasure. What I own I can easily dispose of but it is beside the point here because the question deals with the sympathy. Sympathy is to have the same feeling for. When one sympathises with another, it means the latter has the same feeling as the former, that is why we often say 'in sympathy with you'. In sympathy we see the identical views. When a woman has the sympathy she can naturally get the other. In fact the getting may be in different degrees. Some explanations will make this point clear.

Take for instance the sympathy of a nurse for a baby or a patient. In both cases the getting may not be exactly by owning but it is getting a permanent place in the heart of a baby or the patient. The sympathy shown by the mother, helps her get the child. Where children are brought up by others, the sympathy of children for their mothers is very thin indeed. A good wife must have the sympathy for her husband to get him. A classical woman is described that way. She is everything for her husband. She is the wife, the cook, the counsellor and the friend. Where she fails to have sympathy for her husband, he looks elsewhere. Kasturbai Gandhi was such a good and sympathetic woman she was able to rule Gandhi. But to see a woman of all these qualities is rare and such a one is a rare phenomenon.

1. accomplishment /6'k^mpl1~m6nt/ (n) taøi naêng, taøi ngheä 2. respectively /r1'spekt1vl1/ (adv) taùch bieät ra hoaëc laàn löôït, theo thöù töï nhö ñaõ noùi 3. trait /tre1t/ (n) neùt tính caùch, ñaëc ñieåm 4. lapse /l%ps/ (n) söï laàm laãn, söï sai soùt 5. crestfallen /'krestf0:l6n/ (adj) buoàn vì thaát baïi, thaát voïng baát ngôø 6. despondency /d1s'p4nd6ns1/ (n) söï tuyeät voïng, noãi ñau khoå baát haïnh 7. accrue /6'kru:/ (v) tích luõy 8. spy /spa1/ (n) giaùn ñieäp

260. "I COUNT HIM GREATER WHO OVERCOME HIS DESIRE THAN HE WHO CONQUERS HIS ENEMIES; FOR THE HARDEST OF VICTORY IS THE VICTORY OVER SELF." DO YOU AGREE WITH ARISTOTLE'S VIEW ?

“TOÂI CHO LAØ NGÖÔØI CHEÁ NGÖÏ ÑÖÔÏC MONG MUOÁN CUÛA MÌNH LAØ NGÖÔØI VÓ ÑAÏI HÔN KEÛ CHINH PHUÏC ÑÖÔÏC KEÛ THUØ. BÔÛI LEÕ CHIEÁN THAÉNG BAÛN THAÂN LAØ ÑIEÀU GIAN KHOÅ NHAÁT”. BAÏN COÙ ÑOÀNG YÙ VÔÙI QUAN ÑIEÅM CUÛA ARISTOTLE KHOÂNG ?

Aristotle's view given here has a big philosophical impact.1 This is to say that to overcome one's desire is more difficult than to defeat one's enemy. The battle against desire is difficult because it is inborn.2 Let us now look a bit closer at the origin of desire because when one wants to own something, desire is born. One does not desire for things one has not seen, tasted or experienced. Take a child, it desires to have a thing which another child is having. It may be the instinct to own. A drunkard wants to have more drink because he has tasted it already. One who knows the value of money desires to own more. Foretaste is the motive force of all desires.

A desire to show off,3 own material things, acquire wealth and for an ostentatious4 display of power and grandeur is wrong. On the other hand, the desire to learn, to serve one's own country, and to serve one's own fellowmen can never be wrong. Desire to excel5 others in one's own field of specialization is not to be deplored.6 Otherwise humanity would not be progressing and would never have reached the level it has come today. The Taj Mahal could never have been built, had Shah Jahan been satisfied with the Fort at Delhi or Agra. Siddhartha could never have become the Buddha, the Enlightened one, if he had not desired to know the cause of the ills of the world. It is a paradox7 in his case, more than in any other, that he could lay the blame on "desire" for the ills of the world. It is a paradox because the very desire forced him in the path of penance.8 So desire for great and good things cannot be condemned outright.

Desire is a double edged weapon and can lead a man to hell or glory. Only the first aspect is being notified by Aristotle and he opines that it is the hardest to overcome such a desire.

It is easier to defeat one's enemy when one can commandeer all the forces and direct them against the enemy. The enemy's strength may be known, his strategies are understood and the sources of his supplies are known. Then it is easier to defeat the enemy. That was how in the course of history several wars have been fought and won.

But in the case of desire, the fountain head of it is the self. How it develops is a mystery.

Why should one steal, covet another's wife, do heinous9 crimes, the blame can be laid at the doors of desire. Psychologically the ability to desire cannot be wiped of. They would be an act of folly. But the desire must be turned to good directions and use.

Simple cases of desire can be solved, like a child stealing because it wants to have the same thing as its neighbour or friend has. The parent it wants to have the same thing as its neighbour or friend has. The parent can buy the same thing the child desires then the child would leave off stealing. But in the case of grown-ups, it is by education, by persuasion, and by appeal to the value of good conduct, one should be made to give up wrong desires. In psychology, they call it counselling.10 So, where desire surfaces to the

detriment11 of one's name and fame, counselling by friends and religious preceptors can help a great deal. Appeal may be made to one's conscience. Will-power to resist must be built up. In public offices, the officials make cheap money by what is popularly known as graft12 or bribery.13 Desire is at the root of it. But if the person concerned can be made aware of the pitfalls14 and the odium15 that may be attached to him, more often than not he can be redeemed.16 It is easier to write about the dangers of desire and the need to conquer it, but to overcome it actually requires great will-power. All religions of the world have condemned this kind of enemy.

It is very difficult to draw the line between useful desire and bad desire. One can get to know it through proper education, company and conviction. Still one feels how difficult it is to conquer it and in so doing shares the views of Aristotle.

1. impact /'1mp%kt/ (n) taùc ñoäng, aûnh höôûng 2. inborn /1n'b0:n/ (adj) baåm sinh 3. show off /~6$ 4f/ (v) coá gaéng gaây aán töôïng vôùi ngöôøi khaùc baèng khaû naêng, söï giaøu coù, trí thoâng minh, v.v… cuûa mình – khoe khoang 5. excel /1k'sel/ (v) xuaát saéc hôn, troäi hôn 4. ostentatious /4sten'te1~6s/ (adj) phoâ tröông 6. deplore /d1'pl0:(r)/ (v) leân aùn, phaøn naøn veà 7. paradox /'p%r6d4ks/ (n) nghòch lyù, söï ngöôïc ñôøi 8. penance /'pen6ns/ (n) söï töï haønh xaùc ñeå saùm hoái 9. heinous /'he1n6s/ (adj) raát taøn aùc 10. counselling /'ka$ns6l17/ (n) söï khuyeân raên, chæ daãn; söï tö vaán 11. to the detriment of sb/sth /'detr1m6nt/ (idm) laøm haïi ai / caùi gì 12. graft /9r%ft/ (n) söï hoái loä 13. bribery /'bra1b6r1/ (n) söï cho hoaëc laáy cuûa hoái loä 14. pitfall /'p1tf0:l/ (n) nguy hieåm hoaëc khoù khaên khoâng ngôø tôùi; choã baãy 15. odium /'6$d16m/ (n) söï cheâ bai, deø bæu 16. redeem /r1'di:m/ (v) cöùu (ai / caùi gì / baûn thaân) khoûi bò pheâ phaùn hoaëc leân aùn

261. MANY OF US "LIVE TO EAT" RATHER THAN "EAT TO LIVE." DO YOU AGREE ?

BAÏN COÙ ÑOÀNG YÙ RAÈNG NHIEÀU NGÖÔØI TRONG CHUÙNG TA “SOÁNG ÑEÅ AÊN” HÔN LAØ “AÊN ÑEÅ SOÁNG” ?

There is some truth in the above statement, for there are many who certainly put great importance to the food they eat until they have a problem with it.

Many people complain that they are overweight, that they have a spare tyre and how they wish that they can be slim.1 For most of these people who complain thus, I can see that they are the cause of their condition, and that is, they simply eat too much. Except for rare medical cases where hormonal2 disturbance may cause obesity, I can safely say that just about all obseque people love to eat.

I have a friend who weighs 260 lb and he stands at merely 5 feet 2 inches. He looks like a ball actually. He is so fat that he cannot put his hands down his sides like normal people do. His hands sort of dangle3 from his shoulders. He attributes4 his obesity to "something wrong with my glands5". He does not admit that it is his addiction with eating that is causing the problem. His ideal lunch is two plates of chicken rice, two plates of fried koay toew washed down with two glasses of lime juice. All these he consumes in the time I can just manage to finish a plate of chicken rice. He literally stuffs the food into his mouth and with hardly a chew6 swallows7 the whole lot. His "something is wrong with my glands" declaration is just an excuse.

Judging by the number of people who strut8 around with their bellies9 leading the way, it will not be too far-fetched10 to say that they "live to eat". If they merely eat to live, they will not allow themselves to bloat up as they are. It is the inevitable complaint of overweight people that they have difficulty doing physical exercises and they are prone to illness. Why then if they can see that being overweight is not something good, do they not desist11 from eating excessively ? The answer is that they live to eat. They simply love the taste of food. In short, they are addicted to food.

This addiction is further encouraged by the many restaurants and eating shops that seem to mushrooms everywhere. Young and old, rich and poor - they all patronise these places. There are always pot-bellied12 experts ever willing to comment on the best dining places in town. They can describe in great detail and with great enthusiasm all the best meals they had ever had. If these people do not live to eat, who else do ?

To be fair, not everyone live to eat. There are many sensible people who eat just to keep their bodies in good working order. Overeating is out of the question for them.

They know the dangers of obesity. They treasure their health more and thus live their lives minus the problems and anxieties of the obesity. There are enough problems already in this world. There is no need to add the problems of obesity to it.

1. slim /sl1m/ (adj) thon thaû, maûnh mai 2. hormonal /h0:'m6$nl/ (adj) veà moät hay nhieàu chaát hooùc-moân 3. dangle /'d%79l/ (v) treo loûng leûo, ñung ñöa, luùc laéc 4. attribute /6'tr1bju:t/ (v) cho laø, quy cho

5. gland /9l%nd/ (n) tuyeán, töùc cô quan taùch khoûi maùu nhöõng chaát ñeå duøng hoaëc ñeå tieát ra khoûi cô theå 6. chew /t~u:/ (n) ñoäng taùc nhai hoaëc nghieàn thöùc aên 7. swallow /'sw4l6$/ (v) nuoát 8. strut /str^t/ (v) ñi kheänh khaïng, oai veä 9. belly /'bel1/ (n) phaàn buïng (ngöôøi) 10. far-fetched /'f@: fet~t/ (adj) cöôøng ñieäu, thoåi phoàng 11. desist /d1'z1st/ (v) ngöøng caùi gì, ngöøng laøm caùi gì, chaám döùt 12. pot-bellied /'p4t bel1d/ (adj) (veà ngöôøi) coù buïng pheä

262. "WE DO NOT ENJOY OUR WORK, ONLY OUR LEISURE." HOW FAR DO YOU AGREE ?

“CHUÙNG TA KHOÂNG THÍCH LAØM VIEÄC, CHUÙNG TA CHÆ THÍCH NGHÆ NGÔI GIAÛI TRÍ”. BAÏN ÑOÀNG YÙ VÔÙI YÙ KIEÁN NAØY ÔÛ MÖÙC ÑOÄ NAØO ?

Man leads a complex life. He works to support himself and his family. During his nonworking hours, he rests and spends the time with his family and friends, or with his hobbies.

People look forward to weekends and holidays. I have also heard people say that if they were rich or if they win the lottery, they would not work anymore. It may seem as if we do not enjoy our work, we only want leisure time.

I do not agree with this. Many people may feel that they want only leisure, but if they really get their wish, I do not think they will enjoy it for very long.

There is an old saying "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy". I think, in a similar way, we can say that "All play and no work makes Jack a bored boy." It is important for us to have balance in our lives. Work makes us feel that we are doing something worthwhile with ourselves, while our leisure enables us to have time to relax. Recently, I read a story about a man in the United States who became a millionaire after winning the lottery. He left his job and enjoyed his leisure which included his hobby of fishing for a couple of years. Then he went back to work. He told the reporter, "you can fish only for so long".

Work makes us independent. We are able to support ourselves. I think work is also good for our self-esteem.1 Everyone needs to find out where his interest and talent lie. Work also makes us strive hard, and our ancestors have always stressed2 that diligence is a virtue. People also enjoy work because it makes them feel that they are using their time constructively. Many wealthy people who do not have to work for a living still work for these reasons.

Many people also enjoy work because it gives them an opportunity to get to know and meet other people. One of my uncles, a school teacher, chose to retire early. But after two years, he decided to go back to work. He missed the interaction with his colleagues and students.

Of course, we cannot spend all our hours working, so leisure is equally important to us.

During our leisure hours, we are free to make our own choices whether to pursue hobbies or to spend time with people whose company we enjoy. We can choose to pursue a lively activity or just choose to laze around reading or listening to music. Also, unlike the office or workplace, we do not have to face people whom we do not get along with. I think this freedom makes some of us feel that we enjoy only our leisure, and not our work.

Leisure breaks the monotony3 of the working week, and because we have fewer nonworking days than days of work, we cherish4 our leisure more.

I think people need both the discipline of work and the freedom of leisure. It is quite natural to feel that we only enjoy our leisure because during our free time, we are our own boss. But I think if each of us suddenly becomes rich and we are given a choice between "all leisure" or "work and leisure", we would choose to enjoy the joys of both work and leisure.

1. self-esteem /self 1'sti:m/ (n) loøng töï troïng; söï ñaùnh giaù toát veà tính caùch vaø khaû naêng cuûa baûn thaân mình 2. stress /stres/ (v) nhaán maïnh (caùi gì) 3. monotony /m6'n4t6n1/ (n) söï ñôn ñieäu, buoàn teû 4. cherish /'t~er1~/ (v) say meâ, ham thích (ai / caùi gì)

263. PEOPLE WHO LOOK FOR EXCITEMENT AND DANGER ARE FOOLISH. DO YOU AGREE ?

NHÖÕNG AI TÌM KIEÁM SÖÏ KÍCH THÍCH VAØ NGUY HIEÅM ÑEÀU DAÏI DOÄT. BAÏN COÙ ÑOÀNG YÙ KHOÂNG ?

The things that people do for fun or for money are very numerous today. Some of these things are positively dangerous, but there seem to be no lack of people eager to do them. Bungee-jumping, rock-climbing and sky-diving are certainly not everybody's cup of tea. Then there are less dangerous but no less exciting pursuits of motor-racing and professional boxing. These are all exciting and dangerous things. Some even earn a living doing these dangerous work. Why would people put themselves in such dangers ?

Would they be considered foolish ?

Those who purposely go out to get some excitement are usually those who are bored with their lives. Bungee-jumping is a predominantly western invention and the participants are usually bored westerners who would do anything for some excitement.

It needs a certain amount of guts to be able to jump off a bridge only to be saved from certain death by a piece of rubber cord attached to tone's legs. There were cases where the cord failed and the thrill-seekers1 perished. Yet the others persist. I suspect these others are not only bored with their lives, they could be unconsciously looking to either end their boredom or their lives. In short they could have suicidal2 tendencies. Would people bent on3 killing themselves be called foolish ?

Rock-climbers and sky-divers also take enormous risks. Death resulting from accidents are not uncommon, but people continue to do them. I asked a friend who does rockclimbing why he pursued such a dangerous sport. He said everytime he reached the top of a rock, the feeling of excitement and achievement was quite incomparable. It is intoxicating4 and he is hooked5 by it. So he seeks to repeat the high, despite the obvious risks.

I suppose this exciting feeling holds true for the other unpaid dangerous sports as well.

They get the adrenalin flowing through the blood. These excitement-seekers are obviously addicted to it. The only thing they get out of their pursuits is excitement, which have to be repeated. No other gain is forthcoming except some respect from others. Perhaps respect is also an exciting thing for some.

The professionals who take great risks are far better off than the amateur6 ones in terms of financial rewards. Race-drivers are usually millionaires. So are boxers. Also these professionals are well covered by insurance and they do not take unnecessary risks. In fact they are very careful indeed in their work.

In conclusion I would say that amateurs who look only for excitement and danger are foolish because they stand to gain nothing and to lose everything. They are putting their heads on the chopping block for the sheer thrill of it. The professionals are different.

They get paid and make sure that their necks are well padded. Thus they are not as foolish, not by a long shot.

1. thrill-seeker /8r1l 'si:k6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi tìm caûm giaùc maïnh 2. suicidal /su:1'sa1dl/ (adj) muoán töï töû, muoán töï saùt

3. bend (on) /bend/ (v) (bent) quyeát chí laøm vieäc gì 4. intoxicating /1n't4s1ke1t17/ (adj) kích thích maïnh meõ, say söa 5. be hooked (on sth) /h$kt/ (idm) nghieän, maéc nghieän (caùi gì) 6. amateur /'%m6t6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi chôi taøi töû, nghieäp dö

264. "HEALTH IS WEALTH." DO YOU AGREE ?

BAÏN COÙ ÑOÀNG YÙ RAÈNG “SÖÙC KHOÛE LAØ VAØNG” ?

I agree whole-heartedly with the saying "Health Is Wealth". If a person is not healthy then he or she will find it very difficult or even impossible to enjoy life, even though he or she may be very rich.

If you are asked to choose one from two of the following things, which will you prefer : health without wealth, or, wealth without health ? Without hesitation I will choose the former.

Wealth is generally associated with how much money a person has, that is, how rich he is. An uncle of mine is very rich. He has just about everything anyone can hope for, and some things no one dares to hope for. That is how rich he is. He lives in a huge mansion1 guarded by huge Dobermanns2 and sophisticated burglar alarms. He has expensive cars, furniture, paintings and other rich man's toys.

Well, he has everything except good health.

Everywhere he goes he carries with him a bag of medicine. He has to take pills everyday for his weak heart, diabetes and hypertension.3 He is about sixty years old and has spent his life accumulating wealth. Without doubt he has succeeded in becoming very rich. However he has also succeeded in becoming very unhealthy too.

He laments4 about his lack of health and says that how he wished that he was young and healthy again. Unfortunately he cannot regain his health again.

This example of wealth without health is not what I want to follow. It is ridiculous5 to have so much material wealth but being unable to enjoy it. What is the use of money when one has to take so much medicine everyday just to stay alive ? How can one enjoy life then when one's body is weakened by disease and pain ? No wonder my uncle laments so.

Health without wealth is far better. That is what I have now. I do not have to worry even a bit about what I can eat or do. I eat and do what I like because my body is healthy. Of course I do not abuse it by taking drugs or overexerting myself. I take good care of my body. In that way I stay healthy.

With health I can go about my work with joy. If I become rich, then that is all right. I may lose my riches too, but that is all right too. I can always do the things I enjoy whether I am rich or not. I can play games, swim in the sea, climb hills, eat delicious fruits and appreciate the things of this beautiful Earth. This is indeed wealth - to be healthy and joyous.

1. mansion /'m%n~n/ (n) laâu ñaøi, bieät thöï 2. Dobermann /'d6$b6m6n/ (n) (daïng ñaày ñuû - Dobermann pinscher) moät gioáng choù lôùn cuûa Ñöùc coù boä loâng mòn 3. hypertension /ha1p6'ten~n/ (n) chöùng huyeát aùp cao 4. lament /l6'ment/ (v) than vaõn (veà caùi gì) 5. ridiculous /r1'd1kj$l6s/ (adj) voâ lyù, nöïc cöôøi, loá bòch

265. DO YOU THINK THAT "HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY"?

BAÏN COÙ CHO RAÈNG “TRUNG THÖÏC LAØ THÖÔÏNG SAÙCH” ?

This is an old and often repeated proverb : but is it true ? It has a suspiciously worldly flavour, for it means that from a worldly point of view it pays1 to be honest. Now a really honest man will not ask whether honesty pays or not. He feels he must be honest, even if honesty brings him loss or suffering, simply because it is right to be honest and wrong to be dishonest. This proverb is therefore of little use2 to sincerely honest people : it is really meant only for those unprincipled3 men who will be honest only if honesty pays, and will be dishonest if they think dishonesty will pay them better.

Probably honesty does pay in the long run.4 In business, for example, a man who deals5 straight forwardly with the public, who sells at fair prices, who gives good quality, and can be relied upon6 not to cheat, will generally establish a reputation that will be a fine business asset. People will be glad to deal with him : and though he may not make a fortune7 he will have a sound and satisfactory business.

On the other hand, there is no doubt that success is often due to8 trickery, and great fortunes have been built up upon dishonesty. Too many successful rogues have proved by experience that for them dishonesty had been the best policy. Of course some of these people come to a bad end, and lose all they have gained by their lies ; but many maintain their worldly success is more due to ability, lucky opportunities, and business cunning, than to honesty.

And many examples could be given of men who, from a worldly point of view, have failed because they were honest. A martyr9 who prefers to be burned at the stake rather than say what he believes to be false, may be a hero ; but in the eyes of a worldly man, who thinks only of worldly success, he is a sad failure.

But if we look at such cases from the spiritual point of view - if we consider that truth and righteousness are far more important than wealth and rank and prosperity - then, in the highest sense, honesty is in the end the best policy. "For what it shall profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul ?"

1. pay /pe1/ (v) coù lôïi 2. of little use /6v 'l1tl ju:s/ (idm) chaúng ích lôïi gì laém 3. unprincipled /^n'pr1ns6pld/ (adj) khoâng coù nguyeân taéc ñaïo ñöùc, voâ löông taâm 4. in the long run (idm) veà laâu veà daøi 5. deal with /di:l/ (v) giao dòch vôùi, quan heä vôùi 6. rely upon /r1'la1/ (v) tin töôûng vaøo 7. to make a fortune /me1k 6 'f0:t~u:n/ (v) taïo döïng cô ñoà 8. due to /dju: t6/ (conj) vì 9. martyr /'m@:t6/ (n) ngöôøi töû vì ñaïo

266. "ADVERTISEMENTS ARE BORING, USELESS AND OFTEN MISLEADING." HOW FAR DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS OPINION ?

“QUAÛNG CAÙO RAÁT NHAØM CHAÙN, VOÂ DUÏNG VAØ THÖÔØNG GAÂY LAÀM LAÃN”. BAÏN ÑOÀNG YÙ VÔÙI YÙ KIEÁN NAØY ÔÛ MÖÙC ÑOÄ NAØO ?

In our present world of consumerism, advertisements are very much the norm because manufacturers have to attract us to their products, which they do not want and we do not need. Everywhere we go advertisements loom before us on billboards, leap out at us from magazines and newspapers, whizz1 a lingering impression on the mind.

Advertisement jingles2 hail us every morning over the radio and through the day, and we watch consumer products come alive on television, singing and dancing to promote themselves.

Are they boring ? Generally not, but there are exceptions, of course. Take for instance the Pepsi-Cola advertisement on television, "starring" Lionel Ritchie and a host of dancing youths ; exuberant3 excited, bubbling and fizzling with life and energy. With its foot-tapping beats and delightful visual effects, one requires a great deal of self-control to sit still and not dance along. Or consider the advertisement with that famous line, "When a man you've never met before suddenly gives you flowers, that's Impulse." Yes, the advertisement for the body-spray, Impulse. The whole idea of a man absorbed in his daily routine being suddenly roused out of it by a whiff4 of Impulse and then going through a series of impulsive actions to compliment the lady wearing it, is romantic and endearing to most women. This combined with the light, tinkling piano accompaniment and soft-focus filming makes the advertisement an attractive one. Then we have the newspaper and magazine advertisements, in vibrant colour, interesting graphics and witty slogans. Take a look at most cosmetic advertisements like Maybelline or Cover girl, where the page is attractively splashed with the newest colours the manufacturer has come up with a pretty, lively girl caught in mid-laughter. Therefore, advertisements today are generally interesting due to the visual and sound effects made possible by advanced technology in the various mediums of print, sound and film, and a little imagination, especially when rival companies try their best to attract consumers and so try to advertise better.

Are they useless ? Not necessarily. In many ways advertisements help to keep the cost of most publications low so that we can afford them quite easily. This applies in the case of our daily newspaper "The Straits Times", the Sunday "Asia Magazine", the popular "Readers Digest" and especially the publication we are all familiar with, our respective school magazines. The advertisers pay to advertise and this payment subsidizes publishing cost so that we pay less than what we might otherwise have to pay.

Advertisements also help to ease our boredom sometimes. How many times have people been roused out of a bored stupor5 once they see an interesting advertisement on a billboard or bus or when lazily flicking6 through a magazine. Also, advertisements either interesting or otherwise, especially of otherwise, do promote conversation among friends when they discuss them, how an advertisement is so silly, or another is unusual and imaginative and yet another is introducing an interesting and attractive product which might be worth buying. This then bings us to the last point. Are advertisements misleading ?

One of their uses is that they inform us as to what is available on the market, but is this information wholly true ? Their main function is to attract buyers so naturally, only certain details regarding a product are highlighted while others are not provided at all.

We are made to believe that a product is long-lasting, worthwhile, multi-purpose and bound to give us that happiness we cannot find elsewhere. Perfume advertisements promise to bring the opposite sex falling at one's feet, dictionary and encyclopedia advertisements promise to give us all the wisdom and knowledge in the world, cosmetic advertisement for "Ponderosa Steak & Salad Restaurant" promises juicy and tender steak and delicious salad. I have eaten there and found the steak to be of very low quality, for a very high price, but the salad was everything the advertisement led me to believe.

So in conclusion, I would say that modern commerce trade and industry cannot survice without advertisement. The most advanced advertising technology course gives new ideas and also acts as "Survival of fittest" in this dynamic decade. However there should be control over misleading advertisements.

1. whizz /w1z/ (v) (cuõng whiz) chuyeån ñoäng raát nhanh; veøo veøo 2. jingle /'d2179l/ (n) baøi thô hoaëc baøi haùt ngaén, nhaèm thu huùt söï chuù yù vaø deã nhôù, nhaát laø khi ñöôïc duøng trong quaûng caùo treân truyeàn thanh hoaëc truyeàn hình 3. exuberant /19'zju:b6r6nt/ (adj) hôùn hôû, hoà hôûi 4. whiff /w1f/ (n) muøi thoang thoaûng 5. stupor /'stju:p6(r)/ (n) traïng thaùi ngaån ngô, söõng sôø 6. flick (through sth) /fl1k/ (v) giôû löôùt

267. "THE TWENTIETH CENTURY IS AN AGE OF GREED." DO YOU AGREE? “THEÁ KYÛ HAI MÖÔI LAØ THÔØI ÑAÏI CUÛA LOØNG THAM”. BAÏN COÙ ÑOÀNG YÙ KHOÂNG ?

Being in an age of rapid scientific and technological development, it is only natural that man will find himself caught in the endless rat race. If before, we live in prosperity and harmony caring for our neighbours and subordinates, now we live in prosperity and harmony, but caring only for ourselves and never being satisfied with what we have. We are now, sad to say, ignoring the very existence of our neighbours. This selfish attitude is so common that we no longer regard it as a vice1 but rather as life's pre-requisite.

In this realm2 of desire for material well-being, man says that greed is an inevitable consequence. If man in the stone age believed in survival of the fittest, man in this modern era believes in the survival of the wealthiest. Many people let money rule their lives, as they feel that money can buy them fame, respect, power and even happiness.

Take for instance the attitude of children at present. How often do we find kids selecting their friends from amongst the wealthiest and prettiest only. Worst still, some parents instruct their children to behave in this manner.

The attitude of students today, whether they are in the primary, secondary or tertiary3 level, are also changing. The only thing on their minds is to obtain the highest possible qualifications. There is no more, or at least minimal co-operation among students.

Leisure is slowly giving way to textbooks, researches and endless hours of painstaking mugging. They are aiming for an excellent pass so that they would be recognised and their names will be on the lips of everyone around their campus. They hope for the most "respectable" job offering them the highest pay.

Realizing the importance of money, man however has gone so far as to regard money as an end and not as a means. Men will do all they can do to satisfy their greed for money.

It is not surprising that crime rates are soaring limitlessly all over the world today.

Discontentment and greed are the most common reasons for man to fall into using unscrupulous5 means. They rob, murder, frame6 others, cheat, swindle7 and now the most popular crime is selling and smuggling drugs, to be rich within the shortest possible time.

Last but not least, the numerous crises happening all over the world are classic examples of greed. Greed for power can be seen in unnumberable invasions made by many powerful nations over the helpless Czechs, Afghanistan and Vietnam ; the sophisticated nuclear balance between Russia and America, the unending terrorism8 in Palestine, Sri Lanka the civil wars which has time and again broken up all over the American and African Continent.

Above all, the emblem9 of greed and selfishness rings throughout the world when the hard-earned money that some caring people have donated to the poverty-stricken Ethiopias was swindled by the trustees. What could be worst than this unspeakable, inhumane act ! And what can be a better proof that the twentieth century is indeed an age of greed!

1. vice /va1s/ (n) thoùi xaáu xa, voâ ñaïo ñöùc 2. realm /relm/ (n) lónh vöïc hoaït ñoäng hoaëc quan taâm 3. tertiary /'t3:~6r1/ (adj) xeáp thöù ba theo thöù töï, caáp baäc, taàm quan troïng v.v…

4. soar /s0:r/ (v) taêng vuøn vuït 5. unscrupulous /^n'skru:pj$l6s/ (adj) khoâng theo nguyeân taéc ñaïo ñöùc 6. frame /fre1m/ (v) taïo ra chöùng cöù giaû choáng laïi ngöôøi voâ toäi ñeå anh ta trôû thaønh coù toäi; gheùp toäi oan 7. swindle /'sw1ndl/ (v) bòp bôïm, löøa ñaûo 8. terrorism /'ter6r1zm/ (n) söï khuûng boá, chính saùch khuûng boá 9. emblem /'embl6m/ (n) bieåu töôïng

268. "EVERY MAN HAS HIS OWN IDEAL OF HUMAN GREATNESS." DO YOU AGREE ?

“MOÃI MOÄT CON NGÖÔØI ÑEÀU COÙ LYÙ TÖÔÛNG VÓ ÑAÏI RIEÂNG CHO MÌNH”. BAÏN COÙ ÑOÀNG YÙ NHÖ THEÁ KHOÂNG ?

"Some are born great ; some achieve greatness ; some have greatness thrust upon them." So wrote Shakespeare in one of his plays. One is common ; everybody wants to become great. Why great ? The answer itself is obvious because the greatness has its own rewards, name and fame, ovation1 and applause, red carpeted welcome and wealth. There is practically no field where one cannot achieve greatness. From the great minister to a great cook in all ranks there can be greatness.

How great ? There are degrees and shades of greatness as there are shades in colours.

Greatness in a particular field cannot be equated with greatness in a different field. So each one in his specialized field has got his standard or ideal of greatness.

One thing common is that greatness cannot be achieved so easily. It is not made to measure or order and it is true also that it is not always the deserving that becomes great. To achieve greatness a lot of perspiration and hardwork is needed. One may have the genius in him but he would have to use it. Even a diamond must be polished and faceted2 in order to sparkle ; otherwise it would continue to be a crude lump3 of gem.

So too in order to become great, one has to work for it. Shakespeare is not fully right in his above quote 4 statement. It may be true, some are made great but real greatness is the fruit of hard labour.

Now each one in his own peculiar field has his ideal of greatness. Take a politician. If he has taken politics as a career his ambition is to become a Minister one day or a Prime Minister. Whether, then, the country would gain or suffer under him is a different question. As far as the person is concerned his ideal of great ness lies in becoming a Minister.

Look at the sportsmen. Whether it be football, hockey or circket, if he can rise and represent his country in international meets, he is considered great. He must wear the colours of his country and become the cynosure5 of the fans.

An artist wants to become great through his performance. It may be music, painting or sculpture.6 If he is recognized as unique and masterly then he is pleased. They hunger after recognition and a few of them want to leave behind a tradition. In the fine arts the idea of founding a "school" is prominent and that is the ideal of greatness for most artists.

Greatness lies in the recognition which people bestow7 on the person concerned. Until the recognition is achieved the hungry soul can never rest satisfied. Some like Captain Sentry in the Spectator's Club could never move forward though he may have the recognizable merit. Some simply spring up and fade8 away as quoted in Gray's famous line "full many a gem of purest ray serene..." In conclusion everyone want to become great in his or her own way.

1. ovation /6$'ve1~n/ (n) söï hoan hoâ, söï tung hoâ 2. facet /'f%s1t/ (v) taïo thaønh nhieàu maët

3. lump /l^mp/ (n) cuïc, taûng mieáng 4. quote /kw6$t/ (v) trích daãn 5. cynosure /'s1n6zj$6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi hoaëc vaät thu huùt söï chuù yù hoaëc khaâm phuïc cuûa moïi ngöôøi; trung taâm loâi cuoán 6. sculpture /'sk^lpt~6(r)/ (n) ngheä thuaät ñieâu khaéc 7. bestow /b1'st6$/ (v) ban cho 8. fade (away) /fe1d/ (v) môø daàn, bieán maát daàn

269. PROFESSIONAL SPORTSMEN ARE MORE INTERESTED IN MAKING MONEY THAN PLAYING THE GAME. DO YOU AGREE ?

VAÄN ÑOÄNG VIEÂN THEÅ THAO CHÆ QUAN TAÂM ÑEÁN VIEÄC KIEÁM TIEÀN HÔN LAØ THI ÑAÁU. BAÏN COÙ ÑOÀNG YÙ VÔÙI YÙ KIEÁN NAØY KHOÂNG ?

Spectator sports is very popular everywhere in the world. In Asia, the most popular one is football or soccer, and in America, American football and baseball are the most popular ones. Tennis and basketball are sports that have worldwide appeal.

Fans are willing to pay a lot of money to see high quallity sports. Thus, there has developed in the most popular sports a group of athletes known as professional sportsmen.

They are paid for playing in a team. Their payments are not paltry1 sums. Professional sports is very big business, and these sportsmen can demand very high salaries depending on how good and how popular they are. The best professional sportsmen in the United States are reported to be paid salaries that run into millions of dollars.

There has been criticism that professional sportsmen are more interested in making money than playing the game. I do not agree with this criticism because of the very nature2 of their job, which is playing in a sporting team. These sportsmen, to become professional, have to be the best talent available. Sports is a game where you cannot fake your ability. You must have natural talent, and normally people who are highly talented in their field love what they are doing. A sportsman has to have passion and drive for his sports, or else his lack of enthusiasm will show in his performance.

Besides, professional sports is a very public game. When the sportsman does not perform well, his failure is seen by thousands, even millions of stadium and television viewers as in the case of American football and basketball in the United States. Everyone, from the man in the street to the newspaper sports writer will discuss his poor performance.

Thus every time a professional sportsman does not show interest in playing the game, his career is jeopardised.3 We must also remember that professional sportsmen have a short career as it is based on his physical strength and agility. A sportsman hits his prime4 in his 20's, and by the time he is about 35 years old, his career is over. While in their prime, many of them try to make as much money as they can. Some make additional money by appearing in advertisements or promoting merchandise bearing their names.

I do not think there is anything wrong with this. After all, their popularity and ability to make money this way depend on their reputation as a sportsman. If they do not perform well in the game, it will erode5 their popularity and affect the sale of those products.

Due to the demand for their talent, professional sportsmen are highly paid. But the money they make is tightly linked to their ability to play the game. They cannot afford to be more interested in making money than in playing the game. If they slip in their performance as professional sportsmen, their career will soon be over.

1. paltry /'p0:ltr1/ (adj) raát nhoû, khoâng quan troïng 2. nature /'ne1t~6(r)/ (n) baûn chaát 3. jeopardise /'d2ep6da1z/ (v) gaây haïi, laøm maát hoaëc huûy hoaïi (caùi gì) 4. prime /pra1m/ (n) tình traïng hoaëc thôøi kyø khoûe maïnh nhaát, ñeïp nhaát, sung maõn nhaát, v.v…

5. erode /1'r6$d/ (v) aên moøn, xoùi moøn

270. "THERE IS NO ROOM FOR TRUE CRAFTSMANSHIP1 IN THE MODERN WORLD OF MASS PRODUCTION." DO YOU AGREE ?

BAÏN COÙ ÑOÀNG YÙ RAÈNG “KHOÂNG COØN CHOÃ CHO TAY NGHEÀ THUÛ COÂNG ÑÍCH THÖÏC TRONG THEÁ GIÔÙI HIEÄN ÑAÏI VÔÙI NEÀN SAÛN XUAÁT HAØNG LOAÏT NÖÕA” ?

To a larger extent than not, I agree with this statement.

I say this based on my experiences with hand-made and mass-produced things.

In my house there is a set of furniture handed down by my great-grandparents. Though more than a hundred years old, the one table and four chairs of this set are in immaculate2 condition. It is obvious a lot of care hand been given in making these beautiful pieces. I cannot detect3 a single nail in them. The wood used is teak4 and the table and chairs are still sturdy.5 In fact I would say that they are more sturdy than some new ones. They are products of real craftsmanship.

In my house too are some tables and chairs made by mass production. Most of the plastic chairs break after a few months. The wooden ones show signs of slip-shod workmanship and judging by the rate of wear and tear, they will be useless long before the hand-made ones.

The craftsmen of yesteryears6 made things of high quality. Also they made them to last a long time. Mass-produced things cannot have such high quality and they do not last long. I suspect that manufacturers of mass-produced thing purposely make things not to last so that the consumers will be forced to keep buying new ones. It is good business for them, not so for the consumers though.

Another thing about mass production is that the workers are generally not skilled craftsmen. They are merely employed to operate machines or do some routine work. No creativity is necessary nor encouraged. They just do as they are told, and that is to produce as much as possible as cheaply as possible. On the other hand a craftsman is usually not very much concerned about how much profit he will make. He is more concerned about how well he makes something. He has to be creative and skilful. Thus the product of his work is what we admire as craftsmanship. He may not get much for his work, but for him satisfaction is not so much in money but in a job well done.

Modern radios, tape recorders, cars, furniture, computers and other goods are made only to attract buyers. They last only until the manufacturers come out with newer ones with more gimmicks7 and features. It is an on-going game played by manufacturer on gullible8 consumers. Their advertisements are basically : "Buy, buy, keep buying our products." So the consumers keep buying and buying. The craftsmen and their laboriously slow ways are forgotten.

1. craftmanship /'kr@:ftsm6n~1p/ (n) tay ngheà kheùo leùo, söï laønh ngheà 2. immaculate /1'm%kj$l6t/ (adj) hoaøn haûo, khoâng cheâ vaøo ñaâu ñöôïc 3. detect /d1'tekt/ (v) doø tìm, khaùm phaù 4. teak /ti:k/ (n) goã teách, moät loaïi goã cöng vaø chaéc duøng ñoùng ñoà ñaïc, ñoùng taøu, v.v… coù nhieàu ôû chaâu AÙ 5. sturdy /'st3:d1/ (adj) chaéc chaén, vöõng chaéc

6. yesteryear /'jest6j16(r)/ (n) quaù khöù gaàn ñaây 7. gimmick /'91m1k/ (n) maùnh lôùi quaûng caùo, thuû thuaät chieâu duï 8. gullible /'9^l6bl/ (adj) caû tin, ngôø ngheäch

MOÄT SOÁ BAØI LUAÄN ÑOÏC THEÂM Nhö treân ñaõ noùi, ta khoâng chæ coù baûy theå loaïi luaän vaên, bao goàm mieâu taû, töôøng thuaät, keå chuyeän, töôûng töôïng, trình baøy, phaûn aùnh vaø lyù luaän: maø thaät ra coøn coù raát nhieàu theå loaïi khaùc, chaúng haïn vaên chöùng minh, vaên bình giaûng, vaên baùo caùo, vaên vieát thö (rieâng phaàn vaên vieát thö chuùng toâi ñaõ coù moät phaàn rieâng bieät naèm tieáp ngay sau phaàn naøy), v.v… Trong phaàn naøy, baïn seõ coù trong tay 95 baøi thuoäc moïi theå loaïi, nhöng chuû yeáu bao goàm 7 theå loaïi ñaõ neâu treân, vaø khoâng saép xeáp theo moät traät töï nhaát ñònh naøo caû. Nhieäm vuï cuûa baïn laø tham khaûo vaø töï mình nhaän daïng theå loaïi maø ñeà baøi yeâu caàu. Vì ñaây chæ laø nhöõng baøi gôïi yù duøng ñeå tham khaûo, chöù khoâng phaûi laø nhöõng baøi hay nhaát vaø coù tính ñieån hình nhaát, neân coù theå seõ naûy sinh nhöõng phaûn öùng khaùc nhau töø ngöôøi ñoïc, hoaëc khen, hoaëc cheâ, hoaëc taùn thaønh hoaëc khoâng ñoàng yù. Baïn coù theå luyeän taäp baèng caùch vieát laïi moät baøi luaän khaùc söû duïng ñeà baøi ñaõ cho, ñeå naâng cao kyõ naêng vieát luaän cuûa mình.

Chuùc caùc baïn thaønh coâng.

271. STORM CAUGHT GAËP BAÕO It does not happen to everybody to come face to face with a storm. I had had such a bitter experience. Even today I wonder how I kept alive in that storm.

It happened this way. The afternoon was just pleasant and I took my bicycle and was on my way to a village some six kilometres away where a relative of mine lived. The path lies through an avenue of trees with fields on either side as far as the eyes can see. But for one or two stray cottages here and there, there is nothing to shelter one on the road.

When I was about half way, dark clouds gathered in the sky. It was threatening and I pedalled hard but before I had gone a few hundred metres, there was a sudden burst of thunder and a blinding lightning. It began to rain cats and dogs and the rain came down in big drops. The light was very poor and the road was bad. As the rain was lashing1 on my face I could not pedal at my bicycle. I knew it was dangerous to go and take shelter under a tree in such a heavy rain because lightning would strike green trees, so with great effort I kept to the middle of the road. Suddenly the wind rose and gained momentum2. It grew wild and before its force the trees simply danced. One could hear the howling noise of the stormy wind.

I was soaked to the skin. My fingers were benumbed. I could not push hard. Now and then I could see the heavenly rage3 in the lightning flashes which appeared to hiss almost by my side. To add to my fear, there was a sudden thunderclap and a big tree crashed to the ground. In this situation the will to live alone goaded4 me on. As the road was soaked with fload water, I could not ride the bicycle. Even pushing it along as an ordeal. There were pot holes and swirling5 water. But it was not a question of abandoning. I prayed to God to conduct me safely.

At long last, the flickering light from the village was seen and I was in my relative's house after a few minutes. What a relief to be under a roof behind closed doors in such a weather ! My relative gave me a change of warm clothing and I had never enjoyed a warm cup of tea as I did that day.

1. lash /l%~/ (v) quaát maïnh 2. momentum /m6'ment6m/ (n) ñoäng löôïng, xung löôïng (töùc löôïng vaän ñoäng cuûa moät vaät ñang chuyeån ñoäng ñöôïc ño baèng khoái löôïng cuûa vaät ñoù nhaân vôùi toác ñoä cuûa noù) 3. rage /re1d2/ (n) côn cuoàng noä 4. goad /96$d/ (v) thuùc ñaåy 5. swirl /sw3:l/ (v) cuoän, xoaùy

272. A NIGHTMARE CÔN AÙC MOÄNG I was seriously preparing for my school examination. Normally people call it exam fever and I believe I was haunted by the feeling of falling ill while the examination was on. But I was able to banish1 such fears and concentrate on my studies. But this fear crept into my subconscious2 mind and it played havoc on me. I have now the consolation3 that it was all a dream.

On Now. 16, my birthday was arranged to be celebrated in a colourful manner. There was a small party that my father arranged for my friends. I spent the whole evening enjoying myself while my parents were busy watching television. I pretexted4 as though I had to prepare for the examination, but I was cheating myself with the thought that I would wake up early in the morning and make up the lost time. While in bed, sleep seemed to elude5 me and the bug of falling ill during the examination began to harass me. However after sometime I slept.

If Alice's experiences in the wonderland were bizarre,6 mine was shocking. To my subconscious mind the bogey7 of illness during the examination was true. I felt a sudden irritation in both my eyes and what started as an irritation became an unbearable pain. I started shouting and my parents rushing into my room. They consoled me, more than that they could do nothing. It was ten at night. My mind became agitated that, I thought that I might not be able to sit for my English and Mathematics examinations.

My father soon realised the problem I was facing, "The Exam Fever". He made me stand against the wall and by understanding my agony, he carried me downstairs. He then put me in his car and drove me to a nearby hospital. On the way he was consoling me about the examination and trying his level best to make me relax. I explained that I was having an irritation in my eyes as though thousands of needles had pricked.8 On arrival at the hopital, the doctor performed many tests and finally told my father that, due to nervous feeling of examination, I had spoiled my brain which had affected my eyes. I could not sit for the examination, and he would issue a medical certificate to be produced to the authorities.

My father was undaunted9 by the doctors' decision. In total desperation he put me back in his car and drove to another hospital. He explained to a doctor about my case but not the real situation. The doctor had diagnosed correctly at the first sight itself. Before he applied any medicine he asked me to open my eyes slowly. I said that I could not open, but the doctor insisted. By the time tears started rolling down my cheeks and, with the tears forming between my eyelids, I could open my eyes. The room was dark but for a small lamp. There was no doctor and where had my father gone. I still felt the tears rolling down my cheeks. All I saw was the clock on the wall opposite my bed. Now I realised ! Oh ! It's a dream. Soon I overcame myself and was happy to realise my folly. I am really happy if was all just a dream - or was it a nightmare?

1. banish /'b%n1~/ (v) xua ñuoåi (suy nghó, noãi sôï haõi, v.v…) ra khoûi taâm trí 2. subconcious /s^b'k4n~6s/ (adj) (thuoäc) tieàm thöùc 3. consolation /k4ns6'le1~n/ (n) nieàm an uûi

4. pretext /'pri:tekst/ (v) vieän côù, lyù do (khoâng thaønh thaät) 5. elude /1'lu:d/ (v) traùnh neù 6. bizarre /b1'z@:(r)/ (adj) kyø laï, kyø dò 7. bogey /'b6$91/ (n) (cuõng bogy) vaät gaây sôï haõi, thöôøng khoâng lyù do; khoâng ngaùo oäp 8. prick /pr1k/ (v) chaâm, chích, choïc 9. undaunted /^n'd0:nt1d/ (adj) khoâng ngaõ loøng, khoâng sôï haõi

273. THE FUNNIEST INCIDENT IN MY LIFE SÖÏ COÁ KHOÂI HAØI NHAÁT TRONG ÑÔØI TOÂI Everyone in his life experiences some incidents good or bad. There may be the happiest, the saddest or the funniest incident in one's life.

One Sunday morning I received an invitation from a friend of mine, Mr. Sudhir, as I had come from the U.K. back to my native land. I got up early in the morning and started preparing myself. My sister gave me a cup of tea early in the morning. Then I took my bath, and got ready. My sister then again asked me to take some snacks and tea but I refused to take as I was very anxious in getting to my friend's house. She kept insisting me to take a heavy breakfast but I did not care for it. I walked out to the Bus Stop. Soon a bus came and I got into it and asked the conductor for a ticket for Babar Lane. The conductor frowned at me saying "This bus is not going to Babar Lane. It's going in the reverse direction, you can get down at the next stop and catch another bus." I was baffled1 for some time at this sudden bit of information. Then I alighted from the bus and again waited for the next bus for Babar Lane.

I boarded the bus and reached 15, Babar Lane. But when approached my friend's house, the door of his house was all locked up and closed. I was wondering whether I had come to the right place. As I was gazing and pondering,2 a neighbour of my friend came and asked me, "Why are you standing here ? Do you want to meet someone ?" I replied.

"Yes, I want to see Mr. Sudhir living in Quarter No. 15". He replied "He has moved house on Wednesday and has gone to Changi."

Frustratedly, I came back to the bus stop. I was feeling thristy and hungry. Soon it started drizzling. I was now in a fix3 as I had no umbrella. My confusion became worse with the pouring rains. I thought for a while that I had refused my morning breakfast in the hope that I would take it at my friend's house. At this stage my anger was mounting.

I was cursing myself as well as my fate. I was soaking wet and instead of going home, I made up my mind to meet Sudhir, come what may.

An idea hit me. I telephoned the Enquiry Office at Changi. The operator told me his address. So I made my journey to Changi. I reached the address given to me by the operator. I rang the door bell. Tapan, a tiny tot4 (Sudhir's youngest brother) came out and greeted me with a "Hello, uncle." The moment I entered the drawing room, I saw the parents of Sudhir sitting on the sofa. They offered me a seat and I sat between them.

As I was going to ask about the invitation extended to me by Sudhir, Dolly (Sudhir's sister) came with a tray of tea. She was a pretty and vivacious5 girl. I remembered that I used to love Dolly during college days and had written to her many love letters, proposing marriage. Now Sudhir's mother began to talk very politely. "Look son, the invitation to tea was a joke, as you know today is the First of April. But you are fortunate in the sense that your proposal of marriage has been accepted by all the members of the family." I was thirlled to hear this news from Dolly's mother.

My joy knew no bounds. My spirit felt lifted. Dolly was looking at me silently, her eyes expressing her love for me. We had tea to our heart's content. I rushed home to give the glad news to my parents. This day, indeed, is the most funniest and happiest day in my life.

1. baffle /'b%fl/ (v) laøm boái roái 2. ponder /'p4nd6(r)/ (v) suy ngaãm, caân nhaéc 3. fix /f1ks/ (n) tình theá khoù khaên 4. tot /t4t/ (n) ñöùa treû nhoû 5. vivacious /v1've1~6s/ (adj) soâi noåi, hoaït baùt

274. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WERE AT THE SCENE OF A SERIOUS ACCIDENT ?

BAÏN SEÕ LAØM GÌ NEÁU COÙ MAËT TAÏI NÔI XAÛY RA MOÄT TAI NAÏN NGHIEÂM TROÏNG? Road accidents are common nowadays because of the fast moving vehicles, congestion1 on the roads and careless drivers. In trying to overtake or knocking against another vehicle accidents occur. It may be a false move2 involving collision in which lives may be lost.

When one is at the scene of an accident one can help to attend to the victim. If there are cuts and blood is oozing,3 try to arrest the blood. If the cut is deep one can apply a torniquet. If the wound is dirty, clean it with water and tie a bandage. If there is a fracture, try to support it with a bandage or a piece of a cloth. If the fracture is complicated simply tie a bandage. If the victim is about to swoon4 from bloody wounds, give him some cold drinks, never any hot drinks. In the case of an ordinary fainting, some hot coffee may be helpful.

First the crowd must be cleared so that the patient may get fresh air. If possible the patient's possessions must be secured. Note the number of the vehicle involved. It may be useful later on in helping the patient at the court or to get insurance benefits. The police must be informed. This is very important to avoid complications.

Arrange to transport the patient to the nearest hospital for delay could mean a life in danger. Talk to the hospital authorities and see that quick action is taken. In very serious case you can phone up the hospital for an ambulance. If the address of the patient is known, his near and dear one has to be informed. After having seen to5 the comfort of the patient, make a report to the police.

All that have been mentioned can be done by an experienced hand. It is useful for every citizen to have some training in dealing with accidents. That is why first aid lessons are taught in schools, in scouting activities and Junior Red Cross Classes.

If people are indifferent, it is not because they do not want to help but the difficulties involved in going for help. An accident may involve going to the court several times causing a lot of inconvenience, especially of time and work, but it is the moral duty of every citizen to help victims of accidents and not to be a silent and helpless witness.

1. congestion /k6n'd2est~6n/ (n) tình traïng bò taéc ngheõn 2. false move /f0:ls mu:v/ (n) haønh ñoäng khoâng khoân ngoan hoaëc ñaõ bò caám, coù theå gaây ra nhöõng haäu quaû khoâng may 3. ooze /u:z/ (v) (veà chaát loûng seàn seät) ræ ra hoaëc chaûy ra chaàm chaäm 4. swoon /swu:n/ (v) baát tænh, ngaát 5. see to (sth) /si: t6/ (v) chaêm lo hoaëc giaûi quyeát (caùi gì) 6. indifferent /1n'd1fr6nt/ (adj) baøng quan, hôø höõng

275. IF I WERE A MILLIONAIRE NEÁU TOÂI LAØ TRIEÄU PHUÙ We often hear elderly people advising their young ones to forget the past and the future and care for the present only. But there is hardly any one who has no ambition for a higher status than his present one. This constant struggle for a higher position and money remains with a man till the last day of his life. This struggle, in fact, is essential for achieving higher ends in life.

I belong to the middle-class. I can never think of earning million of dollars but there is nothing wrong in harbouring the hope that I might win a lottery. Suppose I am fortunate enough to win a lottery of millions of dollars, I will try to spend it in the most appropriate manner so as to derive the maximum pleasure out of it.

My colleagues advise me that at the very outset,1 I should endeavour to improve my lot. I should have a huge mansion to live in and a car for the family. But my idea of life is quite different. Rather than improving my lot, I am much more interested in uplifting the condition of the poor masses of the country.

My country is poor. There are people in my country who hardly get two square meals a day, what more to speak of enjoying the comforts and luxuries of life. They are semifed2 and semi-clad.3 Most of these people are living in villages, where the main occupation of the people is agriculture. I will offer them a loan at a very nominal4 interest to enable them to purchase tractors, fertilisers and better seeds. This scheme will save the villagers from the village money lender.

I will invest a good portion of my money in constructing a hospital with all the modern aminities. I will employ highly qualified doctors. This hospital will be run free of change for the poor masses. Charities will always be awaited from the rich classes. This will save people from the jaw of death.

Many people, particularly in villages, have no means of recreation5, I shall spend a part of my wealth to provide means of recreation for the poor. I shall open various social and educational centres at various places.

Since there is no adequate provision6 for the support of orphans and windows, I would, therefore, lose no time in opening new centres for windows and orphans. They will work and earn their livelihood honourably. This will certainly help in the cause of country's advancement.

There may be people who will jeer7 and mock8 at my utter foolishness of spending millions of dollars in this manner. Probably they do not realise that a man gets inner happiness in helping the poor, which is much more than the sensual pleasures that a man can get from the money he possesses. To spend money like this, will be my dearest hope and aspirations.

1. at the outset (of sth) /'a$tset/ (idm) ôû söï khôûi ñaàu (cuûa caùi gì) 2. semi-fed /'sem1fed/ (adj) aên khoâng ñuû no 3. semi-clad /'sem1kl%d/ (adj) maëc khoâng ñuû aám 4. nominal /'n4m1nl/ (adj) (moät soá tieàn) raát ít, nhöng phaûi traû vì vieäc traû laø caàn thieát; treân danh nghóa

5. recreation /rekr1'e1~n/ (n) söï giaûi trí, söï tieâu khieån 6. provision /pr6'v12n/ (n) thöïc phaåm döï tröõ 7. jeer /d216(r)/ (v) cöôøi nhaïo, cheá gieãu 8. mock /m4k/ (v) nhaïo baùng

276. THE WAY YOU HAVE BEEN HELPED OR HINDERED BY RELATIVES AND FRIENDS IN PREPARING FOR EXAMINATION CAÙCH THÖÙC NGÖÔØI THAÂN VAØ BAÏN BEØ ÑAÕ GIUÙP ÑÔÕ BAÏN CHUAÅN BÒ CHO KYØ THI Examinations are like running a race. It is not always the one who deserves that win.

Some proper training is indeed essential for passing examinations well. With all one's innate intelliwence one may require porper guidance. Some graps quickly and can do further work by themselves. These are people with a high intelligent quotient1.

Average people can surely succeed in examinations with positive help. It is something like oiling the wheel. One may know the answer but how it is put and present makes a lot of difference. Experienced people may show the way. Hence, nowadays, people seek even outside guidance by having private tuition at home or joining an institute giving expert tuition.

Of course in my case I am lucky that all along I have been helped by my relatives and friends. To begin with I can't forget the help my mother used to render in the primary classes. She was ready to help and so I never worried about my homework. Not only did she use to urge me to do the task but patiently helped me along.

When I came to the higher classes, I could confidently depend on my brother and sister.

They would teach me mathematics and help me do the problems. Since they always wanted me to do well in the examinations, they not only gathered question papers from other schools but also patiently saw to if I completed those papers by myself.

One of my teachers used to help me whenever I approached him. He knew that I wanted to score first in the examination to get into a professional college. Unless one is really competent, one cannot hope to enter the professional college easily. So my teacher showed me the way how examinations should be tackled2. We used to discuss in a general way about various problems both national and international and I can say it has stood me well in competitive examinations. That again has helped me in viva voce3 examinations because I had a first-hand4 practical knowledge.

Last but not least, I can't fail to mention that some of my friends really helped me. We used to compare notes and help each other when one was not attending the class. We used to take down notes from reference books5 and discuss them. We formed almost a team and, with a competitive spirit went for the examination. There was no jealousy among us and in doing practical work one always helped the other. When looking back I am grateful to all of them who helped me ungrudgingly.

1. intelligent quotient (IQ) /1n,tel1d26nt 'kw6$~nt/ (n) chæ soá thoâng minh 2. tackle /'t%kl/ (v) xöû lyù, giaûi quyeát 3. viva voce /,va1v6 'v6$s1/ (adj) coù hình thöùc thi vaán ñaùp 4. first-hand /'f3:sth%nd/ (adj) tröïc tieáp, maét thaáy tai nghe 5. reference book /,ref6r6ns 'b$k/ (comp. n) saùch tham khaûo

277. MY EXPERIENCE AS A SCHOOL PREFECT1 KINH NGHIEÄM LAØM TRÖÔÛNG LÔÙP CUÛA TOÂI The classroom is a noisy place and when the master is not there the children have a tendency to indulge in all sorts of mischief. Childish pranks are good but often children tend to quarrel and fight. The more healthy and vigorous the children are, the more chances of these fights occur. To keep the class under discipline, a prefect is appointed by the teacher. He becomes and understudy of the teacher only that he doesn't teach. He can order and command the class. Other students are afraid of him because he can make a report to the teacher or the headmaster and punishment is sure to follow. A prefect need not be a strong, healthy fellow. He can even be small built but the teacher knows he is capable of controling the class. A prefect must be a boy of characters, doesn't take sides2, must be assertive3 and stand by his words. The prefect system has been working well in schools in England and it has been introduced in schools in other parts of the world.

A prefect can help the teacher in many ways. He can bring teaching materials like maps, globes, charts and books to the class. He can collect and distribute notebooks, library and exercise books.

I was chosen prefect. I was reticent4 and had no gang and was attentive in class. At the beginning of the term, when the teacher announced my name as prefect there was hush and silence in the class and dozens of pairs of eyes peered at me. I stood up and marched to the teacher's table when he made the announcement. There was a mild cheer and I bowed my head and returned to my seat.

As a prefect I made it a point to be regular and punctual5. Thank God I was enjoying good health, so there was no need for absenteeism. I chose four of my classmates as my helpers. One to look after the register, the second to look the tidiness of the class, the third to be in charge of the field and sports equipment and fouth was in charge of helping the teacher. I was in over all charge besides looking after the library books and aids. We had many types of audio - visual aids and I took a keen interest in them. I looked after the Bulletin Board to make it lively with newspaper cuttings6. I would ask a friend of mine who could write in a decent hand, to write the daily news. Thus I tried to make the class a beehive of activity.

Whenever two boys quarreled and fought I tried to reconcile7 between them by finding out who had been the first offender and making him apologise to the other. There were cases of petty thefts but I always tried to trace the culprit and restore the lost article to the owner. The culprit himself would get his due punishment.

In short I like the post in which I fared8 well.

1. prefect /'pri:fekt/ (n) lôùp tröôûng 2. take side /te1k sa1d/ (idm) baøy toû söï uûng hoä ai trong moät cuoäc tranh chaáp; ñöùng veà phe naøy hoaëc phe kia 3. assertive /6's3:t1v/ (adj) quyeát ñoaùn 4. reticent /'ret1snt/ (adj) kín ñaùo, deø daët, traàm laëng 5. punctual /'p^7kt~$6l/ (adj) ñuùng giôø

6. cutting /'k^t17/ (n) (cuõng clipping) baøi, v.v… caét ôû baùo, v.v… ñeå giöõ laøm taøi lieäu tham khaûo 7. reconcile /'rek6nsa1l/ (v) hoøa giaûi, giaûng hoøa 8. fare /fe6(r)/ (v) xoay sôû, soáng, laøm aên, v.v…

278. AMBITION THAM VỌNG Ambition provides the spur to action. A target in life is a psychological necessity. A man without an ambition may be likened1 to a ship without a rudder.2 "Vaulting3 ambition" as Shakespeare says may "overleap itself". What is needed is a realisable aim.

Overweening4 ambition can lead to disastrous consequences.

Ambition, of course, is not confined to physical or worldly5 matters. In the spiritual realm, too, one's ambition can be realised. One of the best dressed men in the most fashionable city of Paris walked the dusty streets of Goa and Malacca with a begging bowl in his hand. Francis Zavier, the pleasure-seeking youth, was seized by the yearning not "to suffer the loss of his soul". His motivation called "faith" gave him wings and he soared to great heights.

The path to our goal is not always strewn6 with roses. Discovery of truths which we take for granted today brought hardships and loneliness for those who worked untiringly against a mocking world. Louis Pasteur who said that germs cause diseases was scoffed7 at an ridiculed by "learned" doctors. This indefatigable8 Frenchman had to spend as much time fighting superstition9 and scepticism10 as he had to spend fighting pathogenic bacteria.11 Again unswerving12 drive helped Florence Nightingale and Elizabeth Barrett to steer clear of the pride and prejudice of the male-dominated world and realise their ambitions.

Realisation of ambition comes sometimes at unexpected moments. William Henry David, for example, failed to sell his collection of poems. He published his poems again.

One morning, looking down from his cubicle,13 he found many cars waiting in the muddylane. He was surprised to learn that the rich people of high social standing had arrived to invite him to dinner for G.B. Shaw had recommended his book. But it should not be surmised14 that achievement of our aim depends on blind chance. Take the case of the unexpected discovery of penicillin, the wonder drug that has saved millions of lives. True, Alexander Fleming left the bacteria culture carelessly open and this resulted in the discovery. We are, in fact, obvious of his drive, enthusiasm and initiative which contributed to his success and so to his greatness.

Material shortcomings need not stop us from reaching our goal. Abraham Lincoln could not afford books, so he increased his vocabulary by learning the meanings of words from the old newspaper wrappings from the grocer's. Even the past poor examination results need not hamper you. Winston Churchill, a great prime minister, one of the architects of Second World War victory, writer, historian, orator and painter failed in his examinations many times and had the unsavoury experience of being detained in the same class two or three years. But his ambition made him persevere and finally succeed.

Ambition-sprung actions seem to be very light. Since the work is done in the pleasurable associations of our own desires, nervous energy expended is cut to the minimum.

Paradoxically, hard work ceases to be hard when "ambition-joined". Consider the willingness with which the Japanese sportsmen undergo the rigorous physical training.

1. liken /'la1k6n/ (v) so saùnh 2. rudder /'r^d6(r)/ (n) baùnh laùi

3. vaulting /'v0:nt17/ (adj) coù tính khoe khoang, khoaùc laùc ñeå thu huùt söï chuù yù cuûa moïi ngöôøi 4. overweening /6$v6'wi:n17/ (adj) toû ra quaù töï tin hoaëc töï cao töï ñaïi 5. worldly /'w3:ldl1/ (adj) traàn tuïc, vaät chaát 6. strew /stru:/ (v) (strewed-strewn) raéc, vaõi 7. scoff /sk4f/ (v) nhaïo baùng, phæ baùng, cheá gieãu 8. indefatigable /1nd1'f%t196bl/ (adj) beàn bæ, khoâng meät moûi 9. superstition /su:p6'st1~n/ (n) söï meâ tín 10. scepticism /'skept1s1zm/ (n) (cuõng skepticism) chuû nghóa hoaøi nghi; thaùi ñoä hoaøi nghi 11. pathogenic bacteria /p%86,d2en1k b%k't16r16/ (n) vi khuaån gaây beänh 12. unswerving /^n'sw3:v17/ (adj) kieân ñònh, tröôùc sau nhö moät 13. cubicle /'kju:b1kl/ (n) phoøng nguû nhoû 14. surmise /s6'ma1z/ (v) phoûng ñoaùn, öôùc ñoaùn

279. MY SECRET AMBITION HOAØI BAÕO SAÂU KÍN CUÛA TOÂI I may call my ambition to become a pilot a seven-years old obsession. My parents seem to have decided what my career should be. As I learn more about aircraft I become more and more interested and I believe soon I will have to disappoint my parents.

My parents want me to be something else. They have told me several times that they would like me to take up architecture. But I know that my aptitudes1 are different. My mother was very frightened ; she mentioned all the air crashes she had read about and told me that it was a hazardous occupation. My father was not concerned about the hazards and it seems he wants to realise in me an ambition which he would have nursed in his youth. My friends seem to think that being an air-pilot is as good a job as any other, but they wonder if I am suited for it. Some of my friends think that I am only interested in the idea of being a pilot, and have warned me against deceiving myself.

I should think that this idea developed in me when at the age of nine my father took me for a jolly ride on a Cessna. I still remember its name--The Sky Hawk. I watched what the pilot did from the time of take-off until landing. I then imagined myself strapped2 in the cock-pit,3 handling the controls. When an Air Show was held, I went everyday of the week to see the demonstrations. It was this air show I believe that made me more determined. I am a member of the Air-Training Corps. One of my hobbies is building model aircraft, and I have more than a dozen plastic models suspended from the ceiling of my room. I also make aircraft models with balsa wood and paper, and spend hours flying the in them open field next to my house.

I feel that I have the necessary qualities to become a pilot. My little mathematical ability should enable me to study the theoretical part of the pilot's course. I am in the science stream and the Physics I learn at school will be an advantage. My vision is 6/6 and I am above the average in height. My school has developed in me a sense of responsibility and I am safety-conscious.

I am not sure whether I would like to be a commercial pilot handling passenger air-craft or a fighter-pilot in the air force. Being a commercial pilot has several material advantages. Commercial pilots are very highly paid and are also given many fringe benefits. They can travel to all the cities that their airline serves. If they get tired of one circuit, they can always switch to another and visit all the countries in the new itinerary.4 When out of station, they are given excellent accommodation and food.

Being a fighter pilot, though it means being paid less and having less material advantages, has its thrills and excitement. Aeroplanes have always fascinated me and will continue to do so. I find myself thrilled at seeing new engines, and new control systems. I shall be able to take my craft very high and penetrate5 the atmosphere, I can dive down, make arcs and do a whole lot of other feats which I will not be able to do as a pilot officer of a commercial plane. As a commercial pilot, I would not have as rough a time as a fighter-pilot. Except for a few squalls6 and fogs and mist, commercial pilots control their aircraft with a certain amount of boredom, and the routine makes their job dull. Fighter-pilots have to keep on testing new techniques.

As other boys of my age, I have also an ambition. The realisation of it may not be possible. I have at least the satisfaction of having a goal before me and the desire to

reach it will give me sufficient motivation. I hope my ambition will remain a secret in a conventional sense at least.

1. aptitude /'%pt1tju:d/ (n) khaû naêng töï nhieân, naêng khieáu 2. strap /str%p/ (v) giöõ buoäc (ai / caùi gì) baèng daây da 3. cock-pit /'k4kp1t/ (n) khoang laùi (treân maùy bay) 4. itinerary /a1't1n6r6r1/ (n) keá hoaïch hoaëc ghi cheùp veà moät cuoäc haønh trình 5. penetrate /'pen1tre1t/ (v) xuyeân qua, thaâm nhaäp 6. squall /skw0:l/ (n) gioù maïnh ñoät ngoät, thöôøng keøm theo möa hoaëc tuyeát rôi

280. MY LIFE IN TWENTY YEARS CUOÄC ÑÔØI TOÂI TRONG HAI MÖÔI NAÊM TÔÙI Though this period of twenty years is negligibly small on the evolutionary time-scale, it is, when considered in terms of man's span of life, a considerably long period. My friends frown upon my pessimistic attitude and I shall be optimistic when I think of what life has in store for me. If everything remains equal, I would be comfortably off and be pleasantly burdened with responsibilities.

My physical energy would be very much diminished and I would have retired from football. I hope to be a veteran1 badminton player, playing doubles at least twice a week. Perhaps I would not take to golf, even if I have the opportunity, for badminton is my second passion today, football being the first. I could be mentally restless and I would have developed a few hobbies and orchid-growing will be one of them. I would be inviting friends to play bridge with me on Sundays and we would be absorbed in the game, unaware of the world around, like the lotus-eaters.2 Now I find myself wildly enthusiastic about everything I do and I have made great plans for the future. I have variously decided to become a pilot, a journalist, an officer, a teacher and a doctor. I wonder how many of my dreams will be realised. In twenty years, I shall be thirty six. At the age of thirty six, I would have chosen one occupation and stuck to it. At the moment, the prospect3 of a routine life terrifies me, but at thirty six, any other way of living would be difficult.

In spite of all my protestations of remaining a bachelor, I have a feeling that I will be married and be having children by then. I would probably have not more than two or three children. I shall probably have a couple of girls and a boy. I am not really in a position to say anything definite about the kind of woman I am going to marry. Probably I shall be married to a very quiet but intelligent woman who is very practical, efficient, understanding and realistic in her attitudes.

Perhaps I would have finally decided to become a teacher. If I would emulate my teachers I should be dedicated and efficient, preparing my lessons thoroughly and teaching effectively. I would be conscious of the teacher's responsibility for the mental, physical and moral development of the taught. I would be the badminton master of the school. If I would be a successful teacher, I would not eschew4 the idea of becoming a headmaster.

I shall have some material comforts and live a happy life. I will probably have a house of my own. I wonder what kind of magnificent television sets we will have then. There will be a whole lot of channels to choose from. It the satellite system is perfected, we shall be able to view television programmes from all over the world. I love music. I expect in twenty years, the degree of fidelity5 in electronic sound reproduction to be so high that I can actually listen to great, realistic concerts in my own room. At the rate we are miniaturising electronic combinations, I expect my entire sound system to be the size of a match box. My telephone will have that gadget that will enable me to see the person I am talking to. I wonder if domestic lighting will be the same. I can safely predict that my kitchen will probably look like some high-class science laboratory.

There will be numerous labour-saving devices that will ease our domestic burden.

Videotape recorders and regular home movies might help us to while away our time. I wonder what my car will look like.

The material comforts that I would enjoy will not make me lose my values. I will not be living in an artificial world of my own. My children would be my first responsibility and I would treasure the company of my friends and relatives.

1. veteran /'vet6r6n/ (adj) kyø cöïu, daøy daïn 2. lotus-eater /,l6$t6s 'i:t6(r)/ (n) keû höôûng laïc, keû thích nhaøn haï 3. prospect /'pr4spekt/ (n) vieãn caûnh, vieãn töôïng 4. eschew /1s't~u:/ (v) traùnh, kieân cöû 5. fidelity /f1'del6t1/ (n) (veà aâm thanh) ñoä trung thöïc

281. MY MOTHER, WHOM I ADMIRE MOST MEÏ TOÂI – NGÖÔØI TOÂI NGÖÔÕNG MOÄ NHAÁT My father who is generally niggardly1 with praise is extremely generous where mother is concerned. He spoke of her once as selfless, sacrificial and devoted and I would like to add that she is helpful and understanding. It is not unusual for us teenagers to run into little problems and then to boggle2 at them. Whatever you do, she is there solidly with you to help you. Perhaps one of the greatest things in life is to have a devoted, selfless, helpful mother and the person whom I admire most is no one else but my mother who seems to have these qualities.

There is no gap separating us, children, from our mother and we do not create that artificial barrier called the generation gap. To her I am an open book and, as a rule, I do not pry3 into her personal problems, if at all she has any. She speaks little and has a patient ear for our rigmarole.4 Our conversation, often one-sided, can be long and topics may range from the pranks of the little sister to something new in Chemistry that I learnt at school.

A quality that I admire most in her is her selfless devotion for us. Her own interests are of little importance to her where ours are concerned. The meals will be ready at the time we need. She can forego5 a good night's sleep without a murmur,6 nursing us when we are ill. Her personal possessions are meagre7 and they have to be so for in her scheme of things our interests come first. The little she seems to excel us ; she seems to take secret delight in seeing us fashionably dressed.

My mother has an undeclared philosophy and that is to use to the full one's ability and she practises it without preaching it. In spite of the domestic chores, she finds time to read and often she reads books that have an educative value. She should know about child psychology and now adolescent psychology. The culinary8 art for her is something that is to be further developed. She avidly reads health magazines as if to regulate our intake of vitamins, minerals, etc. She keeps abreast of developments, both national and international, and is particular to read the newspaper early in the morning.

She believes that our ties with relatives and friends should be maintained and makes it a point to visit them at regular intervals. Since my father fights shy of people not so close to him, I would say it is our lot, to accompany her when this tendency seizes her.

Perhaps she needs one of us as an escort, partly because tradition requires it ; it could also be because she is timid. When visiting, she ably exchanges niceties and invites them all home as if we do not give her the company she needs.

My mother does not have a black list of dont's ; she gives us freedom of speech and action ; but ensures, by what she does, that responsibility is not dissociated from freedom. At times, when we get on her nerves, she keeps a statue-like silence and the little things we do to please her and to make her break this vow of silence seem to have their sudden effect. She does not compete with us in any way and she does not believe in forcing us to study. Perhaps she feels that we emulate her and that all she wants us to do is to do our best. She does not wait eagerly at the gate to know our position in class and she learns of our performance in the examination only when we, with certain amount of pretended modesty, present our report cards for her signature.

To my father she is secretary, companion, domestic accountant - all rolled into one. Her devotion to him is typically oriental and at times it would appear that her only goal in life is his happiness. It is not unusual for him to run into a bad temper and my mother's moderating influence has a telling effect on him. He seldom talks to us, but mother as his secretary keeps him informed of our activities. My father is appreciative of her loyalty and devotion for us and as I said earlier he is rather extravagant in praising her motherly qualities.

Perhaps my mother should have her own share of weaknesses and it is not prudent to be conscious of them in one whom I admire most. I am inclined to believe that it is the mother that keeps the members of the family happily together and in this she succeeds amply and hence my admiration for her.

1. niggardly /'n196dl1/ (adj) haø tieän, keo kieät 2. boggle (at sth) /'b49l/ (v) do döï, ngaàn ngaïi (veà caùi gì) trong taâm traïng lo sôï hoaëc kinh ngaïc 3. pry /pra1/ (v) soi moùi toïc maïch, dính muõi vaøo 4. rigmarole /'r19m6r6$l/ (n) caâu chuyeän hoaëc söï keå leå doâng daøi, lan man 5. forego /f0:'96$/ (v) (cuõng forgo) töø boû, thoâi khoâng nhaän (moät caùi gì deã chòu) 6. murmur /'m3:m6(r)/ (n) tieáng laàm baàm 7. meagre /'mi:96(r)/ (adj) ít veà soá löôïng vaø toài veà chaát löôïng 8. culinary /'k^l1n6r1/ (adj) thuoäc vieäc naáu nöôùng - culinary art (n) ngheä thuaät naáu aên

282. HOUSEHOLD TASKS : WRITE ABOUT ONE THAT YOU ENJOY DOING AND ONE THAT YOU DISLIKE COÂNG VIEÄC NOÄI TRÔÏ: TRÌNH BAØY MOÄT COÂNG VIEÄC BAÏN THÍCH LAØM VAØ MOÄT COÂNG VIEÄC BAÏN KHOÂNG THÍCH LAØM I am not one of those that find happiness and delight confining themselves to the house during holidays and spending time on household chores. My brother, Paul, should be my mother's pet for in spite of his devotion to studies he finds time to help her in her household tasks. I subscribe1 to his view that all at home must co-operate in doing these domestic chores - cooking, mopping, ironing, etc, and also the task that I detest - dishwashing.

I leave most of the tasks to others to allow them to live up to2 their maxims regarding co-operation at home, but I seem to have a penchant3 for cooking and I enjoy this culinary occupation immensely. My mother is the chief at home ; but she is not only one for often my dishes, though I let myself be guided by instinct rather than by any thought or plan, turn out to be delicious and, what more, appetising even to those weight conscious members of my family. I don4 by apron on Sundays when we make sure that Mom is absolutely free from all work so that she can relieve her care-free days at least once a week. But she seems to like to be in the kitchen and help me when I cook.

Cooking, as they say, seems to have some therapeutic6 value. What I often succeed in accomplishing are preparing vegetable dishes. Washing vegetables is not a pleasure and the washed vegetables are cut and, of course, mother is by my side helping me regulate the sizes. The frying pan is kept handy and the different ingredients could be taken easily because the receptacles7 containing them are labelled. When my contraption8 is fried I become meek and speak rather pessimistically about the outcome of my enterprise. To see the contents in the frying pan change colour and turn into a dish to be served is indeed a pleasure. My experiments in the kitchen give my mother a brake from the routine, and the members of my family get something different.

I should not make the others do what I do not like. I follow this principal after meals.

After lunch, I force myself to the wash-basin in which would have piled up all the plates, cups, spoons etc. The receptacles which I had used for cooking would have found their way into this basin earlier. Like a doctor getting ready for an operation (for I am allergic9 to vim which we use for washing dishes) I put on my gloves. My innate dislike for this washing up seems to be in line with my body's chemical reaction ! I think of all the nice things I have done in the past or visualize a badminton game which I had won.

This little trick of self-deception makes me forget the tedium that awaits me. Usually it takes me a full half hour to wash and clean these dishes. In the process I would have sprinkled some water around ; hence the kitchen is to be tidied up. The washed plates are wiped and placed in the proper places. I feel a sense of relief when this post-cooking task is completed.

After siesta both these tasks are forgotten. I look forward to the next Sunday though my enthusiasm is invariably dampened by the self-imposed domestic task of dish-washing.

1. subscribe /s6b'skra1b/ (v) ñoàng yù (vôùi moät yù kieán, lyù thuyeát, v.v…)

2. live up (to sth) /l1v ^p/ (v) cö xöû phuø hôïp vôùi caùi gì; soáng theo

3. penchant (for sth) /'p@:7~@:7/ (n) söï thích thuù hoaëc sôû thích (veà caùi gì) 4. don /d4n/ (v) maëc (quaàn aùo, v.v…)

5. apron /'e1pr6n/ (n) taïp deà 6. therapeutic /8er6'pju:t1k/ (adj) thuoäc thuaät chöõa trò beänh taät, thuoäc lieäu phaùp 7. receptacle /r1'sept6kl/ (n) ñoà ñöïng, choã chöùa 8. contraption /k6n'tr%p~n/ (n) duïng cuï hoaëc thieát bò thuoäc loaïi kyø cuïc hoaëc phöùc taïp 9. allergic /6'l3:d21k/ (adj) bò dò öùng

283. WHAT I DISLIKE MOST IN PEOPLE ÑIEÀU TOÂI GHEÙT NHAÁT NÔI CON NGÖÔØI What I dislike most in people is when they do not keep their word. I have had many encounters with people who do this and I must say I find it most unpleasant.

I usually keep my word. If I find that I am not able to because of extraordinary circumstances, I make it a point to tell the person involved so that he or she will not feel let down.1 For example if I were to tell a friend that I will come to her house at 9 a.m. but cannot do so, I will make sure I let her know before that time so that she will not have to wait for me in vain.2 However, I know from experience that many people do not keep their word. I have been kept waiting a number of times by friends who said they will meet me at a certain time but come later or do not show up at all. What's worse is that they do not even apologise or say why they did not keep their word. These people then become less of a friend and more of just an acquaintance. I do not feel sorry for it. I am definitely better off without having to endure further disappointments.

It seems to me that some people simply say things without meaning what they say. They just utter words out of convenience. There is a man who replies "no problem" to any request made to him. He works as an electrician-cum-plumber. When we require his services we would ring him up and invariably his answer will be "no problem". He always promises to come the next day but almost always he fails to show up. So we ring again and he will again say "no problem" but again he will fail to keep his word.

Perhaps after a week or so he will appear to render his services. Sometimes we can wait, but more often now we get someone else to do the job. This someone else also does not usually keep his word but at least he does not say "no problem".

Then there is an uncle of mine who is just as bad. Once he borrowed my father's crashhelmet3 promising to return it the same evening. He never did return the helmet. When asked he denied that he ever borrowed the helmet. My father decided to let the matter rest as it was an old helmet not worth arguing over. It goes to show how untrustworthy a man can become. His word means nothing. It has no value at all.

I always go by the saying "say what you mean,4 and mean what you say". It seems many peole can't be bothered about saying what they mean and meaning what they say. They just say anything they like and do something else. It is impossible to trust people like this. They will let you down.

It is best that we keep away from such people. However this is almost impossible to do because the whole world is filled with them. It seems to me there are more people who do not keep their word than people who do. Perhaps this is the result of living in the modern world where people are more concerned about making money than keeping their word. Money can be kept in the bank, words can't. Money can be used to buy things, words can't.

As for me, I would rather keep my word. At least I also keep my integrity and honesty.

If I do not have these two so important things, then whatever I do in the world will only make things worse, for I will have cheated and lied. I will become just another untrustworthy person that I dislike. I cannot allow myself to dislike myself.

1. let (sb) down /let da$n/ (v) laøm (ai) thaát voïng, laøm (ai) chaùn ngaùn 2. in vain /ve1n/ (idm) hoaøi coâng, khoâng aên thua gì, voâ ích 3. crash-helmet /kr%~ 'helm1t/ (n) muõ baûo hoä 4. mean /mi:n/ (v) 1. (nhaèm) truyeàn ñaït ñieàu gì; muoán noùi; 2. coù yù ñònh gì (moät caùch nghieâm tuùc vaø thaät söï)

284. THE THINGS I TREASURE MOST IN LIFE NHÖÕNG ÑIEÀU MAØ TOÂI QUYÙ TROÏNG NHAÁT TRONG ÑÔØI Does one not really sit down and question oneself ? What is it that I hold precious ? It is a difficult question to answer because one takes so many things for granted and yet even if one of them was removed we would miss it terribly. Many people cannot do without money or the comforts which money can buy ; but I think in the long run1 these are the things one may manage without. There are other things which are indispensable and which are precious in life. Health is the foremost amongst them. One cannot enjoy anything without health. One thing is more important than health and that is positive outlook. A positive outlook is the basis of all that makes a good life. It makes a person warm and understanding, outgoing and likeable. It helps one to win friends.

It is on this base that one can build a structure of those values which have meaning in life. It is self-respect and sincerity which are important. I value my self-respect. If one lacks this respect for one's inner self, one may stoop down to the worse possible things.

The claims of one's conscience, the necessity of facing one's own self and cultivating and maintaining a sense of integrity,2 of responsibility, of truth - these are valuable in life. Take away self-respect, destroy a man's conscience and he is no better than a beast.

A man without a conscience may well become ruthless, brutal and immoral for he never feels the necessity of self-examination. Or he may stoop down to the level of selfabasement and be abject3 and servile. I value my self-respect for it keeps me upright and any day I can confront my inner self without any hesitation or qualm.4 Another thing I value is the feeling of doing something worth-while ; to have a sense of satisfaction at doing or having done a job well. It is immaterial what we do ; what matters is the amount of involvement and sincerity we bring to it. And finally the amount of satisfaction we derive from having done it well.

I also had intellectual curiosity in great respect. It is necessary to have it in some measure so that one can keep on growing and not remain stagnant. If one wants fulfilment and purpose it is impossible to derive it from a limited, daily routine.

Intellectual curiosity leads to involvement and to a widening of interests and the need to meet challenges in life. To continue living day after day in the same limited pattern is a difficult and a suffocating experience. Intellectual curiosity is accompanied by intellectual alertness and a keen power of observation. There is a great beauty and a great wealth in the world of nature ; only one should be gifted5 with observation to enjoy it.

Given these gifts one should be able to have the warmth of friends and a happy family life and these are things that I value in life.

1. in the long run (idm) roát cuïc, sau cuøng thì 2. integrity /1n'te9r6t1/ (n) phaåm chaát trung thöïc vaø chính tröïc 3. abject /'%bd2ekt/ (adj) (veà ngöôøi, haønh ñoäng, haønh vi) thieáu taát caû söï haõnh dieän; ñaùng khinh 4. qualm /kw@:lm/ (n) moái lo ngaïi, day döùt, baên khoaên 5. gifted /'91ft1d/ (adj) coù nhieàu taøi naêng hoaëc naêng khieáu töï nhieân – gift (n) naêng khieáu

285. THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF BEING A MEMBER OF A LARGE FAMILY THUAÄN LÔÏI VAØ BAÁT LÔÏI KHI LAØ THAØNH VIEÂN TRONG MOÄT GIA ÑÌNH ÑOÂNG CON In a few years, the large family will be considered a thing of the past; today it is no longer a status symbol. A large family is different from a joint family of a few decades ago. A large family may consist of the father, the mother and four or more children. A small family which, because of population increase and food shortage, is considered ideal today, may consist of the parents and two children. There are advantages and disadvantages of being member of a large family.

Growing up in a large family may develop in one discipline and a feeling for the others qualities that are desirable for good citizenship. Food and other consumer items will not be sufficient and the members will learn to share things fairly and forego little things that may not be indispensable. Everyone in the family will have his share of domestic chores to do and what he does and the problems of the parents that he is often made to feel will stand him in good stead when at last he sets up his own home. Thus the children in a large family are apt to grow up as responsible adults conscious of the needs and desires of others.

A large family will be a lively family and life at home will never be dull. There will be many to talk to and discuss with. A problem that is brought by one will be shared by all others. When one is in distress, one can be assured of warmth and affection. Every member is a distinct individual and hence the views of the different members on a subject under discussion will be different. What an opportunity to see a problem from different angles!1 The interests of the children will be different and life would be one of variety.

There are disadvantages too. When parents raise2 a large family, and are unable to discipline them, their children will become noisy, quarrelsome and vindictive.3 The father or mother can cause a rift4 in the family just by showing partiality.5 Some parents, unable to discipline their children, resort to excessive punishment which only serves to alienate the child further. There are some of the reasons which family planning associations state to show that a large family is disadvantageous.

Members of a large family may be denied the benefits of higher education. In a competitive society, children who are denied proper education, may be unsuccessful and the chances are that they would be bitter and disappointed. The helplessness of the parents and their poor financial position may have an adverse effect on the children.

The children may be denied the luxuries. Berefts of parental care, children may resort to evil ways and become social liabilities. The bitterness they develop as children will influence their attitudes and they may fail in life.

In the past, when more children meant more hands on the farm, it was advisable to raise large families. Times have changed and soon a large family will become an anachronism.6 Today our attitudes have changed and those who are conscious of the harsh realities of life are aware of the disadvantages of a large family.

1. angle /'%79l/ (n) quan ñieåm, goùc ñoä (moät söï kieän, moät vaán ñeà, v.v…)

2. raise /re1z/ (v) nuoâi, nuoâi döôõng

3. vindictive /v1n'd1kt1v/ (adj) khoâng khoan dung; haän thuø 4. rift /r1ft/ (n) söï raïn nöùt 5. partiality /p@:~1'%l6t1/ (n) söï thieân vò, söï thieân kieán 6. anarchronism /6'n%kr6n1zm/ (n) ngöôøi, phong tuïc hoaëc tö töôûng bò xem laø loãi thôøi

286. IS FAMILY PLANNING NECESSARY ?

KEÁ HOAÏCH HOÙA GIA ÑÌNH COÙ CAÀN THIEÁT KHOÂNG ?

My answer to this question is a definite1 Yes ! My reasons are as follows.

When a man and woman settle down and start having children without considering what sort of life they and the children will have, they are behaving very irresponsibly. Often the result of such irresponsibility is a family that will undergo a lot of hardship. I give an example of this.

An uncle of mine works as fishmonger. In the eight years of his marriage he already has eight children and more seem to be on the way. He can hardly make enough to feed himself and his wife. With eight more young mouths to feed it is not surprising that he simply cannot cope.

His children do not have decent clothes to wear or sufficient food to eat. They live in a squalid2 squatter shack3 near the edge of town. My mother, who is his sister, does what she can to help. However the amount of help she can give is limited for she is a housewife and my father is not too keen on giving unending assistance to someone (my uncle) who is so irresponsible. So my uncle moans about his misfortune and complains that no one wants to help him. What he will not admit is that he is the cause of his own misery. He suffers the consequences of not planning his family.

There are hundreds of families that live the way my uncle does in the squatter settlement. I have visited them on numerous occasions and have to say that they live in miserable conditions. They do not have piped water or proper drains. Basic hygiene is not observed. As a result the people living there are not healthy. The children are especially prone to all sorts of illness. My cousins seem to have perpetual runny noses and smelly bodies.

The future of these children is not bright. Without proper upbringing many of them will end up on the wrong side of the law. I know that some of the residents of this area are thugs and gangsters. Some of them have already been arrested for crimes such as drug trafficking and armed robbery. What hope is there for children brought up here ?

On the other hand one of my father's cousins is careful about his children. He only has three, all of which are given a good home to grow up in. He is by no means4 rich. He earns his living as a van salesman. The difference is that he is concerned with the quality of the children he has, not quantity. He makes sure they have enough food so eat and their well-being are looked after. The result of such care is so obvious. The children live in much better conditions. They are a joy to be with. At least there is less risk in getting some kind of sickness from them, as is the case with my less fortunate cousins.

On the whole I will say that a planned family of about two or three children is best. The children have a chance of a happy childhood. The likelihood is that they will grow up to be good responsible citizens too. In a large unplanned family the parents have not enough time to bring the chilren up properly. Besides having a difficult childhood, the chances of growing up into wrong company is very real indeed. Consequently they suffer the rest of their lives.

The signs are obvious. A planned family has a much better chance of being a happy one.

An unplanned one has virtually no chance at all.

1. definite /'def1n6t/ (adj) roõ raøng, döùt khoaùt 2. squalid /'skw4l1d/ (adj) raát baån thæu vaø khoù chòu (do caåu thaû hoaëc quaù ngheøo khoù) 3. shack /~%k/ (n) tuùp leàu, laùn, nhaø, v.v… döïng leân moät caùch sôï haõi 4. by no means /mi:nz/ (idm) khoâng tí naøo, khoâng chuùt naøo

287. SHOULD PARENTS WHO HAVE MORE THAN ONE CHILD TREAT ALL OF THEIR CHILDREN IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY ?

CAÙC BAÄC CHA MEÏ COÙ ÑOÂNG CON COÙ ÑOÁI XÖÛ VÔÙI MOÃI ÑÖÙA THEO CAÙCH THÖÙC HOAØN TOAØN GIOÁNG NHAU KHOÂNG ?

Normally parents tend to treat all children alike. They are given the same food, sometimes the clothing and very often the same time of schooling. There is nothing unnatural about it and it is as it should be. Where the family shares to a common table all shall be served the same food. Similarly in the matter of clothing children are dressed alike. This in fact helps to avoid a quarrel among the children. If say John is not given the same type of clothing as Charles, he frowns and may cry and quarrel. Where food and clothing are concerned, there need not be a separate treatment.

In educating the children, the same treatment may be all right in the lower classes. But when it comes to a matter of higher education the difficulty comes in. Children of the same parents are not alike. Even in the case of identical twins the difference is perceivable. In the case of normal children there is bound1 to be vast differences physically and intellectually. In the same family we might come across highly intelligent children as well as muffs.2 So certainly there should be different treatment for different children. A wise parent should never try to put all children into the same mould.3 The children vary in their attitude to work, study and play. One may be physically strong and prefer physical rather than intellectual work. The second may prefer sports, games and active open air life rather than classroom work. Still a third may like to read a lot. So it is for the parent to observe closely and study the attitude of individual child. Accordingly he must choose the career of the child. It is easily said than done. There are many problems in choosing what type of education the child must be given. The difficulty may be in the means. All facilities cannot be provided by the parent. That is why most parents choose the line4 of least resistance and send children to the public school or grammar school. Since these schools cannot cater to the individual needs for children, many of the children leave school as misfits5 or with an aversion for the scholastic life.

Even a discerning6 parent cannot theoretically speaking treat children differently according to their talent and capacity. Where the parent fails the Government must step in. For ideological or political reasons this is not being practised in democratic countries.

Whereas in totalitarian7 countries, the State takes a stern view of the education of children and makes them fit into the groove in which they can set themselves in. The question of a square man in a round hole may not arise. This is a very delicate question and unless the parent treats children intelligently there may be more harm than good.

1. bound /ba$nd/ (adj) chaéc chaén, baét buoäc 2. muff /m^f/ (n) ngöôøi vuïng veà, chaäm chaïp; ngöôøi haäu ñaäu 3. mould /m6$ld/ (n) (cuõng mold) khuoân, khuoân ñuùc 4. line /la1n/ (n) ñöôøng loái, bieän phaùp 5. misfit /'m1sf1t/ (n) ngöôøi khoâng thích nghi vôùi ngoaïi caûnh 6. discerning /d1's3:n17/ (adj) theå hieän söï suy xeùt thaän troïng 7. totalitarian /,t6$t%l1'te6r16n/ (adj) cöïc quyeàn, chuyeân cheá

288. SOME OF THE PROBLEMS OF LOOKING AFTER YOUNGER BROTHERS OR SISTERS MOÄT VAØI KHOÙ KHAÊN TRONG VIEÄC CHAÊM SOÙC EM TRAI HOAËC EM GAÙI Being an elder brother or a sister has its advantages as well as problems. In a big family, the elder one has to share some of the responsibilities of both father and mother. This can be looked upon1 as a necessary difficulty which one cannot avoid. For the smooth running of the family, such a service of the elder child is always expected.

Now let us see some of the problems of looking after the younger ones. They have to be kept away from the kitchen where mother is busy cooking. If you prevent them from going into the kitchen they will cry. This will disturb mother. If one or two slaps are administered, they will start screaming. The elder one is asked to dress up the younger ones about their clothes, make the task very hard and one will lose all patience. Quite often, they have to be coached2 in their school work. They won't come at all for studies when called. The elder one has to be infinitely patient. If the elder one were to lose patience, only he or she will be blamed.

Another difficulty is that the elder one cannot own anything new or attractive ; the younger ones too want to have it. It may be a pen, an instrument box or even a pencil eraser. The elder one may protest but to no avail, it will be the younger ones who will get their way.

Another trying occasion is when mother goes to a theater or visits a friend. The younger ones make a hell of that time. They will pick quarrel among themselves, fly at each other's throat, want to eat something and if they are given what they want, they will demand more of it. If they are refused they will complain to mother. The younger ones always spy on the elder one. They want to accompany the brother or sister wherever he or she goes. They will always be ready to carry real or imaginary tales to the mother.

They want to be with their elder brother or sister but at the same time they want to have their own way, they would not want to listen to their elder brother or sister.

These kinds of situations are very common in large families and only in rare instances can we find families where the children are loving and close to each other.

1. look upon (sb/sth as sb/sth) /l$k 5p4n/ (v) xem ai/caùi gì,•laø ai/caùi gì 2. coach /k6$t~/ (v) daïy (phuï ñaïo) ñeå thi kieåm tra

289. THE PROBLEM OF OVERPOPULATION VAÁN ÑEÀ ÑOÂNG DAÂN SOÁ The world today faces many problems despite the fact that is has taken long strides in science, technology and knowledge. One such problem is over population especially in developing countries. The population is growing so fast, that it grows in geometric progression1 whereas economic goods grow only in arithmetic progression2 that demographers3 say there will not be literally any standing space on earth for her teeming millions. Let us find out the causes for such a growth, the problem or problems such a growth causes and the possible remedies.

The fast growth in population can be attributed to good health, lowering of mortality rate, combating famine4 when and where it occurs. With the knowledge of science many killer diseases have been literally conquered. For instance, smallpox which used to take a heavy toll of lives has been eradicated5 from almost all countries, so too has cholera,6 plague7 and so on. Even tuberculosis8 is kept under control. The wave of flu which accounted for millions of death in 1919 was nothing but a common cold. Infant mortality has been reduced considerably by taking pre-natal and post-natal care. Child mortality is kept under check by protecting the child against tetanus9 and polio.10 Thus while the number of deaths is reduced, there is no control on birth as a result the population is increasing at a runaway speed.

Again periodic famine in certain countries used to take away the lives of thousands of people. Now with the better management of the world's food, in the matter of production, storage and distribution, no part of the world needs suffer from famine. Add to this the better methods of producing more food that are being adopted. By using better manures and fertilizers, high yielding seeds, by pest control and water management, there has been a revolution in food production. These are some positions which contribute to the growth of population.

The growth of population has its problems as we shall see. As there are more and more mouths to be fed, there comes a great strain on the resources of a country ; this is real in the case of developing countries with the result they are unable to push ahead economically. As food is not sufficient there is chronic malnutrition11 in these countries especially in women and children resulting in weaker population who would only economically be a drain on the country as their productive years will be short. As health and education are the State's affair, they affect the country's finances. So in developing countries, health and illiteracy continue to be the problem. The unwieldy growth of population leads to the problem of housing and sanitation. In many countries the slums are a sore to the eyes. Slums grow round big cities and are found with all the drawbacks.

These are the areas of disease, filth and crime.

Now people have realized the dangers of over population. Every country is caught up with this problem and population growth control has become an economic necessity. In fact it is a survival necessity. Family planning has become a household word. Though there has been objections on religious and other grounds, people have come to accept family planning as a fact of life. Some countries have taken it seriously that it has become a national effort. Through mass media people are being warned and educated.

Inducements12 are made in the forms of free treatment, earned leave and cash gifts.

Men and woman in their productive age can get themselves sterilized.13 Vast research is going on to introduce simpler methods.

Still the world may be saved from population explosion. May be there are more Green Revolution miracles up the sleeves. May be birth control miracles in the next ten years may save us. Right now the whole world seems bored with Family Planning. Can the world afford the luxury of such boredom ?

1. geometric progression /d216,metr1k pr6'9re~n/ (n) caáp soá nhaân 2. arithmetic progression /6r18,met1k pr6'9re~n/ (n) caáp soá coäng 3. demographer /d1'm49r6f6(r)/ (n) nhaø daân soá hoïc 4. famine /'f%m1n/ (n) naïn ñoùi, naïn ñoùi keùm 5. eradicate /1'r%d1ke1t/ (v) tröø tieät, thuû tieâu 6. cholera /'k0l6r6/ (n) beänh dòch taû 7. plague /ple19/ (n) beänh dòch 8. tuberculosis /tju:b3:kj$'l6$s1s/ (n) beänh lao 9. tetanus /'tet6n6s/ (n) beänh uoán vaùn 10. polio /'p6$l16$/ (n) (cuõng poliomyelitis /,p6$l16$,ma16'la1t1s/) (n) beänh baïi lieät 11. malnutrition /m%lnju:'tr1~n/ (n) söï suy dinh döôõng 12. inducement /1n'dju:sm6nt/ (n) söï thuyeát phuïc, söï khích leä 13. sterilize /'ster6la1z/ (v) laøm voâ sinh, trieät saûn

290. WHAT MAKE GOOD PARENTS NHÖÕNG YEÁU TOÁ TAÏO NEÂN CAÙC BAÄC CHA MEÏ TOÁT The bond1 between parents and children is one of love and affection, yet we come across2 people who hate their parents and also people who feel that their parents have let them down. Why is this the case ? Are these people unnatural or are they justified3 ?

Perhaps in some cases they are justified. Most men and women get married and have children but not all of them are worthy of being parents. Parenthood, like other jobs, needs devotion, dedication and preparation. Prospective parents must recognize their responsibilities and realise what parenthood4 involves.

The first essential of good parenthood is the acceptance of the role. Men who marry very young may resent their first child for it would be a rival for the affection of the lady of the house. Women may resent their first child because it suddenly puts them in a different class of women. They can no longer call their time their own. Often the newcomer may necessitate5 changes in the household routine, giving up of a job on the part of the mother and various other sacrifices. The world of affection which should surround a child should precede its birth it is here that good parenthood begins.

Fondness, however, is at no stage a synonym of pampering and spoiling children.

Parents have the responsibility of cultivating those qualities in their children which may help them to face life, make them brave and likeable human beings, impart to them a sense of integrity and strength and these lessons cannot be learnt haphazardly6 or in an erratic fashion. Parenthood is a wholetime task and the only way of cultivating the right habits is through example and by providing an atmosphere which is conducive to the growth of these qualities. A child learns these virtues at home and the influence of his parents can counteract all other influences whether good or bad.

This is the theoretical aspect ; in practice, the recipe for good parenthood is love and understanding. These two envelop a whole world in themselves. Love means love in the right degree, love which does not ignore discipline, love which does not yield for the wrong reasons and for the wrong ends, love which can provide security and confidence for the growing child, love which leads to sacrifices and makes one devote some time and join in enjoying the simple pleasure of childhood. Understanding means trying to find what the child wants and why, giving him the freedom to try new ideas, to experiment with hobbies, learn from the world of nature. Understanding in love becomes hiding one's fears and allowing the child to develop a sense of adventure and fearlessness ; it means loving without being clinging. It is not only confined to this, it extends further. It includes patience and forbearances.7 There may be occasions when a child may be afraid of things : of participation in social and public functions, of swimming, of heights and endless other things. Understanding means trying to find out the reasons for the fear and perhaps giving in for the time being and helping the child to overcome it gradually.

Whatever is of value in the human character is born out of love and understanding.

There can be no strict rules that one should say "No", or put one's foot down or allow a child complete freedom. Each situation has to be judged and examined individually and each parent has to make the decision himself. But there can be one rule : don't corrupt the child. Don't teach it to accept the second best, don't bribe it into obedience, don't be

tyrannised8 by its tantrums,9 don't blackmail10 it or allow it to blackmail you. If the child remains incorruptible, it has every chance of growing up to be a person of generosity and compassion.

Being a good parent is in itself a process of growing up. One should have the capacity to love and to love wisely ; it is this kind of person who makes a good parent. Share yourself with your children and they will love you and learn from you.

1. bond /b4nd/ (n) ñieàu lieân keát hoaëc raøng buoäc 2. come across /k^m 6'kr4s/ (v) tình côø gaëp 3. justified /'d2^st1fa1d/ (adj) coù lyù do chính ñaùng ñeå laøm ñieàu gì 4. parenthood /'pe6r6nth$d/ (n) tö caùch laøm cha meï 5. necessitate /n1'ses1te1t/ (v) baét buoäc phaûi coù, phaûi laøm, v.v…

6. haphazard /h%p'h%z6d/ (adj) böøa baõi, khoâng coù keá hoaïch hoaëc traät töï gì• - haphazardly /-l1/ (adv) 7. forbearance /f0:'be6r6ns/ (n) söï töï chuû kieân trì, söï ñoä löôïng 8. tyrannise /'t1r6na1z/ (v) aùp cheá, haønh haï 9. tantrum /'t%ntr6m/ (n) côn caùu kænh hoaëc giaän döõ buøng noå (cuûa moät ñöùa beù) 10. blackmail /'bl%kme1l/ (v) buoäc ai phaûi laøm gì baèng caùch haêm doïa

291. QUALITIES OF YOUR IDEAL WIFE OR HUSBAND NHÖÕNG PHAÅM CHAÁT CUÛA NGÖÔØI BAÏN ÑÔØI, LYÙ TÖÔÛNG CUÛA BAÏN An ideal wife or husband would be a person who is an ideal companion. Does that appear1 I am running round in circles ? No. Though the traditional role of a husband is different from that of a wife, the qualities of a person are not sex-oriented;2 they are person-oriented. What do I want in the person I marry ? My list may be a long one ; but it is sound in its priorities. I want the man I choose as a husband to be generous, to have a sense of humour and to be trusting and trustworthy. I would like to build our relationship on affection and respect and on complete frankness.3 A tall order ? Let me explain myself.

Affection and respect put together are the essence of love. They are more durable than the euphoria4 of romantic love linked to physical attraction. It is true that beauty contributes a great deal towards life's pleasantness, but unreflecting, unthinking beauty has nothing to recommend itself. What is perhaps welcome is a general smartness of behaviour and looks ; but there may be cases when this is also shelved to the background. Respect in a relationship is very important, and note I mean respect, not awe or fear or any other feeling but respect which includes self-respect and can be stretched a long way to cover the crevices5 of feelings.

I would like my future husband to be frank with me and to discuss financial, emotional and other problems with me. For if there is any ground on which I cannot tread, or any occasion when I find the door closed against me, or any time when whispered conversations take place, or papers and letters are kept away, or I look askance6 and don't get a reply, then there lies the beginning of distrust and rift. A marriage is a companionship ; it extends into old age and can mature into a relationship where words need not be exchanged and still complete understanding may exist. It is a relationship which cannot be built on lies or half-truths. When I use the word "frank" I do not only more emotional friendships though they too are included. Is it not more graceful that my friends of the days when I was not yet married be known to my husband than that I spring a surprise on him or leave him to work his imagination in different directions ?

Similarly I would like to know about my husband's friends - men and women. Frankness should extend to all money matters. I should know (and so should he) what our economic position is.

A marriage is the basis of a family ; it grows and matures and strengthens over the years. It cannot do so when the partners concerned pull in different directions. A home is a place where one feels there should be no uneasiness, no appearances to maintain, where one should feel free to express oneself and be one's own true self. This is possible if there is some basic generosity in the members of the family for generosity backs up7 the desire to understand, to be less critical and more forgiving in one's approach.

Don't you know that a grim8 man is stern and unforgiving ? There are numerous little problems which can be laughed away. At times this capacity to take things lightly, to see the funny side of an otherwise grim situation may cement9 a relationship much more than anything else. Laughter keeps one young. It is the best medicine. So let's live and laugh together.

1. appear /6'p16(r)/ (v) coù veû, hình nhö, xem ra 2. -oriented /'0:r16nt1d/ (taïo neân tính töø gheùp) höôùng veà 3. frank /fr%7k/ (adj) thaønh thaät - frankness (n) 4. euphoria /ju:'f0:r16/ (n) caûm giaùc sung söôùng vaø phaán khích maïnh meõ 5. crevice /'krev1s/ (n) töôøng nöùt, keõ hôû 6. askance /6'sk%ns/ (adv) nhìn (sang moät beân) vôùi veû ngôø vöïc hoaëc khoâng taùn thaønh; löôøm 7. back up (sb/sth) /b%k ^p/ (v) uûng hoä hoaëc khuyeán khích (ai/caùi gì) 8. grim /9r1m/ (adj) vôùi neùt maët raát nghieâm khaéc hoaëc nghieâm nghò 9. cement /s1'ment/ (v) thieát laäp (caùi gì) vöõng chaéc; cuûng coá

292. THE QUALITIES OF AN IDEAL SCHOOL PRINCIPAL IN YOUR OPINION NHÖÕNG PHAÅM CHAÁT CUÛA MOÄT HIEÄU TRÖÔÛNG LYÙ TÖÔÛNG THEO YÙ BAÏN People who are interested in education speak very often of Dr. Arnold of Eton School as an ideal Headmaster. He was good in every way as a Headmaster. Those who came under his influence became really great and famous. He contributed a lot in the field of education and every student liked to emulate him.

To be ideal principal, he must be a teacher with all the qualities that go to make a teacher. As such he must be able to teach well and know the subject or subjects he teaches thoroughly. He must have the breadth1 and depth of educational knowledge. He must be able to put across2 the subject he teaches clearly and lucidly.3 He must make the students understand for what he teaches so he has to adopt various methods. He must be well-read, thorough and up-to--date. He knows when to mete out punishment and when to approve and appreciate. He must be an artist and must have certain artistic qualities in him. Since students are bound to imitate him in everything he does, he must be a role model. He must be able to mingle with the students and at the same time he must keep his respect. He must have wit and humour. He has to be an adviser to the pupils under him.

As a principal he should be a good administrator. He must know about office routine and be able to command the respect of the office staff and teachers. He must have a sound knowledge of the maintenance of the school and its funds.

As a principal he should also be like a public relation man to maintain cordiality4 with the parents as well as the general public. Like a sage5 of ancient days, he must be able to advise the people on many matters. He must be able to occupy positions in public bodies when offered. He may be capable of guiding the deliberations of public bodies.

Without taking sides, he should be capable of enlightening the public on many matters.

Thus he is an important citizen.

He must be a model for others in everything like the village school master described by Oliver Goldsmith, "How such a small head as his could carry all he knew."

1. breadth /bred8/ (n) (veà kieán thöùc) taàm roäng 2. put across /p$t 6'kr4s/ (v) truyeàn ñaït, baøy toû 3. lucid /'lu:s1d/ (adj) roõ raøng, minh baïch, deã hieåu 4. cordiality /k0:d1'%l6t1/ (n) söï chaân thaønh vaø thaân maät 5. sage /se1d2/ (n) nhaø hieàn trieát

293. WHAT QUALITIES WOULD YOU CONSIDER NECESSARY FOR AN INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE ?

THEO BAÏN, NHÖÕNG PHAÅM CHAÁT NAØO CAÀN THIEÁT CHO MOÄT NGOÂN NGÖÕ QUOÁC TEÁ ?

The need for an international language cannot be gainsaid1 and its need has been felt more now than before. But such a language must have certain qualities so that it could be accepted as an international language. The purpose of this essay is to discuss some of those qualities.

Any language must have its own alphabets. The Roman Script in which most of the European languages are written is very convenient as it has the smallest number of letters. It is only twenty six and compared to the thousands of letters of Chinese, it is very easy to master Roman Script. But even here there are certain difficulties because all sounds could not be expressed in the Roman Script. That is why experts like Bernard Shaw suggested a forty script language. So an international language must have a small number of simple scripts and must be useful to express any sound.

Secondly it must have a rich vocabulary. There are dozens and dozens of highly developed languages in the world with their beautiful vocabulary. Some of those words, if they are already popular and could be easily understood, must find a place in the international language. These words must have the respectability capable of being used in the newspaper, in conferences and international meets. Those words must be acceptable to the people of the world, at least that educated who would be using them very often.

Thirdly it must have good idioms and expressions. Only these make any language virile2 and the international language must absorb those idioms into it so that it will be better understood in suitable form. Since in an international meet, all kinds of people from different countries would be present, the idioms must be acceptable to all and intended only for international usage. All that is peculiar to a particular tongue need not be there.

The language must be capable of being spoken and written by many, neither too hard to understand nor to simple too be forgotten.

It must not have a cumbrous3 and difficult grammar. Each language has its own rules of grammar, some of them not very logical on the face of it. For example, in English we say "I read, you read and he reads". This has proved a headache to many a beginner of English. In fact in almost all languages these peculiarities aer also found. So the international language must have a simple grammar.

The language must be capable of being used in the august assemblies of the world. But that is not enough ; it must be capable of being used by the man in the street as well ; otherwise it will become dead soon. It has been the fate of some great languages of the world, for instance, Sanskrit, which continued to be the court language and the language of the e lite4 and so it became dead. To attain an international status, it must be the language at that level. It must be used in world bodies so that translation could be avoided.

Since the international language will have to be evolved it must avoid the pitfalls in other languages. Newspapers of repute can have their edition made in the international language. Great books of the world must be translated into the international language.

The whole trouble is that a language has to evolve5 and is never made. So the birth of an international language may have its birth pangs but it may be worthwhile to make an attempt.

1. gainsay /9e1n'se1/ (v) phuû nhaän, choái caõi 2. virile /'v1ra1l/ (adj) coù söùc maïnh, coù söùc soáng 3. cumbrous /'k^mbr6s/ (adj) (cuõng cumbersome) chaäm vaø khoâng hieäu quaû 4. e lite /e1'li:t/ (n) nhoùm ngöôøi ñöôïc xem laø tinh hoa trong xaõ hoäi 5. evolve /1v'4lv/ (v) phaùt trieån moät caùch töï nhieân

294. THE SUBJECT I CONSIDER THE MOST IMPORTANT MOÂN HOÏC TOÂI CHO LAØ QUAN TROÏNG NHAÁT Of all the subjects that I study in school, I think that English is the most important subject. It is mainly through the English language that we gain access to the various sources of knowledge.

English is a language which is spoken and understood by many people in most countries of the world. It is, in fact, the most important means of communication among the various countries of the world. Knowledge of new discoveries and inventions in one country is transmitted1 to other countries through English for the benefit of the world.

In this way English helps to spread knowledge and progress.

It is true, however, that in the modern age, the study of Science and Mathematics too should be considered very important. Science has conferred many benefits on man. But it requires little thought to realise that scientific principles cannot be understood well without a good knowledge of a language. And, though other languages, such as German and Russian, are important in the world of Science, it is English that plays the most important role in spreading scientific knowledge. There is, in fact, no branch of study that has not been communicated in English. The original writings of great scientists, economists, philosophers, psychologists3 and others, who did not speak and write the English langague, have all been translated into English. Therefore, one who has a good knowledge of English has access to all the sources of information.

Further, as the English language is used by people of different lands and cultures, it has become very rich. It contains so many words, ideas and thoughts that a good knowledge of English enriches the mind and enables one to express oneself well. It also helps one to think better and to understand the people of other lands. It is for all these reasons that I consider English the most important subject in school.

1. transmit /tr%nz'm1t/ (v) truyeàn, phaùt 2. philosopher /f1'l4s6f6(r)/ (n) trieát gia 3. psychologist /sa1'k4l6d21st/ (n) nhaø taâm lyù hoïc

295. WHAT OPPORTUNITIES HAVE YOU HAD AT SCHOOL OR ELSEWHERE OF LISTENING TO AND SPEAKING ENGLISH ? HOW FAR HAVE THEY BEEN HELPFUL ? WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU SUGGEST ?

NHÖÕNG CÔ HOÄI NGHE VAØ NOÙI TIEÁNG ANH ÔÛ TRÖÔØNG VAØ CAÙC NÔI KHAÙC MAØ BAÏN COÙ ? CHUÙNG COÙ ÍCH ÔÛ MÖÙC ÑOÄ NAØO ? CAÙC THAY ÑOÅI MAØ BAÏN ÑEÀ NGHÒ ?

All the subjects in school are taught in Bahasa Malaysia except for English Language.

Thus the opportunity for using English in school is very limited. I do converse in English with some of my friends, but only with a few of them. This is because most of the others cannot converse in English.

Some of these others do not have ample command of the English Language. Yet there are others who are either too shy to speak English or they simply refuse to do so. The teachers are not much help either for some of them can hardly speak English. It is only outside school hours that I get to speak English to teachers who can do so. Such opportunities only come when we have to return to school for games or other activities.

It would be beneficial if the school could have special periods or days each week where the students and teachers are encouraged to converse in English. In that way both sides benefit and we do not have to be at a disadvantage because of our poor command of English, as is facing us now. My father's generation are proficient in English because English was the medium of instruction then. I am not saying we should go back to their time. I am just saying that we should not lose our proficiency in English and thus become handicapped when we face the outside world.

However the mass media provide much opportunity for listening to English. Television especially is very helpful. Most of my favourite programmes are in English and we hear it being spoken, although mostly by Americans. I cannot complain though for I do learn a lot from them. In fact I can see how different spoken English can be in the U.S.A, England, Australia, India, Malaysia and other countries. Though it is basically English each speaks, the pronunciation, accent and local flavour are plainly discernible.1 I can, quite accurately, tell where a person is from by listening to the English he speaks.

Unfortunately while I can hear English being spoken via2 the television or radio, I cannot speak back. So again the opportunity to speak English is limited.

I suppose I have to live with the fact that the opportunities for listening and speaking English is limited. That does not mean that I give up using English. I realise that English is a very important language in the world and it is definitely important that I become proficient3 in it. We all should be proficient in it because most of the important discoveries and advances in science, technology and other fields are available in English. So if our command of English is lacking then we will lose out and always be left behind.

1. discernible /d1's3:n1bl/ (adj) coù theå nhaän roõ ñöôïc 2. via /'va16/ (prep) theo ñöôøng (gì); qua 3. proficient /pr6'f1~nt/ (adj) taøi gioûi, thoâng thaïo

296. THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF CO-EDUCATION NHÖÕNG THUAÄN LÔÏI VAØ BAÁT LÔÏI CUÛA VIEÄC NAM – NÖÕ HOÏC CHUNG I study in a co-education school. In my class there are about twenty boys and twelve girls. We learn many things about one another in the course of being in the same class everyday. Sometimes the interaction is pleasant and sometimes not. In other words coeducation has its good points and bad points, that is, its advantages as well as its disadvantages.

The main advantage that I can see is that we learn that boys are different from girls in many ways. In short, we learn how to handle each other. Boys tend to be more physical, while girls are far gentler. However this is not a universal rule, for tom-boys1 do exist our class and they pack a harder wallop than some sissies, who also exist in our class. Anyhow I learn that the two sexes behave generally in fixed manners although there are exceptions.

I suppose this sort of interaction will come in useful in the future when boys and girls become men and women who will produce the next generations. I am a boy and I have to admit that I learn a lot about how to handle both boys and girls by being in my class. I have a friend who studies in an all-boys' school. He always asks me how I handle the girls. He is quite ignorant about girls, for I have seen him being tongue-tied2 in front of girls. None of my classmates have such a problem.

The one big disadvantage about having boys and girls in the same class is when we go for physical education. Boys and girls just cannot do the same type of exercise or play the same game together. So we need to have two teachers, one for the boys and one for the girls. Our headmaster has come up with the ingenious solution of having two classes doing P.E. at the same time so that the boys and girls from each class combine together under one teacher each.

Another advantage of a co-education school becomes obvious when the school holds the school sports, concerts and other functions. In sports a co-education school can see full participation from both sexes. Also the harder physical work of preparing for a sports meet can be done by the boys while the gentler tasks of preparing food and drinks as well as serving guests are best left to the girls. The boys and girls get to learn their social roles.

In concerts and other functions it is undoubted that both boys and girls are needed. In a co-education school there is no problem of finding the persons to take part. However in an all-boys' or an all-girls' school, they will have to "borrow" the necessary boys or girls in order to run their functions. I myself and other boys have had to go and serve our allgirls' neighbour for some of their functions. I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed my duties there, for the girls there really appreciate our help thus lavishing their attention on us. I suspect that they enjoy our being there too.

Our girls too get to go and help out at an all-boys' school. I am sure they enjoy themselves too.

I have not studied in an all-boys' school before so I do not really know what sort of situation exists there. However I would not change my place here for anything else. It is definitely better to have girls around than to see only boys everyday.

1. tom-boy /'t4m b01/ (n) coâ gaùi thích caùc troø thoâ baïo, aàm ó 2. tongue-tied /'t^7 ta1d/ (adj) im laëng vì e theïn hoaëc boái roái

297. THE IMPORTANCE OF VOCATIONAL GUIDANE IN SCHOOLS TAÀM QUAN TROÏNG CUÛA HÖÔÙNG NGHIEÄP TRONG NHAØ TRÖÔØNG The present for us is one of special significance. This is an era of changes. New patterns emerge and new ideal are proposed. The era of independence and the attendant changes have radically altered the context in which the school pursues its aims. Change which symbolizes progress demands an urgent re-orientation of the attitudes of the students towards jobs. In the process of mopping up the cobwebs of prejudice against blue-collar1 jobs and dissemination2 of occupational information, the school has to pay an important role.

In the past in the whole complex and complicated field of education there was no aspect more neglected than vocational guidance. Thanks to the dynamism and foresight of the education authorities, the student has ample opportunities to gain sufficient occupational information to equip him to choose a job that is consistent with his aptitude and general ability. The student who leaves school without at least a vague idea of the job that he would take up is apt to fall into a taste of flux and there is the danger that he may choose the wrong job and so despair. Today, the school leaver would have at least a vague idea of the job he intends taking up.

Each year, there is a large number of school-leaves. It is imporant, therefore, that young citizens should be guided to the right career when they leave school. A youth who plunges blindly into a job for which his is not suited, or for which he has no interest, can very aptly be likened to a round peg in a square hole. No country can afford to have such a state of affairs. It is, thus, of paramount3 importance that every individual is properly guided in the choice of a career so that he can contribute his maximum to society.

About two-thirds of a man's life is spent in work even in these days of automation. And, the choice of a career is certainly a delicate issue for him. Making the wrong choice can land him in a world of endless frustration ! Very often, the first job that a school-leaver gets is the one he has to stay at throughout his working career. So, unless he is content with and suited to the job he has, he will never be happy. Vocational guidance is thus important as its fundamental aim is to help the individual choose a career according to his aptitudes, interests and training.

The industries are confronted with the problem of shortage of skilled workers. This shortage of trained man-power to meet our industrialisation programme is a reflection of the inadequacies and short-comings of a past education which was ill-equipped to prepare young school-leavers with the necessary knowledge and skills for employment in industries. This problem, however, is further aggravated by certain values developed from the colonial era when many were groomed for clerical positions and white-collar4 jobs. The traditional prejudice against blue-collar jobs is still firmly entrenched. The reluctance to train for blue-collar jobs means an inadequate number of skilled workers and technicians. Such ingrained5 negative attitudes towards manual jobs indeed necessitate vocational guidance in schools.

1. blue-collar /'blu: k4l6(r)/ (adj) thuoäc veà hoaëc lieân quan ñeán lao ñoäng chaân tay 2. dissemination /d1sem1'ne1~n/ (n) söï phoå bieán

3. paramount /'p%r6ma$nt/ (adj) coù taàm quan troïng vaø yù nghóa lôùn nhaát 4. white-collar /'wa1t-k4l6(r)/ (adj) thuoäc veà coâng vieäc cuûa coâng chöùc, lao ñoäng trí oùc 5. ingrained /1n'9re1nd/ (adj) (veà thoùi quen, xu höôùng, v.v…) thaâm caên coá ñeá

298. CHOOSING A CAREER CHOÏN NGHEÀ It is not easy to choose a career today. Hundreds of students are leaving schools and universities every year to seek employment in the various professions, though employment opportunities are not increasing proportionately.1 As a result, there is a lot of unemployment.

The inability of the various professions to absorb all those seeking employment makes the choice of a career more difficult. Before one leaves school or university, one has many plans, condifent that choosing a career will not be difficult. But when the time comes to choose a career, one finds that there are others with better qualifications waiting to enter the same profession. Disillusioned2, one then looks for any kind of employment. In this way, many who wanted to become police inspectors or field assistants in the rubber estates in this country, become teachers instead, and many who wanted to become teachers, have become clerks.

The lack of institutions where people could acquire the skills necessary for a particular career, makes the choice of a career even more difficult. For example, if one desires to become a journalist, one has to receive some training and instruction in a school of journalism. But if there is no such school, one is compelled to think of some other career.

One the other hand, even if there are institutions where one could acquire the necessary skills, one may still experience difficulty in gaining admission to them because one may not have the financial resources or the academic ability. Thus, many who wanted to become doctors and lawyers have actually become clerks and teachers.

Further, even if one has all the academic and intellectual requirements for the career that one has chosen, one's temperament may not enable one to make a success of that career. Thus, many who passed several professional examinations and began their career as teachers are now working in the banks and other commercial firms.3 All this indicates the difficulty in choosing a career. Only a few are able to remain in the professions of their choice.

1. proportionate /pr6'p4:~6n6tl1/ (adv) theo tyû leä töông öùng 2. disillusioned /d1s1'lu:2nd/ (adj) bò vôõ moäng 3. firm /f3:m/ (n) coâng ty doanh nghieäp; haõng

299. I CHOOSE A CAREER TOÂI CHOÏN NGHEÀ Soon I will be joining the hundreds of school leavers to enter the world of the adults.

Childhood seems to have lasted such a short time and I wish that it could last longer, but it cannot be.

The next phase1 of my life will require that I choose a career, or at least some kind of employment so that I can become a useful member of society. This presents some difficulties.

I am not inclined towards any career in particular. Some of my friends know exactly what they want to do in the future, but most of us do not. I actually have no idea what sort of job I would like to do. Any job seems all right to me. However I have to consider my parents and I try not to displease them.

It is their wish that I become a doctor, or a lawyer at the least. I suppose those are the dreams of most parents. A doctor or a lawyer is highly respected and makes lots of money. So they are the aspirations of many young people. I have to be realistic though. I cannot becoming a doctor because I am not in the science class. So becoming a doctor is out of the question. I could study to become a lawyer, but I have absolutely no interest in law. So becoming a lawyer seems remote too.

What else could I do ? I have to list the possibilities down : teacher, banker, businessman, soldier, policeman, politician, artist, writer, journalist, sailor, interior decorator,2 farmer, race-driver - the list seems endless. Unfortunately the hippies seem to have faded from the scene. It would be an experience if I could join them for a year or two. That would make my father's blood pressure shoot up for sure. Come to think of it, my father grew up during the time when the hippies were a rage, so he might not mind.

Anyway hippies and bumming around are definitely not suitable. I have to earn some money in order to live.

If I narrow3 down the list I find that the greatest possibilities lie in journalism, writing or being a commercial artist. These three things are what I would not mind doing for a living. The other professions contain too many things I do not like. So unless I have no choice I probably would not do them.

To become a writer or an artist means that I will have to take up a course for these things. I will have to start finding out what sort of courses are available locally. I definitely cannot go overseas to do them. My parents will not be able to afford it. So immediately after leaving school I will have to make efforts to see whether these possibilities can be realised. If not then I will have to look for other possibilities.

Anyhow I feel better now after having some idea of what I can do in the future. It is still not definite what career I will take up. At least I know where to begin.

1. phase /fe1z/ (n) thôøi kyø, giai ñoaïn 2. interior decorator /1n,t16r16 'dek6re1t6(r)/ (n) chuyeân vieân trang trí noäi thaát 3. narrow /'n%r6$/ (v) thu heïp

300. WHAT CAREER WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHOOSE AFTER LEAVING SCHOOL? BAÏN SEÕ CHOÏN NGHEÀ GÌ SAU KHI RA TRÖÔØNG ?

Today, it is not easy to choose a career. Hundreds of students pass various examinations every year and compete with one another for positions in the various professions which are not so many as there are applicants.1 I would, however, like to choose teaching as my career.

Teaching is an interesting career for several reasons. As a teacher I can learn many things, especially if I teach in an upper-secondary2 school. If I teach History or English, for example, I have to read many books to make my teaching lessons more interesting to my pupils. Thus, I can acquire more knowledge of the subjects that I teach than what I can learn from the class text books. It is indeed a fact that a teacher learns a lot from the class text books ; but that is hardly enough to make the teacher's lessons interesting to pupils. A good teacher must there-fore read many other books.

Again, as a teacher, I have to speak well so that my pupils will be able to understand my instructions well. In this way I can improve my powers of expression. Even my pronunciation3 of words will improve to great extent.

Further, as a teacher, I shall have enough leisure to read and prepare for various examinations. It is possible today to sit for many important examinations by studying entirely at home. Thus, I can acquire important qualifications.

Finally, as a teacher I will be respected as an educated person. People will assume that I have certain qualifications and show their regard for me and the opinions that I express.

Thus, I shall be able to live a happy life.

1. applicant /'%pl1k6nt/ (n) ngöôøi xin vieäc 2. upper-secondary (school) /^p6'sek6ndr1/ (adj) (tröôøng) caáp ba 3. pronunciation /pr6n^ns1'e1~n/ (n) caùch phaùt aâm

301. ADVANTAGES OF LIFE AS A WAITER NHÖÕNG THUAÄN LÔÏI TRONG ÑÔØI SOÁNG CUÛA NGÖÔØI LAØM NGHEÀ BOÀI BAØN Life as a waiter has multiple advantages. Not that it is all pleasure and no drudgery. Its greatest advantage is the crowd of people one meets. As a waiter does not meet them at a social level, there is no question of being involved. Nobody seems to mind the waiter.

People sit and talk over cups of coffee and plates of sandwiches, over hamburgers and lunches and dinners and they pay little heed to the shadow figure hovering1 around their table, catering to their requirements and bringing things to and fro. They discuss business deals and family affairs ; they discuss problems, delinquent children as well as courtships and marriages. A waiter can, if he so desires, become a very knowledgeable person simply by listening to these conversations. He also learns about the happenings in town and may become the best informed person regarding the scandals,2 next perhaps only to the barber.

I took this job up as a temporary measure when I had just finished school and was on the look out for an opening. But it has so far proved fairly lucratice and I am happy and so I am still working as a waiter after four years.

We can afford to begin our day lazily for it stretches into the night. Yet we are supposed to bet no very lazy. So by nine, the day begins with cleaning and polishing of the tables and the silver. Except for one or two stray clients, the real arrival of customers is only at about eleven. For about half an hour or a little more, students from the university, businessmen, office goers, bank employees turn up. Other periods of peak activity are the lunch time from about one to three and then the evenings from six-thirty to seven or so. I don't really care very much for the rush hours in terms of work ; but it is the best time for tips3-all kinds of tips--money and information. As for work, one is kept on one's toes,4 rushing to and from and often there are quarrels and violent disagreements in the kitchen when everyone wants to get his order complied with first, when the cooks are also hot and harassed and the manager is also curt and impatient.

My job becomes very difficult at such times for inside the kitchen I have to be aggressive or the cooks would not attend to me at all, and outside the kitchen I have to be polite and courteous, the perfect gentlemen-waiter. So a complete switch-over of behaviour has to take place. But towards the fagend5 of the lunch hour, one can relax for by then only the leisurely business crowd is left. They linger over their meals when they want to strike a deal.6 It is a time that they reveal a great deal about investments.

(And one can benefit from this eavesdropping.7) Moreover, if the deal has been an important one, the host is liberal with tips.

Besides the businessmen, people who tip fairly handsomely are young lovers or a mature couple celebrating an anniversary. Never expect anything from college students.

But those in love have eyes for nothing else but each other and in their joy they want to share their happiness. Everyone loves a lover. I have often watched love travelling its normal course through desire, happiness, courting, adoration, worry and uncertainly towards love and maturity and marriage.

What I detest most is the late hour when the customers do not move, when perhaps only those who have no homes linger in restaurants. By the end of the evening, one is tired

and ready to sleep, ready also never to think of becoming a waiter. Yet the next morning the day begins and one is back at work ! This is the law of nature.

1. hover /'h4v6(r)/ (v) lôûn vôûn, laûng vaûng 2. scandal /'sk%ndl/ (n) vuï beâ boái, vuï tai tieáng 3. tip /t1p/ (n) tieàn phuïc vuï, tieàn boa – (v) boa 4. on one's toe /t6$/ (idm) saün saøng haønh ñoäng 5. fagend /f%9'end/ (n) caùi coøn laïi thaáp keùm hoaëc voâ duïng; phaàn voâ giaù trò cuûa caùi gì; ñaàu thöøa ñuoâi theïo 6. deal /di:l/ (n) söï thoûa thuaän (trong kinh doanh) 7. eavesdrop /'i:vzdr4p/ (v) nghe troäm

302. JOURNALISM1 AS A CAREER NGHEÀ LAØM BAÙO Almost everywhere who can read and write sometimes feels the urge to write on some favourite topic. But some people love writing so much that they spend much of their time in writing something on various subjects for the sheer pleasure of writing. Such people usually become skilful writers ; and if the ability to write with ease and facility was enough to achieve success in the field of journalism, many people would make journalism their career.

In countries like England and Japan, where there are hundreds of newspapers and journals, journalism is an attractive profession2. It is a very good source of income to many. But in Malaysia there are so few newspapers and journals that journalism offers almost no prospect of success. Even in England and Japan, however, many people have failed to achieve any success in this field. To be successful in journalism, one must have many other qualities, besides the ability to write effectively. One of the most important qualities is the ability to judge what the average reader likes or dislikes. If one writes for a political journal, one should have a fair knowledge of what the readers of that journal expect from it. If one writes for a women's journal, one should know almost instinctively what is readers prefer. Accordingly, the journalist should gather information from all possible sources for his articles and stories for publication. He may even have to distort or omit certain facts and information, which in his judgement may appear unpleasant to his readers. Further, if certain unpleasant facts have to be revealed to his readers, he has to employ words with such skills that his readers will take almost no offence. All these require great intellectual qualities.

Besides, to collect information, the journalist has to travel extensively and meet many people, far and near. As to much travelling involve great physical activity, the journalist has to pay sufficient attention to his health to keep himself strong. He has also to cultivate pleasing habits unpleasant circumstances. For example, if he is working for a popular newspaper, he may have to be at the scene of a battle and risk his life to send his report to his newspaper office. All this involves great personal sacrifice.

Finally, a good journalist should have a good grasp of the constitutional rights of the citizens of his country and the policies of his government. He should also know the laws of libel3 and slander4. Ignorance of any of these may lead him to make unfair criticisms and disclosures5 which may cause serious troubles in the country. Thus, success in journalism is not easy to attain, and only a few people make it their career.

1. journalism /'d23:n6l1zm/ (n) coâng vieäc thu nhaäp, vieát, bieân taäp vaø xuaát baûn taøi lieäu treân baùo chí hoaëc treân truyeàn hình vaø truyeàn hình 2. profession /pr6'fe~n/ (n) ngheà, ngheà nghieäp 3. libel /'la1bl/ (n) lôøi boâi nhoï; toäi phæ baùng 4. slander /'sl%nd6(r)/ (n) söï vu khoáng, söï vu caùo 5. disclosure /d1s'kl6$26(r)/ (n) söï tieát loä (caùi gì) cho moïi ngöôøi bieát

303. WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT "COMMERCE AS A CAREER" ?

YÙ KIEÁN CUÛA BAÏN VEÀ “NGHEÀ THÖÔNG MAÏI” ?

In all organisations commerce has an indisputable place. Where there is buying and selling commerce begins. Just like the producer, the commercial group is one of the important pillars of society. Without this groups, things cannot move from place to place and find a market. The producer will not be able to find a suitable market for his goods and wares. The consumer is assured of his product in season and out of season, thanks to the commercial people. So commerce as a profession is a must in any society.

To be successful in commerce requires a lot of training and shrewdness1 and common sense. A successful commercial man knows when and where to buy and where and how to sell. He knows also the taste2 of the people ; may be, nowadays, he creates a taste by intelligent advertisement and marketing operations. He takes a certain risk in stocking goods and for which he gets a return called profit.3 So far as it is within a reasonable range, to get and make profit is quite legitimate. The morality of huge profit is being discussed subsequently.

Commerce as a profession is rather risky as mentioned above for the simple reason that money in the form of capital will have to be ploughed in ; it must be properly utilized in buying and selling. Otherwise it would be a dead capital. There is a period of waiting in between production and sales. Even in the course of production, it may mean a long time of waiting. Raw materials will have to be handled, labour wisely managed, things produced up to the standard and the customers pleased. In between the commercial man must keep his body and soul together. So to be a successful commercial man it requires a lot of training, background and, believe it or not, a stroke of luck.

As mentioned earlier if one knows how to buy and sell, he can choose commerce as a profession. Psychologically he must have a mental equipment for success in this career.

He must be a successful mixer, a good conversationalist, and one who could argue his way without wounding the susceptibilities4 of his customer. He should be a good contact man and must be able to pinch without making the other fellow feel it. He must be aware of the possible competition and know how to pilot his wares. He must have the horse's sense. Thus to become a successful commercial man one must be naturally endowed with the qualities mentioned ; other than the required training. That is why today, business management has been raised to the level of high, sophisticated science.

Because the commercial man makes a profit he has always been looked upon with suspicion ; much more so after the publication of 'Das Capital.' There are two opinions about it and it is very difficult to reconcile between the two. But where the government themselves have taken upon production, there is nothing on record to say they have done spectacularly well. The profit motive is not such a crime provided the profit is out of all proportions. The profit motive acts as an incentive5 and there is rapid expansion of production. Suppose either Great Britain or the U.S.A. were to have become a communist country in the middle of the nineteenth century they would not have achieved many of the things they had.

Commerce appears to be a jealous profession and unless one is clever to navigate safely in turbulent waters, commerce should be given up. Governments must realize that some freedom given to the commerical people will ultimately do good to the country. They

should realize it is the commercial man who feeds the coffers6 of the government much more than any other class in society.

1. shrewdness /'~ru:dn1s/ (n) söï saéc saûo vaø khoân ngoan, linh lôïi 2. taste /te1st/ (n) thò hieáu 3. profit /'pr4f1t/ (n) lôïi nhuaän 4. susceptibility /s6sept6'b1l6t1/ (n) tính nhaïy caûm, tính deã xuùc caûm 5. incentive /1n'sent1v/ (n) söï khích leä, ñoäng vieân 6. coffers /'k4f6z/ (n) kho baïc

304. OLD AGE AND YOUTH TUOÅI GIAØ VAØ TUOÅI TREÛ Everything that begins will surely end. That is an indisputable fact of living. All of us were born into our bodies some time ago, and some time ahead our bodies will surely die. In between birth and death we go through many periods where our bodies change slowly but impereptibly. Youth and old age are but1 two of the distinct periods that many of us go through, the exceptions being the ones who die before they can complete the normal course of living.

The differences between youth and old age are obvious. A young man is usually full of vigour and energy. His body is in its prime and he can do anything that requires physical strength easily. Usually youth is the time when young men and women look the most attractive. Their skin shines with the glow of life. They are drawn to each other and eventually pair off to produce children of their own. They are full of hope for a wonderful life together. They laugh, sing and seek all sort of things to enjoy themselves with.

Old age is a totally different matter. An old person no longer possesses the vigour and energy of youth. Physical exertion is out of the question. Even climbing the stairs can be impossible. Wrinkles and age-spots ravage2 the once-smooth skin. The glow of life is gone and the body is no longer attractive. In fact it can even appear repulsive.3 The magnetic attraction for the opposite sex fades, memory fails, and possibly senility4 sets in. For most old people laughter is rare and hopes are dashed. The future is only the grave.

Examples of these vast difference between youth and old age are my grandparents. I had, on occasions, gone through the family album. Inside the album, in black and white prints are photographs of my grandparents. My grandfather was a handsome young man and my grandmother was not unlike the many pretty girls I meet on the street. I am sure my grandfather was a strong man judging by his considerable muscles in the photographs. Grandmother's skin was smooth and fair.

That was many many years ago. My grandfather is already in his grave and my grandmother is in her late seventies. I remember just before he died a few years back, he was a bent old man withered with age. He could not walk after having a stroke.5 He either lay in bed or had to be pushed around in a wheelchair. It was quite unbelievable that the handsome young man in the photograph became the helpless cripple. Time really changes everything.

My grandmother is still living, but what a hellish life it is for her. She has become what we might call senile. She cannot remember simple things like where she left her comb.

Also she gets upset because she knows she cannot remember and keep saying how useless she is now. We, the younger ones, try to help her as much as we can, but she, despite being old, is very stubborn. Sometimes she does remember bits and pieces of things but she cannot put them in any logical order. This adds to her confusion. All we can do is to attend to her daily needs and keep an eye on her so that she does not endangers herself. Sometimes I wonder how could such a pretty young thing turn into such a helples old woman. Again times changes everything.

In my youth then, I see that I am headed for old age. If I live to see my old age, I would not like to end up like my grandparents. However I do not know if this is for me to choose or not. Only time will tell.

1. but /b^t/ (adv) chæ 2. ravage /'r%v1d2/ (v) taøn phaù 3. repulsive /r1'p^ls1v/ (adj) gaây ra caûm xuùc gheâ tôûm 4. senility /s1'n1l6t1/ (n) tình traïng laõo suy 5. stroke /str6$k/ (n) côn ñoät quî (cuûa naõo)

305. THE PROBLEMS FACING OLD AND YOUNG IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING SOCIETY NHÖÕNG VAÁN ÑEÀ ÑAËT RA CHO LÔÙP GIAØ VAØ LÔÙP TREÛ TRONG MOÄT XAÕ HOÄI ÑANG THAY ÑOÅI NHANH CHOÙNG We are living in a world which is characterized by change. Generally speaking, the change has been towards progress. Change and progress have created certain problems that confront both the young and old. Old values stand at a discount and new values are accepted, though with reluctance. Social life has become complex and new social problems have cropped up.1 The change has been so rapid that many find themselves in a state of flux.2 The head of the family who traditionally enjoyed importance at home, now finds that much of it has whittled3 away. He has to respect the view of others at home and has to recognise their attitudes and manners. Reason, he finds, has substituted, to a large extent, tradition and obligations. He can no longer impose his will on others and where conservatism has got the better of him, he feels dejected and ignored. This sense of loss of position and importance can have bad psychological consequences.

The old have to change their attitude towards jobs. They find that in the rat race, they have to learn and equip themselves with necessary skills if they want to compete. The experience that they have gained at a particular job can no longer be equated with security and promotion. They have to compete with those equipped with new knowledge and expertise.

The old have to accept the changed values, and values prescribe certain principles of personal and corporate conduct. As society changes, values change and thus changed values would imply changed morality. But one must hasten to add that the basic values of the present generation are not different from those of the earlier. Corruption is not justified on the ground of changed values. But our attitude towards elders, jobs, the family etc. have changed and the old find it difficult to accept them. With the disappearance of the extended family system, the old family ties a pre-eminence of the oldest members, the old are often left in the home of the aged. The old find it difficult to reconcile themselves to the situation. The old feel that the young do not understand or appreciate their values and attitudes.

Young people today experience problems which were unheard of before. They are often branded4 as a generation with no respect for anyone. The information they have gathered about the problems of growing up make them feel more about them and they demand sympathy and understanding. To them the problems are genuine and the old ignore them. In their search for solace5 and comfort, they value the company of their peer-group more than the affection of parents which is often not demonstrated. They are often driven off their homes, often there develops a conflict at home, the parents enforcing discipline and the children asserting their independence.

The undue importance given to material wealth makes the parents search it at the expense of their parental obligations. Money becomes an obsession and the children are left uncared for. Parental attention and affection are important in developing welladjusted individuals. Bereft6 of these, the children despair and are apt to develop anti-

social habits. Parents desire their children to accomplish ambitions beyond their ability and when their attempts are thwarted7 both the parents and children feel frustrated.

We are living in a fast changing world. The developments in the last three decades or so have transformed traditional life patterns. The rapidity of this transformation requires man to be adaptable and this need for adaptation creates problems for both the old and the young.

1. crop (up) /kr4p/ (v) xuaát hieän hoaëc xaûy ra baát ngôø 2. flux /fl^ks/ (n) tình traïng khoâng oån ñònh 3. whittle (away) /'w1tl/ (v) daàn daàn giaûm ñi 4. brand /br%nd/ (v) cho laø, quy laø 5. solace /'s4l1s/ (n) söï khuaây khoûa 6. bereft (of sth) /b1'reft/ (adj) bò maát (naêng löïc hoaëc khaû naêng) 7. thwart /8w0:t/ (v) caûn trôû, ngaên caûn

306. THE IMPORTANCE OF A UNIVERSITY EDUCATION FOR WOMEN TAÀM QUAN TROÏNG CUÛA VIEÄC GIAÙO DUÏC ÑAÏI HOÏC CHO PHUÏ NÖÕ The university education as compared to the general education in the secondary school stands as a class apart. Whereas the aim of the secondary school education is to give a general knowledge to all, the university education, helps specialization in various faculties. Besides this, of course, there is the life which is lived by the alumni1 which goes to improve the character and outlook of the life of the student. It was the tradition of great universities like Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard that their dons received not only a degree but also a hall-mark2 of quality.

Till recently university education was the preserve of men folk and to see a woman in the university was strange. But now the universities have opened their doors to women students. There is no department of study where women do not compete with men. Even in faculties like engineering and law which were entirely men's preserve, have yielded to women. Women have understood the need for higher education and there has been an awakening among them.

It will be worthwhile to study the importance of a university education for women.

There are many influences working in favour of women seeking higher education. First and foremost is the political awakening. In all countries women have been enfranchised3 and so women are entering politics in large numbers. There are women Prime Ministers today. So politics gave incentive to the impetus4 for women seeking higher education. Politics helped them, in fact, shake off the feminine reserved nature and they came out of the cloistered5 life.

Further, old customs and traditions that kept women bound to their kitchen and thought that sewing and stitching were their occupations were broken. Mingling with young men in the colleges was no more a hindrance or an anathema in women seeking higher education. Women have begun to seek career and marriage was no more the be-all and end-all of their lives. To be successful in a career, naturally higher education was sought after. Further the value of higher education for women began to get recognition, though slowly.

A university education for women has its own values as it renders them useful citizens, helpful wives and mothers and very often useful neighbours and sometimes good social workers. Since women are equal to men according to any modern constitution, they form the major bulk of the electorate. They, more than their menfolk exercise their franchise wisely and independently and can also occupy seats of importance.

Any day an educated wife and mother is an asset to family. They may lighten the burden of the husband by taking off his shoulders some of the financial commitments.

They may give him good company by discussing intellectual topics and share the finer things of life. Children are the ones that gain really ; for, an educated mother looks after the education of her children. Her influence will be really greater than that of an uneducated mother. Even in the matter of running the household she will be found more rational6 than the uneducated mother.

Yet there is another value which is derived from their university education apart from entering a career in times of need, such as the desertion of the husband, when the woman can stand on her own feet and look after he children.

But wisdom calls for a different type of curriculum for women. The education which women get at the university should be complementary to what men folk get there, rather than being a rival to them. So far, this aspect has not been fully appreciated, though it is so apparent.

1. alumni /6'l^mn1/ (n) (snh. cuûa alumnus) nguyeân nam sinh tröôøng phoå thoâng, cao ñaúng vaø ñaïi hoïc 2. hall-mark /'h0:lm@:k/ (n) daáu hieäu xaùc nhaän tính öu tuù 3. enfranchise /1n'fr%nt~a1z/ (v) cho (ai) quyeàn chính trò, nhaát laø quyeàn baàu cöû quoác hoäi 4. impetus /'1mp1t6s/ (n) söï thuùc ñaåy 5. cloistered /'kl01st6d/ (adj) taùch bieät, aån daät 6. rational /'r%~n6l/ (adj) saùng suoát, hôïp lyù

307. "WOMEN SHOULD BE RESTRICTED TO WORK CONNECTED WITH THE HOME AND CHILDREN. THEY SHOULD NOT ENGAGE IN POLITICS, COMMERCE OR INDUSTRY." HOW FAR DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT ?

“NEÂN GIÔÙI HAÏN PHUÏ NÖÕ TRONG NHÖÕNG COÂNG VIEÄC CHAÊM SOÙC NHAØ CÖÛA VAØ CON CAÙI. HOÏ KHOÂNG NEÂN THAM GIA VAØO CAÙC LÓNH VÖÏC CHÍNH TRÒ, THÖÔNG MAÏI HOAËC COÂNG NGHIEÄP”. BAÏN ÑOÀNG YÙ VÔÙI QUAN ÑIEÅM NAØY ÔÛ MÖÙC ÑOÄ NAØO ?

The given statement might have been correct long ago, perhaps till the end of the last century. In so far as the family was the unit and the bringing forth and rearing of children rested on the women's shoulder-her place was always relegated1 to the home.

She played many roles, none of them demanding. She was the housewife, mother, manager of the household and the first educator of children. Her minor role as a knitting women or a washer woman was recognized but not mentioned.

Those days are gone and nobody who is educated and civilized looks upon woman as a doll to be kept at home at the will and pleasure of men folk. Of course there are exceptions in certain societies where the in-laws play a dominating role. With the education of women and the change in economic status, women are enjoying a lot of freedom. There are many up and coming women in the world in recent times. Women are in politics today and some have gone to become Prime Ministers.

There has been strong resentment2 among the women, about the way they have been treated. There is the women's liberation movement called Lib Women. One of their major platform is equality of status, equal pay for equal work and the security.

Some old societies still treat women as chattels3 who could be easily disposed of. In very primitive societies even today women are treated as a commodity which could be bought and sold and even loans are raised on the security of women. These are far and few between. At the other end of the scale some women want complete freedom to live as they please. They want to have freedom of sex and don't want to be bound by wedlock. This is only an extreme view and not so common even among those who vociferously cry for women's freedom.

Women have all along been treated as a weaker sex. The connotation changes from person to person. Physically of course they are not as hardy as men but that doesn't mean they don't have a strong heart. In fact they are stronger than men in certain aspects in that they are able to stand physical hardships. In their make up they are equipped for certain nature's ordeals which men are not subjected to. Whether they like it or not, generally women have more to do with children especially in their infancy and early childhood. This makes women distinctly different from men ; their being soft and kind need not be taken for their weakness. If they appear weak sometimes it is to maintain the dignity of family life, so that children do not become a bad copy of the mother.

Motherhood is so sacred that trying to tamper4 with it in the name of5 the lib movement would make society wild and disorganized.

Women's finger of accusation in the matter of employment and security is correct. There are jobs and jobs but only a few of them are really suited for women. Take for instance, mining, lumbering and fishing. These are definitely men's areas. But where women can

be employed let them have their chance. Where they are employed they have definitely proved better than men.

What makes women appear in bondage is the tradition and culture. Man is the only animal who has got the institution of marriage. Marriage is not for simply the propagation6 of life but its main aim is the preservation of stock, safety of children and their upbringing. Marriage is not a contract which can be dissolved at one's whim and fancy. Unless it is looked upon as a bond of love for life, children will suffer first and society ultimately. Some of the western societies are paying the price heavily for their free notions of marriage.

Menfolk themselves are not so free. Wherever they work they find opposition, injustice and exploitation. The mental strain which they bear is heavy, which women at home are spared from.

Under the present laws of the world, no nation bars employment to women in the name of sex. Nowadays we find women in many walks of life which were once the preserve of men.

1. relegate /'rel19e1t/ (v) haï taàng; chuyeån xuoáng moät nhieäm vuï, tình traïng thaáp hôn 2. resentment /r1'zentm6nt/ (n) söï phaãn noä, söï böïc töùc 3. chattel /'t~%tl/ (n) ñoà vaät, vaät sôû höõu 4. tamper (with sth) /'t%mp6(r)/ (v) can thieäp vaøo 5. in the name of sb/sth (idm) nhaân danh ai/caùi gì 6. propagation /pr4p6'9e1~n/ (n) söï nhaân gioáng

308. WOMEN SHOULD BE PAID THE SAME WAGES AS MAN PHUÏ NÖÕ PHAÛI ÑÖÔÏC TRAÛ LÖÔNG NGANG VÔÙI NAM GIÔÙI The equality of women with men is a new concept and has been raging for sometime now. It was an article of faith that women were subservient1 to men and were glad and happy to play their role at home and to preside2 over the destiny of the household. They were happy to bring up a healthy family and see their sons and daughters well placed in life. They looked after many chores of the house and it came naturally to them. Quite recently indeed when women began seeking career, the question of equality and the equal wages for the same work as men do, has come up.

Women were looked upon for long as weaker sex and they were to be protected by men.

History has it in abundance to prove this. In peace and war, and in councils it was men who had wield3 power though there had been case of brave and wise women who could decide the fate of a country. But it was far and few between. Now that women have taken to careering ; their equality has come up and we find women in factories and offices working along with men. Hence it is only natural that they demand the same wages.

The case against them is that they are physically weak and so cannot do the same quantum4 of work as men. But it has not been proved in practice. Whenever women are found to be more efficient and capable they deserve better attention. They do work neatly and quickly too because by nature women are fastidious.5 As a rule whatever they do, they do it better and in a nicer way. This fact cannot be shrugged off.6 Another reason why women are preferred to men nowadays is they are not distracted so easily and are not so argumentative as men. At the worst in bad situations they resort to tears whereas men start fighting.

If women are paid less, it may be because people feel they are not as productive as men. It may be because they get tired easily and cannot work longer hours as men.

Another reason is the mobility in women from one work to another, or from one place to another. Hence the employer manipulating this situation, bargains to his advantage. The clamour for equal wages for equal work has not only caught the imagination of women but also men and has been gaining momentum. It is only natural they should ask, for their rights to be recognised without any insidious distinction between men and women especially in the matter of wages at public level, that is, in the government. So more and more women are seeking careers which were once the preserve of men folk. But the distinction of the sexes is certainly still prevalent for those in private employment. This, one may hope, is to become a thing of the past. In fact, because of their concentration and nimble fingers in certain industries, women are preferred to men, for instance, in the electronic industry. One thing is certain that it should be a case of division of labour and not competition, so that it would not tell on the social fabric of the future society.

1. subservient /s6b's3:v16nt/ (adj) phuï thuoäc 2. preside (over sth) /pr1'za1d/ (v) ñieàu khieån hoaëc chòu traùch nhieäm veà caùi gì 3. wield /wi:ld/ (v) naém trong tay vaø söû duïng 4. quantum /'kw4nt6m/ (n) phaàn; möùc, ñònh löôïng 5. fastidious /f6'st1d16s/ (adj) khoù tính, keùn choïn 6. shrug (sth off) /~r^9/ (v) boû qua (caùi gì) vì khoâng quan troïng

309. SHOULD MARRIED WOMEN GO TO WORK ?

PHUÏ NÖÕ ÑAÕ LAÄP GIA ÑÌNH COÙ NEÂN ÑI LAØM KHOÂNG ?

The question whether married women should take up jobs or not has attracted much attention lately and there are sensible reasons for advocating1 both the courses of action : going to work and not going to work. It would be fair to assume that this is by and large a middle class problem. Amongst the working class there is no taboo2 on women whether married or single - taking up jobs outside the home whether it is in the field or the factory. It is a normal practice for women to be helpmates in earning money. As working has ordinarily been associated with the need to earn money, the problem has not arisen amongst the rich classes. This question, because it is associated with the middle class, has two important aspects to it : first, the notion of respectability which hinders women from taking up jobs once they are married ; and second, taking up a job means spending time away from home and may thus interfere with the smooth running of a household and the bringing up of children.

When men feel that their wives should give up a job simply because of marriage, the idea strikes one as ridiculous. This kind of an attitude detracts3 from the pleasure of doing a job for its own sake and reduces it to a merely material contract. When a married woman takes up a job, why should it reflect on the husband's ability to maintain her and his family or affect adversely his sense of respectability ? Working outside the home besides providing an opportunity for self-expression also helps in the growth of personality. It gives a woman a much-needed sense of independence and self-reliance.

Some men also object to their wives taking up jobs because they feel that when women work in offices or libraries they have to mix with other men and this somehow sullies4 them or poses a threat to their integrity. This is not really so and most balanced and mature women should be capable of taking this in the stride. And even if this is true then the remedy does not lie in segregating women from men or treating them as a different species but in educating menfolk towards decent behaviour. If a man respects his wife and the other women he meets or works with, this problem of social behaviour would be solved.

As long as working outside the home is not detrimental5 to the health of the lady concerned there is no harm in working. It is true that tradition has defined the role of a woman as a mother and as a wife and many women grow up to think that their sole duty lies within the house but in the present day circumstances this is no longer practicable.

Besides economic help which a working woman provides, there is an extra dimension to her character which makes her a better wife and mother. Because a working woman comes into contact with the outer world and is likely to have wider interest ; she can help to create a healthy atmosphere in the home. With her increased knowledge and better understanding she can also make a better mother. A woman who has to stay away from her home for considerable stretches of time and who has only limited time for her children will ordinarily try to do her best for them and to make the best of her time with them. If she has some imagination she can do a great deal for them.

Women need jobs as much as men for a well-organised home does not need the housewife's presence the whole day long and children also grow up, go out to school and later to work and they get married, thus leaving a big gap in the mother's home. Thus

marriage and motherhood have no right to enslave a woman for a lifetime if they cannot provide the necessary degree of response. A job becomes a burden when it is undertaken under compulsion, or in ill-health, or if it makes claims which are difficult to fulfil. Otherwise work should be pleasure. Married women may find it difficult to take up jobs when they have very young children. In order to help solve this problem many employers are willing to provide part-time jobs and are also willing to allow two women to share one job. With the growth of opportunity many married women have been able to start small industries or business which need not take them away from home. With most governments insisting on limited families and with husbands willing to share household duties, the present age is prepared to accept a married woman who works.

And women themselves with better educational opportunities are willing to accept the challenge of a job alongside marriage.

1. advocate /'%dv6ke1t/ (v) uûng hoä 2. taboo /t6'bu:/ (n) ñieàu caám kî 3. detract /d1'tr%kt/ (v) laøm giaûm giaù trò 4. sully /'s^l1/ (v) boäi nhoï 5. detrimental /detr1'mentl/ (adj) coù haïi

310. LIBRARIES THÖ VIEÄN Books cost a fortune and this means that not everybody can afford to buy many useful reference books. There are many people who crave for knowledge but are unable to satisfy their needs due to lack of money. Libraries can help solve this problem.

Libraries are important to people whether it is a developed or developing country. Wellmaintained libraries in each town are gift to the people. It is very much a basic need for students ranging from the primary school children to the college students. The public too can make use of the library for a leisure reading and to gain more knowledge thereby making good use of their free time.

A well maintained library should have a wide selection of books. They should have books on almost all subjects such as science, literature, English, art, history, philosophy, engineering, medicine, technology, etc. In addition, newspaper, magazines and periodicals should be available. Hard cover1 story books, paperback2 novels, plays, should also be available in abundance. They should be neatly arranged by sections and labelled3 easy access.

Singapore is a model country where everything is properly planned. Each town has its own library which is in turn controlled by the National Library of Singapore. In addition professional bodies and councils have their own libraries catering to their own need.

The National Library of Singapore serves the people of all age groups. Ranging from children to senior citizens, separate facilities are provided. The current best sellers, periodicals, magazines from local and oversea publishers are also available in the National Library. Hence the people should make use of the library to gain more knowledge.

1. hard cover /h@:d 'k^v6(r)/ (n) bìa cöùng cuûa moät cuoán saùch 2. paperback /'pe1p6b%k/ (n) saùch bìa meàm 3. label /'le1bl/ (v) daùn nhaõn

311. THE IMPORTANCE OF READING TAÀM QUAN TROÏNG CUÛA VIEÄC ÑOÏC SAÙCH Reading has at all time and in all ages been a source of knowledge, of happiness, of pleasure and even moral courage. In today's world, with so much more to know and to learn and also the need for a conscious effort to conquer the divisive forces, the importance of reading has increased. In the olden days if reading was not cultivated or encouraged, there was a substitute for it in the religious sermon1 and in the oral tradition. The practice of telling stories at bed time compensated to some extent for the lack of reading. In the nineteenth century Victorian households used to get together for an hour or so in the evenings and listen to books being read aloud. But today we not only read, we also want to read more and more and catch up with the events taking place around us. The various courses and classes being conducted in rapid reading support this belief.

The amount of reading one should get through is of course nobody's business. There is no end to it for there is a variety of subjects to read about. The daily newspaper or the popular magazine, while discussing topical issues and raised controversies,2 also provokes thought and throws light on human nature. It brings the news of wars, rebellions, organisations, political stances, heroic deeds etc., together and helps knit a world of some sort. There is then the serious reading undertaken for research and for satisfying one's longing for knowledge. It may be a subject of scientific significance, or a subject of historic or philosophic importance - varying according to the taste of the person. This kind of reading disciplines the mind and trains one for critical and original thinking. There is yet another kind of reading - reading for pleasure. Though serious reading is also a source of pleasure, reading which is devoted mainly to it differs in one respect. It grows upon one, it gives before demanding and it soothes and relieves tension and loneliness. The only kind of reading which neither stimulates thought nor provides knowledge is one which is approached negatively, with the simple motive of escape and of "killing" time.

A person who is widely read is able to mix with others ; he is a better conversationalist than those who do not read. He can stand his ground. Reading broadens the vision ; it is in a way a substitute for travel. It is not possible to travel as much as one would like to and reading can fill in the gap created by the lack of travel. "Reading" - as Bacon wrote in his essay, 'Of Studies' - "maketh a full man ; conference a ready man ; and writing an exact man". Thus a widely-read man is a better conversationalist and is able to see the other point of view.

Literature is a form of art which can cross barriers and if one does not know the language in which a piece of literature is written, one is willing sometimes to learn it.

Even if one does not learn a language, one reads the literary work in translation. This contributes to the growth of understanding and tolerance amongst people. Reading also helps one to see the present in relation to the past and the future, and thus develop a historical perspective.

Care is needed to ensure that reading does not become a substitute for real life. The moment one ceases to enjoy the ordinary pleasures and happiness of life and is content

to enjoy them vicariously3 through fictional and historical representations, one loses all the benefits of reading and loses contact with life.

With the cinema and television taking up a great deal of attention of children, teenagers and even adults, the habit of serious reading is dying down. People are content to read abridged versions, see films, go through illustrated comics and be content. But just as reading should not become a substitute for the joy of living or drive out the other forms of entertainment, other substitutes should not be accepted for the pleasure of reading which lies in the act itself. One may be selective, may be discriminating but no one can afford to shut himself off from this rich and evergrowing world of literature.

1. sermon /'s3:m6n/ (n) baøi thuyeát phaùp, baøi thuyeát giaùo 2. controversy /'k4ntr6v3:s1/ (n) cuoäc tranh luaän coâng khai veà vaán ñeà gì maø nhieàu ngöôøi khoâng ñoàng tình 3. vicarious /v1'ke6r16s/ (adj) thay cho - vicariously /-l1/ (adv)

312. "A NOVEL IS INTENDED FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF THE READER, NOT FOR HIS EDUCATION" ? DISCUSS “TIEÅU THUYEÁT CHÆ NHAÈM ÑEÅ GIAÛI TRÍ CHÖÙ KHOÂNG COÙ TAÙC DUÏNG GIAÙO DUÏC” ? HAÕY THAÛO LUAÄN Enjoyment is something sensuous,1 that is, the enjoyment comes through the sense organs. For example, we enjoy food when our tongue recognizes the taste and then mind registers it. When either of the two is not functioning, we cannot enjoy food. This so happens when the tongue is dull because of cold or indigestion or when the mind is occupied elsewhere as when one is angry or sad. One enjoys music because he has trained his ear to do so. Where there is no experience there can't be real enjoyment. An unpleasant experience can in the same way drive away enjoyment.

With the above as an index let us see how one reacts towards a novel. There are personalities, life situations, human feelings and conflicts of interests and so on. In these the reader may, perhaps, see a projection of the world he has seen and known. If he is familiar with many of them he enjoys the novel. He may be interested in following the course of action, the plot2, the climax3 and the end. Here he is like a spectator who follows the career of a sportsman. His emotions are highly strung in so far as the sportsman is in action and once the man retires, the spectator almost forgets him or remembers him only when a similar situation crops up. So just as one enjoys a cup of tea or a whiff of cool breeze one may enjoy a novel. At a higher level one may enjoy the art of the novelist, how deftly he creates and caricatures his characters, how he mocks at the ways of the world and so on.

Now what is education ? Education draws the best powers in the individual and trains him to desirable levels and degrees. In fact, this is the real meaning of education which means to draw forth. Man is born with instincts, emotions and sentiments. These will have to be properly chanelled and developed. So situations are created in which education takes place and capabilities are improved.

In this sense a novel does not educate. Novel may bring wider experience but cannot claim to develop capabilities. The language ability may develop but not in all who read novels. It does so only when a novel is read with a purpose, as a piece of literature in connection with a course of study ; otherwise the novel doesn't educate. Novels may again make a man reflective and that is because of experience and not because of education.

Still a student of literature may study novels for his education. People were educated even in ancient times but the novel is a comparatively new-comer in literature. So this makes it clear that novels are intended for the enjoyment of the reader and not for his education.

1. sensuous /'sen~$6s/ (adj) aûnh höôûng ñeán giaùc quan, do giaùc quan ghi nhaän hoaëc gaây thích thuù cho giaùc quan 2. plot /pl4t/ (n) coát truyeän 3. climax /'kla1m%ks/ (n) cao traøo (cuûa moät coát chuyeän, moät vôû kòch, v.v…)

313. "GREAT LITERATURE BELONGS NOT TO ONE AGE BUT TO ALL AGES; NOT TO ONE COUNTRY BUT ALL COUNTRIES." DISCUSS. “TAÙC PHAÅM VAÊN HOÏC VÓ ÑAÏI KHOÂNG THUOÄC VEÀ RIEÂNG MOÄT THÔØI ÑAÏI NAØO MAØ LAØ THUOÄC VEÀ MOÏI THÔØI ÑAÏI; KHOÂNG THUOÄC VEÀ RIEÂNG MOÄT QUOÁC GIA NAØO MAØ THUOÄC VEÀ TAÁT CAÛ CAÙC QUOÁC GIA”. HAÕY THAÛO LUAÄN. Literature, a narrative1 of human events, reflects all the hopes, emotions, feelings, sorrows and frustrations that men have had in the course of their long struggle for survival in this beautiful world. Its appeal is therefore universal.

Since the time men learned how to read and write, some people have always felt the urge to exercise their literary skills for the sheer pleasure of writing. Fascinated by the beauty of language and ideas, many scholars, since the dawn of history, have engaged themselves in exploring new avenues of thought, and in the process contributed to the production of great literary works. The sufferings of humanity have also contributed their share in impelling2 writers in all lands to write in the most vivid and expressive language.

As man is the theme of all literature, any great literature is appreciated in all countries, at all times. The works of great writers, such as Homer and Shakespeare, have indeed become immortal3 for their universal appeal. They have been read for centuries in all countries. Such writers have revealed human nature to all generation of men. It is now realised that the fundamental emotions and desires of men are same everywhere, thought they may be divided by race, language and culture. Even their problems are the same. An Asian has the same problems of obtaining food or of providing for his family as a European has. Both laugh at and cry for the same things. The recognition of these facts has increased the feelings of oneness among the people of the world.

The ideas that have been expressed by great writers have influenced the people of all countries. When a good idea is expressed by a writer of one country, it is absorbed by people in many other lands. The ideas that the Greeks had centuries ago on a government and society have continued to influence the minds of men till this day. In the same way, the literature of many other countries has influenced the thinking of the peoples of the world.

Great literature reveals the common ties that exist among men. By emphasizing the bonds of sympathy between men, it helps the people of one country to look with affection upon the people of another country, and makes men conscious of their common destiny. For this reason, many great works in one language have been translated into several other languages. This had the effect of promoting better understanding among the people of the world and widening the mental horizons of men.

There is therefore a great urge today to read the literature and history of all countries.

Thus, there is much truth in the statement that "Great literature belongs not to one age but to all ages ; not to one country but to all countries".

1. narrative /'n%r6t1v/ (n) caâu chuyeän keå 2. impel /1m'pel/ (v) eùp buoäc hoaëc thuùc giuïc ai laøm caùi gì 3. immortal /1'm0:tl/ (adj) baát huû, baát töû

314. WHY IS IT THAT A PLAY CAN TELL A STORY IN FAR FEWER WORDS THAN A NOVEL ? ILLUSTRATE YOUR ANSWER WITH REFERENCE TO PARTICULAR PLAYS AND NOVELS TAÏI SAO KÒCH NOÙI LAÏI COÙ THEÅ MOÂ TAÛ MOÄT CAÂU CHUYEÄN VÔÙI ÍT LÔØI LEÕ HÔN TIEÅU THUYEÁT ? HAÕY MINH HOÏA CAÂU TRAÛ LÔØI BAÈNG NHÖÕNG TAÙC PHAÅM CUÏ THEÅ ?

The fundamental difference between a play and a novel is that in one the actors present themselves and act and speak what is in the play. In a novel except for the contrived1 conversations it is only a narration. The flesh and blood have to be supplied by the novelist to create an atmosphere. In a play emotions are almost seen (even while reading) but in a novel they are not specially displayed. In a play, the events are not isolated islands ; one sees the direct link. In a novel one has to go about looking for the events. If a single illustration could help, it is like this a play is like being at a shop and the novel is like going to a shop. The things are there in the one instance and in the other one has to visualize and wait to move. They play has a more direct appeal to our senses than the novel.

There is a famous lore2 in "Julius Caesar". The conspirators struck Caesar and among them was Brutus, the one time friend of Caesar. When Caesar saw Brutus striking him he said, 'Et tu Brute ! Then falls Caesar'. He dies so saying. These six words describe the whole world of relations between the two and the emotions involved. If it were to be a novel, the whole situation may require not six words but six pages. At the hands of Scott, Hardy and others it would have taken even a whole chapter.

Again let us look at the pitiable. Othello who had murdered his wife out of jealousy.

Having killed her, he says in self pity, 'I have no wife'. Those who have been following the play thus far can easily understand Othello's mental torture. These words would be meaningless in a novel unless discription followed as to how he wept, howled and tore his hair. The play shows the act but the novel only describes.

"Oliver Twist" is a powerful novel indeed and Dickens has shown his deft3 hands there ; but the same in the form of a play is more powerful. Just imagine the scene where Oliver asks for more. Dickens has, in fact, made it more dramatic ; but the scene in a drama can be shorter and more effective. The play allows you to visualize and almost you are a party there but it is different in the case of a novel.

Satires,4 puns5 and jokes are more poignant6 in a play than in a novel. We enjoy a Falstaff, a Touchstone or a Jaques in their flesh and blood in the play. There is some identity and there is sympathy. In the play you are not told certain things but you are an unconscious actor; never so in the case of a novel.

In the play the climax is worked out very quickly and one need not wait for hours to see the end coming. You sense it and is ready for the end to come. In the case of the novel the climax and the end are far apart. This can be seen in "Hamlet", "King Lear" or "Machbeth".

In a novel small things do not play any role at all as in the case of a play. A handkerchief, a chain and a flower may be almost a character. Thus the handkerchief plays a role in Othello, the chain in "As You Like It".

Comparison and contrasts are brought out efficiently in a play not so easily in the novel.

Characters small and big are there to see side by side, one acting as a foil to another.

Thus we find in Adam, the old servant of Orlando who is faithful and the treachery of Oliver.

In short, a play while it economises on words can illuminate the characters much better than the characters in the novel. While a novel is like an intricate canvas with all its magnificance, only an art critic can appreciate and comprehend. A play is like the laughter of a child or a tear in the eye of one's beloved which requires no explanation.

1. contrived /k6n'tra1vd/ (adj) hö caáu, khoâng gioáng thöïc teá 2. lore /l0:(r)/ (n) kieán thöùc vaø truyeàn thuyeát (veà moät vaán ñeà gì) 3. deft /deft/ (adj) kheùo leùo 4. satire /'s%ta16(r)/ (n) söï traøo phuùng, chaâm bieám 5. pun /p^n/ (n) söï chôi chöõ 6. poignant /'p01nj6nt/ (adj) chua cay, saâu saéc

315. "READING MAKETH A FULL MAN, CONFERENCE A READY MAN AND WRITING AN EXACT MAN" (BACON). WHAT INFLUENCES DO YOU THINK READING, CONVERSATION AND WRITING HAVE IN MAKING YOU A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD ? “ÑOÏC LAØM CON NGÖÔØI HOAØN THIEÄN, NOÙI NHANH NHAÏY, VIEÁT CHÍNH XAÙC” (BACON). THEO BAÏN THÌ ÑOÏC, NOÙI VAØ VIEÁT COÙ NHÖÕNG AÛNH HÖÔÛNG GÌ TRONG VIEÄC GIUÙP BAÏN TRÔÛ THAØNH MOÄT COÂNG DAÂN CUÛA THEÁ GIÔÙI ?

The major aim is to become and be a citizen of the world. One may be a citizen of a town or city or country. That is easy because the spirit of the place grows into one's own blood as it were. Thus one can be easily a Malaysian, an American and so on. But to be a citizen of the world it calls for a much more broad outlook, deep understanding and a judicious appreciation of other cultures. Very few people could claim to be a citizen of the world. But there have been and there are people who have reached that height. If we analyse and study their lives we could see how their education, interactions with others and writings have made them citizens of the world. So let us see the role played by reading, interactions and writing in the make up of the citizen of the world.

First of all take the case of reading. One reads for pleasure, for understanding or for improving his stock for knowledge. What we read in the school or college or professional institutions is only the beginning and they show and guide what and where to look for. For example specialists like doctors, lawyers or engineers cannot be content with what they have studies in their colleges. Unless they study professional publications later they cannot be up to date. Thus a lawyer may study law reports ; a doctor may study professional magazines and monographs.1 For pleasure we read a lot in our own mother tongue and in other languages as well. The companionship of books is the best that one could look for. Books may please you but never offend you. The reading may be light as a weekend magazine or it may be a masterpiece. One may read materials pertaining to his profession or personal interest ; he may also read books on other areas for fun. Thus one may read books on dozens of different interests and this reading surely goes to make him a full or an all-round man. Such people of wide knowledge are really useful.

Very few peopl are good conversationalists though there are many well-read men. To be a good conversationalist, one requires certain qualities. Basically one must be a good mixer;2 in other words one should like to socialise3 and have the gift of the gab.4 He must be a good conversationalist and listener and must never be offensive or must not wound the feelings of the other. At a higher level when a man meets others in conference he learns a lot from them. To be a success at a conference one must have the ability to put forth his arguments forcibly and logically and convincingly. He must have the patience to hear the other man. He must grasp the other man's point of view quickly and reply. This makes one a ready man.

Coming to writing, we write when we cannot directly converse or talk to. In writing, words are recorded and once the writing goes out of one's hand and reaches the other person it becomes a record. The right word in the right place shows the depth of knowledge of the writer and his penmanship. One may write simple, loving family letters, serious stories, poems, dramas, business letters and short articles. What ever is

written, the flow of words shows the man. You must write what you want to express in plain, straight forward language avoiding redundancy. In conversation one may be wandering ; digressions are permissible but in writing each word or sentence must take you forward. We can see this in the great essays of master writers. The power of the written word has been proved in the great books of the world. From the Bible to the Communist Manifesto we find the effect of the written word. The compactness, the exactness, the sequence of logic, all these make good writing. The more one writes, the more chastered he becomes like the polishing of a precious stone.

So to be a good citizen of the world one must read a lot, one must learn from companions and one must write. Then can he become a full, ready and exact man.

1. monograph /'m4n69r@:f/ (n) chuyeân khaûo 2. mixer /'m1ks6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi hoøa ñoàng 3. socialise /'s6$~6la1z/ (v) hoøa nhaäp vôùi xaõ hoäi 4. to have the gift of the gap : coù taøi aên noùi; leùm; beûm meùp

316. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER TRI THÖÙC LAØ SÖÙC MAÏNH In general it is true that the man who knows has an advantage over the man who does not know. The educated classes1 have always been able to rule the ignorant.2 This can be illustrated in various ways.

Physically, man is one of the weakest of animals. Without the wonderful tools he has invented, he cannot fly like the birds, he cannot run like the horse. He has no weapons of defence like the tiger's fangs3 and claws, and he is no match for4 the lion and bear in strength. Yet he conquers all these strong and fierce beasts, and forces some of them to be his servants. His superior intelligence and knowledge make him the master of creatures physically his superiors.

In the same way, and for the same reason, civilised nations dominate and enslave ignorant races. A handful of Europeans in Africa controls millions of African savages. It is their superior knowledge, and the weapons, organisation and character which that knowledge has given them, that gives them power over these races which are physically their equals.

In the Middle Ages in Europe, only the educated men were the priests. Great barons, brave knights, ruling princes and kings very often could not even read and write. In consequence kings had to appoint priests as their ministers to carry on the government of their country. Unless the king was a man of very strong character, the power, nominally his, was in the hands of the clever and learned priests. The soldier, the man of the sword thought he was the master : but he was really in the hands of the priest, the man of the pen. The same was the case in India. The learned Brahmins were for ages the real rulers in Indian states, and dominated all lower castes.

Today, in Europe and America, education is so universal that even the working classes are educated people. As they have advanced in knowledge they have advanced in power : so that now the people of these countries rule themselves, and are no longer under the domination of priests and kings.

1. the educated class /'ed2j$ke1t1d kl@:s/ (n) giai caáp trí thöùc 2. the ignorant /'19n6r6nt/ (n) keû ít hoïc, ngöôøi doát naùt 3. fang /f%7/ (n) raêng nhoïn coù noïc ñoïc 4. no match for /m%t~/ khoâng ñuoåi kòp; thua xa; khoâng xöùng

317. A MAN WOULD REACH A GREATER HEIGHT IF HE HAD MORE DEPTH. DISCUSS THE VIEW CON NGÖÔØI COÙ THEÅ VÖÔN ÑEÁN ÑÆNH CAO NEÁU COÙ ÑÖÔÏC CHIEÀU SAÂU. HAÕY THAÛO LUAÄN QUAN ÑIEÅM NAØY To understand the meaning of height and depth we have to study them separately. Let us take the question of depth first and see what it consists of. The depth here refers to the depth in faculties. Physical faculties are just as desirable as mental faculties. Mental faculties consist of intelligence and intellectual abilities. While these faculties are naturally found in some, they can be nurtured in many.

In the nurturing process of man, education plays an important part. Education is exactly drawing the best out of one. Good education provides opportunities for developing one's intellectual faculties. The more one learns from his teachers and books the more one becomes intellectual. The quick grasp, the ability to digest and the capacity to integrate the new with the old, are the intellectual faculties. Newton saw the apple falling just like anybody would have done but his enquiring mind did not stop there. In this he could find and answer why the planets and other orbs are kept in position and so he gave the law of gravitation.1 Fleming saw a mould in the culture solution which was inhibitive2 to the growth of microbes.3 This led to the discovery of Penicillin which revolutionized the whole thinking in medicine and become the fore runner of many antibiotics. With the growth of an enquiring faculty, depth in knowledge grows.

Knowledge must be applied and that is intelligence. This faculty is inborn but surely it can be developed. Without intelligence mere intellect would be like a body without life.

One should learn from examples and to act intelligently. It requires quick perception and decision. Only those who could decide and act can become leaders. If such decision is for the good of many, then such leaders become great indeed. Great decisions have changed the course of history. Washington, Lincoln, Gandhi and others had made historic decisions which have made them near and dear in their countries.

Knowledge of men, material and manner, knowledge of the working of mind and knowledge of how one would react under certain circumstances, are some areas where one must have competency to become great. We may add the depth of understanding.

This makes one human. With understanding one can avoid conflicts and one is able to resolve difficulties. This human element is very often found in great people.

Now we shall discuss what is height. The height here however does not refer to physical height. It is the height of glory, fame and name that is meant here. The way to such eminence4 is not paved with soft, well-ordered stones. The path is hard and one will have to work to reach that height. If one has the many faculties mentioned above and applies them in the right place at the right moment, one can reach the height. Some having the depth do not reach the height because they fail to take the tide. There is a tide in the affairs of men which taken at its height will take him to eminence ; failing which he will be lolling5 in the trough6 of despondency. Dash and drive are needed to reach the height.

So, with proper development of one's intelligence and intellectual faculties,,one could hope to reach great heights.

1. gravitation /9r%v1'te1~n/ (n) löïc huùt, troïng löïc 2. inhibitive /1n'h1b1t1v/ (adj) ñeå ngaên chaën, ñeå kieàm cheá 3. microbe /'ma1kr6$b/ (n) vi khuẩn, vi truøng 4. eminence /'em1n6ns/ (n) söï noåi tieáng hoaëc xuaát chuùng 5. loll /l4l/ (v) buoâng lôi, thaû troâi 6. trough /tr4f/ (n) vuøng loõm giöõa hai ngoïn soùng

318. "IT IS ALWAYS A PITY WHEN A MAN'S EDUCATION ALIENATES HIM FROM HIS OWN PEOPLE." DISCUSS THIS STATEMENT IN THE LIGHT OF1 YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE “THAÄT ÑAÙNG TIEÁC KHI SÖÏ GIAÙO DUÏC CUÛA MOÄT NGÖÔØI LAÏI TAÙCH BIEÄT NGÖÔØI ÑOÙ RA KHOÛI NHÖÕNG NGÖÔØI XUNG QUANH”. HAÕY THAÛO LUAÄN YÙ KIEÁN NAØY DÖÏA TREÂN KINH NGHIEÄM CUÛA CHÍNH MÌNH. The statement assumes that when a man is educated it alienates him from his people.

Let us look at how well educated he is. Education is not merely getting certain diplomas and degrees. Education is to civilise the man and to draw the best in him. It must result on an all-rounded personality, physically, mentally, intellectually, morally and spiritually. He is humble, readywitted, able to look after himself and others, can act as the occasion demands, morally upright and can be useful to himself and to others.

What do we see today ? The so-called educated class display their snobbery.2 They form a class apart from others. They think they know too much and they should not be found in ordinary man has no place. The so-called educated is good at quoting from books and papers he has read. His morals are only superficial.3 The fruit of his knowledge does not normally filter to the ordinary level. So the fruits of his knowledge are no more fruits since they do not reach the common man for further propagation. This snobbery is seen even among the members of a family, especially when the son educated in a college begins to look down upon his own parents and their ways of life. The life in a hostel does not normally improve the character of a student.

Hostel is after all a place where one pays for the services, and having enjoyed certain conveniences, the educated boy or girl returns home only to find things very different.

He cannot adjust himself to the common surroundings since he has had a taste of the artificial world outside. Thus the educated man is an alien in his own home and familiar surroundings.

In most contries the type of education given is only to fit the student for a particular job ; very rarely is education given to fit him for life outside. Very often a student going to a western country tries to ape the habits, way of life and puts on artificial way of talking.

In order to overcome this lopsided development, educationists from Rousseau downwards have recommended methods where the child will learn in a natural atmosphere instead of being pulled out of it. The glamour of studying abroad is always attractive. There is a need for change in the philosophy of education so that the life's purpose may be made clear and the objectives or goals reached.

1. in the light of (idm) vì caùi gì, döïa treân caùi gì 2. snobbery /'sn4b6r1/ (n) söï maøu meø, söï hôïm hónh 3. superficial /su:p6'f1~6l/ (adj) noâng caïn, hôøi hôït, thieån caän

319. VOLTAIRE SAID : "ALL MEN ARE EQUAL ; IT IS NOT BIRTH BUT VIRTUE ALONE THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE". DO YOU AGREE ?

VOLTAIRE NOÙI: “TAÁT CAÛ MOÏI NGÖÔØI ÑEÀU BÌNH ÑAÚNG; KHOÂNG PHAÛI DOØNG DOÕI MAØ CHÍNH ÑAÏO ÑÖÙC ÑAÕ TAÏO NEÂN SÖÏ KHAÙC BIEÄT”. BAÏN COÙ ÑOÀNG YÙ KHOÂNG ?

The statement is clear and easy to see as the palm of one's hand unless one is stone blind. Before arriving at a conclusion, let's examine the statement in greater detail and depth.

All men are equal in what ? They are all equal as an organism. From the way they are conceived until death, in the physical form and growth, the man follows the same time table. Differences there are ; but they are only quantitative, for instance one may be taller than the other ; the second weigh more ; the third may eat more. But basically there is no difference for they eat alike, breathe alike and the functions of the body are like. His faculties are almost alike; given the chance and training all can use his or her hands and feet to the same advantage. What a white man can do, a coloured man can do with equal grace. In creativity man has shown the same aptitude in all climes and countries. So, as a creature, men are all equal.

But birth makes a difference in this world. We find the rich and the poor, we find the forward and the less developed. This difference is being brought about more by circumstances rather than by the physical act of birth. The same child will behave differently in different places according to how and under what influence it has been brought up. Two children of the same parents will grow and behave differently if they are separated from birth and are brought up in different environments. The differences brought about thus are sociological. Children brought up in an ideal classless society may not feel the difference created by birth or circumstances. Colour of the skin or hair may be looked upon as something useful for identity as birth marks.

Differences created by birth have always led to conflicts. The high and low, the haves and have-nots are some such differences we see today in our society. The law of inheritance, the law of property and the ownership rights all create problems. In a world where man is free to think and act, these differences are explosive in nature and are at the bottom of social upheavals.1 History is replete with such instances. The so called civilization is nothing but the tidal waves caused by such upheavals on the sea of humanity. Anyway there is no meaning in differences caused by birth.

But there are real areas of difference among men. Sociologically we may try to put all men under the same roller and flatten them all out of shape. We may give them equality in every aspect of life; there may be no rich or poor ; there may be no classes, the owners or the owned. All men share the fruits of their labour equally. This society is possible theoretically.

But there is an area where differences do exist and in the long run they count. This is what Voltaire calls virtue. Virtue, briefly means, the good qualities of head and heart. It is a strange phenomenon of nature that these qualities do not develop in the same way on all. Even in the same family the traits do not run the same way. One is noted for virtue while the other is far from it. Even in twins the differences persist.

How are these differences brought about ? Still we are probing2 to find the answer.

Nature and nurture have been found to play a prominent role in the formation of these virtues. Nurture much more than nature has a great part to play in developing the virtues. Chance and circumstances go a long way in developing the virtues. Uproot3 a child from its bad surroundings and transplant it in an area where it will come across virtuous men and their deeds, then it is quite possible the child acquires all virtues. The exception is also possible but the exception only proves the rule.

Circumstances develop the virtue in men as could be seen in the great lives of the Buddha. Jesus Christ, Emperor Asoka, Emperor Akbar and so on. In the great story of Les Miserables by Hugo we find how the virtue of a man can be completely reformed by fortuitous4 circumstances.

Only the differences of virtue will sustain. The other differences of birth, caste5 or creed6 will be forgotten because only the men and women of virtue stand apart like stars in the firmament guiding the fate of men and nations. They are like the beacon of light in the surrounding gloom ; their lives, their words and deeds bring solace to millions. They shape the course of a people and they alone in the right sense make history. History is not the battles won or the treaties made but it is the battle between vice and virtue and good and bad, where virtue ultimately wins. The cross has a greater meaning than the Taj Mahal. At all times and in all climes virtues have led people from destruction to salvation. So it is not birth of men but it is the virtue that makes the real difference.

1. upheaval /'^p'hi:vl/ (n) söï buøng noå, söï bieán ñoäng 2. probe /pr6$b/ (v) xem xeùt kyõ; thaêm doø 3. uproot /^p'ru:t/ (v) buoäc ai phaûi rôøi boû nôi ñaõ sinh ra hoaëc ñaõ oån ñònh cuoäc soáng 4. fortuitous /f0:'tju:1t6s/ (adj) xaûy ra moät caùch tình côø hoaëc truøng hôïp ngaãu nhieân 5. caste /k@:st/ (n) cheá ñoä ñaúng caáp 6. creed /kri:d/ (n) tín ñieàu, tín ngöôõng

320. JOHN MILTON SAYS : "CHILDREN SHOW THE MAN, AS MORNING SHOWS THE DAY." TO WHAT DEGREE DO YOU THINK IT IS TRUE TODAY ?

JOHN MILTON NOÙI: “TREÛ EM LAØ DAÁU HIEÄU CUÛA CON NGÖÔØI CUÕNG NHÖ BUOÅI SAÙNG LAØ DAÁU HIEÄU CUÛA NGAØY”. THEO BAÏN, CAÂU NOÙI NAØY ÑUÙNG VÔÙI XAÕ HOÄI NGAØY NAY ÔÛ MÖÙC ÑOÄ NAØO ?

The famous quotation from the pen of the famous author speaks of the importance of children. To understand the full implication, the simile1 must be understood. The implication appears to be that the early signs and symptoms are the pointers to future growth. How far ? That is the purpose of this essay.

What the morning is may be the indicator of what the day is going to be. If it is bright and clear, a warm clear day may be indicated. It will be otherwise if it is cloudy, dull or foggy with child winds blowing. So it is common to judge the day from the morning.

This need not be the whole truth ; for what promises to be a bright day may suddenly become windy and cloudy followed by rain. Perhaps Milton's knowledge of weather is confined to England, for his prophesies2 would prove false in the tropics or near the Equator where the clouds, rain and sunshine can play havoc. The conditions of the morning may prove deceptive and change from being bright to dull and vice versa. So one cannot lay hope on the signs of the morning for what may follow in the day.

This is true in the case for children. There are cases of children who were dull in their childhood days and later on proved to be brilliant scholars. The opposite is also true in the children who proved brilliant in their childhood and had gone on to be dull. For instance, Napoleon was never so brilliant as a child nor was M.K. Gandhi and both of them became notable figures in history. Robert Clive was dull as a boy but later in his life he was able to build an empire.

Early brilliance is only an indicator that the child may prove to grow great and brilliant.

But circumstances may change and environment too which will tell on the growth of the child. It may be a physical ailment, a bereavement3 in the family, a change of circumstance in the fortunes of the family and many others which could intrude upon the growth of the child. In the adolescent age, the bad influence of parents and the company in which the child finds itself may corrupt it.

A case in point is the refugee problem. Tragedy is played that way sometimes and children who have witnessed horrors at their doors get hardened and change their chracters.

There are other influences nowadays like the television, books and magazines, companions and prevalent thought. Due to the bad influence and example of companions, a youth may turn out to be hippie throwing away all decorum. The brilliance of youth will have no chance of free growth and sunshine in totalitarian states.

Witness the world today. The free movement of men, thoughts and manners nowadays have a great influence in the moulding of the character of youth. In a traditional society things went on smoothly. Now the changes brought about by science and technology are cutting as under the roots which bind the society together. With the rift in the society, the youth is the first casualty.4 Though it is true to say that the seed shows the tree, how healthy and well the tree grows depends on many other factors. So too in the case of the child. The signs of

brilliance seen in one's childhood may not ensure bright manhood or womenhood because life is subject to mutations5 over which very rarely the individual may have any control. Thus the statement is only partially true.

1. simile /'s1m6l1/ (n) söï ví von, söï so saùnh 2. prophesy /'pr4f6s1/ (n) lôøi tieân tri 3. bereavement /b1'ri:vm6nt/ (n) tình traïng maát ngöôøi thaân 4. casualty /'k%2$6lt1/ (n) naïn nhaân 5. mutation /mju:'te1~n/ (n) söï thay ñoåi, söï bieán ñoåi

321. "HE ALONE CAN COMMAND WHO KNOWS TO HOW TO OBEY." HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THIS MAXIM ?

“NGÖÔØI TA CHÆ COÙ THEÅ RA LEÄNH KHI CHÍNH MÌNH PHAÛI BIEÁT VAÂNG LÔØI”.

BAÏN GIAÛI THÍCH THEÁ NAØO VEÀ CAÂU CHAÂM NGOÂN NAØY ?

The success of a society depends on the co-ordination between the various components which make up that society. This involves some command from some which has to be carried by some or many. As the saying goes no man is an island, nor is everyone having the same talent in the same ways. It is nature's order that a few could think and plan while others must execute. Then can society be stable and function for long.

It is a question of leadership. There are very few leaders but most of them are developed. Accidents find them in positions where they could develop into leaders. But in those positions they should learn from others until in their own day, they could bloom into leaders.

Great men of industry, great doctors and great lawyers have come up the hard way.

Usually they are all apprenticed to a big one from whom they learn the art of their respective trade. They may have the basic knowledge and they may know all the fundamentals but these do not make them leaders. They have to work under a senior and gradually they evolve.

This apprenticeship calls for humility, hard work, sustained interest and above all obedience. Obedience is to obey. So the apprentice has to obey his master. Juniors under a lawyer plod long hours so that they can master the intricacies1 of law. Young doctors have to sweat and labour in an operation theatre such that they may become successful surgeons later. Great soldiers learn the first lesson of obedience as soon as they wear the uniforms and for them obedience is the first and the last word. There is no profession like that of a soldier where unquestioned and unstinted2 obedience is called for. The great generals then and now ought to have learnt the value of obedience the harder way. Leadership needs discipline and dedication.

These people know the value of obedience. They know how thing may go wrong if obedience is lacking. It was said of a business magnate3 that he insisted on all those who worked under him to be punctual. If anyone was later he used to fine them. If he himself was not punctual he would pay the fine from his pocket and thus he was able to set an example.

There is a great story of a King. Once he was on his rounds in the night in disguise to see that miscreants4 were not on the prowl.5 He heard a man and woman talking in a house. He had prior information that the man of the house was away and that the fidelity of the woman was questionable.6 He knocked at the door of the house and to his surprise he saw the man of the house there. Apoligizing, the King returned to his palace.

The next morning the man came to the King and complained that a man came and knocked at his door the previous night and requested the King to punish the offender.

The punishment, according to the law of the land was to cut off the hand of the culprit.

The story goes to say that the king cut off his hand immediately. That shows even a king must obey.

It is clear from the above that those who would command must know how to obey before they can expect other to obey.

1. intricacy /'1ntr1k6s1/ (n) ñieàu, söï vieäc, v.v… raéc roái, phöùc taïp 2. unstinted /^n'st1nt1d/ (adj) khoâng giôùi haïn, khoâng haïn cheá 3. magnate /'m%9ne1t/ (n) oâng truøm (nhaø coâng nghieäp giaøu coù vaø nhieàu quyeàn theá) 4. miscreant /'m1skr16nt/ (n) keû coân ñoà, keû laøm ñieàu sai traùi 5. prowl /pr6$l/ (n) söï rình moø 6. questionable /'kwest~6n6bl/ (adj) ñaùng ngôø

322. LEADERSHIP THUAÄT LAÕNH ÑAÏO Ours is an organized society and any organization, for the accomplishment of its objectives, requires efficient leadership. Efficient dedicated leadership and resources, both natural and human, are requisites for a nation to develop and progress. The days when people could be driven are long gone and today people are led. An educated and sophisticated group of people need an intelligent and forward-looking leader. The students have their teacher to follow, the family, the father, and the nation, its political leader.

The leader is the symbol of unity. The British Crown is symbolic of the links that bind the members of the Commonwealth.1 It is often leadership that strengthens an organization and makes it vigorous and viable. Often, when a leader is discredited, the organization is thrown into a minor tumult2 and rival leaders vie3 to checkmate one another. Where the leader is not acceptable to the majority, the members will be divided, and a fragmented organization will be an ineffective one.

In school, the Principal is the leader of the teachers and the students. Where he fails, the mental, physical and moral welfare of the students will be neglected. The teachers look up to their Principal for guidance and leadership. Having won the confidence of the teachers, he is able, with their help, to create an ethos which is so vital to the effective functioning of the school. In the church the congregation receive their spiritual guidance from the priest. At home, the head of the family would be able to foster in the children the virtues that he displays.

Leadership should be dynamic and forward-looking. The leader should be able to adapt his policies to the changing circumstances and find new solutions to old problems. When he is conservative and unwilling to change because of his traditional beliefs, he becomes ineffective as a leader and loses his hold on his members. The smug satisfaction which a leader enjoys when he comes into the lime-light should not make him complacent and idle. By his dynamism, new followers are to be won and opponents transformed into friends and followers. He should be quick to abandon out-moded and decadent ideas.

A leader should be patient and tactful. A leader in a hurry often fails. A leader should be aware of the susceptibilities of his people and should not jibe4 at their weaknesses. The measures that he adopts should not run counter to their beliefs and customs for the success of any plan depends on the involvement of the majority of the members.

Arbitrary5 decisions can lead to failure. A leader should be resourceful and must be capable of sound judgement. He must be tolerant of the weaknesses of others and should be prepared to accept criticism.

Leadership should be efficient and intelligent. A good academic qualification is a "sine qua non"6 of leadership. The intellectual acumen that usually goes with a high standard of education is necessary to find solutions to the many problems that he meets with.

Almost all leaders have the gift of the gab. With the ability to speak fluently and impressively he is able to win over his members and influence their thinking.

Leadership should not be corrupt. A mercenary is easily spotted and isolated. Corruption precedes decay and disintegration. The leaders that shine forth in the political horizon

today are those who have forsaken selfishness and self-interest. To be admired more at home the leader should be admired abroad.

Bereft of an efficient, honest, intelligent leader, a nation falls divided and an association or an organization becomes static. Where the very existence is threatened, a dynamic and efficient leader can create calm out chaos and help the nation to progress.

1. the Commonwealth /'k4m6nwel8/ (n) khoái thònh vöôïng chung (goàm Vöông quoác Anh vaø moät soá quoác gia ñoäc laäp) 2. tumult /'tju:m^lt/ (n) söï naùo ñoäng, söï hoãn ñoän 3. vie /va1/ (v) giaønh giaät (caùi gì vôùi ai) moät caùch quyeát lieät 4. jibe /d2a1d/ (v) (cuõng gibe) gieãu côït, cheá nhaïo 5. arbitrary /'@:b1tr6r1/ (adj) chuyeân quyeàn, ñoäc ñoaùn 6. sine qua non /,s1ne1 kw@: 'n6$n/ (n) ñieàu kieän thieát yeáu, caùi caàn thieát

323. DISCIPLINE1 KYÛ LUAÄT Discipline mean the learning to obey certain necessary rules of conduct.2 The very essence3 of discipline is obedience - obedience to rules ; and the word is derived from "disciple"4, a learner, pupil or follower of a teacher. We may discuss the question from two points of view ; the discipline, or training of an individual, and the discipline, or order, maintained in a society or body of individuals.

The training of a child is a good example of discipline in the first sense. The first lesson it has to learn is obedience ; and then it has to be taught how to behave - how to avoid conduct which is considered unbecoming and wrong, and how to form good habits. The methods of training are patient instruction, example, and punishment.

In the same way, domestic animals, such as a dog or a horse have to be trained before they can be of any use to men. Like the child, they must first learn to obey ; and the horses must learn how to carry a man and draw a carriage, and dogs how to guard the house and look after flocks of sheep.

When we come to maturity we have to learn self-discipline--how to govern and rule ourselves. This is the hardest task of all.

When men wish to act together in societies or companies, they have to agree upon certain rules of conduct ; and the enforcement of obedience to these rules is called discipline. A society that has no rules or which does not see that its rules are obeyed, will soon fall to pieces.

Rules and discipline are necessary even in games. If a batsman refuses to go out when he is bowled5, or players defy the referee whistle when he gives a foul or off-side, there is an end of cricket and football.

A regiment or an army without discipline is a mere mob. Soldiers have to learn to act together as one man under the command of their officers ; and the object of military drill is to make their obedience to orders so perfect that it will become automatic.

In the same way no school or college can exist long where discipline is not enforced.6 If the boys can do as they like, regular teaching becomes impossible, and education a farce.7 1. discipline /'d1s6pl1n/ (n) kyû luaät 2. rule of conduct /ru:l 6v k6n'd^kt/ (n) qui taéc ñaïo ñöùc 3. essence /'esns/ (n) baûn chaát, thöïc chaát 4. disciple /d1'sa1pl/ (n) moân ñeä, moân toøng, hoïc troø 5. bowl /b6$l/ (v) loaïi ra (trong moân cricket) 6. enforce /1n'f0:s/ (v) cöôõng baùch, thi haønh (kyû luaät) 7. farce /f@:s/ (n) troø heà

324. "DISCIPLINE MUST BE THE BASIS OF ALL ACHIEVEMENT - EVEN OF LEARNING." DISCUSS “KYÛ LUAÄT PHAÛI LAØ CÔ SÔÛ CUÛA MOÏI THAØNH TÖÏU – NGAY CAÛ KHI HOÏC TAÄP”.

HAÕY THAÛO LUAÄN Discipline is a word often used but the least understood. Discipline refers to a system where actions are controlled by certain almost fixed rules. So wherever there is systematic work, we find discipline. This way anything having a system of rules and regulations is looked upon as discipline. In this sense even subjects are considered disciplines. Every branch of knowledge is supported by a system of rules. There is no question of denying them. The grammar of a language is a good enough example of discipline. Without understanding grammar one cannot become a master of that particular language. Again mathematics or science has its own discipline. Because they are so well disciplined they have become exact Sciences. The law of the land is again another discipline.

Discipline or norms have spread to human affairs. In every walk of life there must be discipline. Thus if everyone is asked to keep to the left of the road and the people follow it then they are disciplined. In behaviour also we speak of disciplined behaviour. People at all levels have a way of behaviour. If the outcome of such behaviour is good for all then such people are said to be disciplined. This is often used to judge school boys. If they behave well in class, in pubic and at home, then we say the boys are disciplined.

There can't be a better example of a disciplined organization than our body. How the various parts and organs of our body function is something wonderful ; it is a marvel1 of discipline. So we can easily say the end product of discipline is efficiency ; whether it be our body or a people there must be discipline.

Now the question speaks of discipline being at the basis of all achievements. What is achievement ? You try to do a thing and after many trials and errors you succeed. That is achievement ; for instance an acrobat2 does something wonderful ; it may be a physical act of a few seconds but for achieving it he must have worked hard for hours on end. A famous example is to run a mile within four minutes. The first man Banister to do it practised it so vigorously and regularly. Now following his foot-steps many are able to run a mile, in fact within four minutes.

For such an achievement the mile runner ought to have a disciplined body. The astronauts have to go through a vigorous discipline before they can be put into space.

Take an example from the humdrum world. A man of business house becomes a success. They cannot achieve anything by sitting and chanting a verse from the Bible.

"Thy work in a disciplined way". They know their goals, they know the loopholes3 and they know the pitfalls. Having known all this they work in a disciplined way and achieve success. This is true of an empire. When the machinery of government is highly disciplined, the government achieves best. The achievements of the English nation are worth remembering.

So this scene of discipline holds good even in learning. Take for instance learning to ride the bicycle. You have to follow certain rules strictly if you want to master cycling.

Every young man who has learnt cycling knows this best. Discipline in learning may involve doing the right thing in a right way using the right tools. Learning very often

involves humans and the learner must go to the right person. People who have studied chemistry do know this. In qualitative analysis there is what is called systematic analysis. If one follows it, very rarely will one miss; but if one adopts guess work, more often than not be will be wrong. So in learning also discipline is necessary.

To conclude, discipline makes life easier. It makes for achievements in all walks of life easier. Last but not least, it makes learning efficient, effective and lasting. But the best discipline is that which is developed within and not forced.

1. marvel /'m@:vl/ (n) söï kyø dieäu hoaëc phi thöôøng 2. arobat /'%kr6b%t/ (n) ngöôøi nhaøo loän 3. loophole /'lu:ph6$l/ (n) keõ hôû, loái thoaùt

325. THE PURPOSES OF PUNISHMENT MUÏC ÑÍCH CUÛA HÌNH PHAÏT There is a tendency in man to deviate1 from the right path and act in such a way that the interest of another is injured. Society bind its members to a certain line of conduct so as to ensure security for all. It is this function of ensuring safety through right behaviour that has given rise to the idea of punishment. Punishment is intended to prevent, deter2 and reform.3 The individual is a member of society and he needs society for the development of his personality. He has his freedom but it cannot be absolute. His freedom to direct his own share of the common life is balanced by the freedom of society to dissociate itself from his actions which conflict with its interests. Therefore, punishment is essentially disowning by society of acts done by its members when such acts are in conflict with the general interest.

The theory of retribution4 has few defenders today. The main objection to retributive theory is that it inflicts pain for the sake of pain. Hammurabi's famous code contained the principle of "eye for eye". Society feels that the criminal should get the taste of violence which he has inflicted on his victim. The penalty given is to be equated5 with the seriousness of the crime. Thus, when a criminal is punished, society is expressing its antagonism and this, it is said, is necessary for the preservation of the character of society. Those who oppose this purpose of retribution believe that the aim of penal sanction is not revenge for retribution which is associated with revenge is incompatible with forgiveness. However, it must be observed that the only person who can feel revengeful is the injured person. If A injures B, it is absurd for C to forgive.

When a person is sent to prison for life or hanged, he is prevented from repeating his offence. If he is sent for a period of time, he way be deterred from committing further crimes. Punishment can also have a deterrent effect on would-be criminals. It is possible that one who is punished realises the error of his ways. In prison he may be visited by the chaplain or the psychiatrist6 and he may decide to go straight in future. But there is the opposite view that when a prisoner is discharged he is charged to the eyes with venom and hatred and therefore punishment cannot have a deterrent effect.

The modern tendency is towards reform and society's attitude towards criminals today is more humane. Punishment is no longer an occasion for community entertainment.

Society, instead of disowning him, tries to understand him because punishing a criminal is like treating the symptoms of a disease. A case study is made of the criminal and psychologists and social workers try to detect reasons for the actions of the criminal.

Some of the factors considered to be responsible for crimes are lack of affection at home, the environment, upbringing and frustration. The aim is to remove the factors that make a man deviate from the right path and help him to fit himself into society. In the prison, the emphasis is on reform. He is taught a skill so that his prison term could be profitably spent and he could secure a job on release. The remedial measures adopted are intended to make a criminal a normal person. After all, killing the offender does not revive7 the life of the victim.

Punishment, in essence, is the method by which society tries to maintain its moral standard. It also enables others to enjoy their freedom. As understood today, it is not

revenge. The aim is to guarantee each man to run his own life as he thinks fit until he has done something which gives society reason for invading his freedom.

1. deviate /'di:v1e1t/ (v) ñi sai ñöôøng, leäch ñöôøng 2. deter /d1't3(r)/ (v) ngaên caûn, raên ñe - deterrent /d1't3r6nt/ (n, adj) (vaät) ngaên caûn hoaëc nhaèm ñeå ngaên caûn 3. reform /r1'f0:m/ (v) söûa ñoåi, caûi caùch, caûi taïo 4. retribution /retr1'bju:~n/ (n) söï baùo thuø, söï tröøng phaït - retributive /r1'tr1bj$t1v/ (adj) ñeå baùo thuø, ñeå tröøng phaït 5. equate (sth to/with sth) /1'kwe1t/ (v) coi ngang, laøm coâng baèng 6. psychiatrist /sa1'ka16tr1st/ (n) chuyeân gia veà taâm thaàn hoïc 7. revive /r1'va1v/ (v) laøm soáng laïi, laøm hoài sinh

326. GOOD MANNERS CAÙCH CÖ XÖÛ TOÁT Bad manners are always objectionable.1 We can excuse ignorant and badly brought up people, who know no better ; but there are many, who do know better, who pride themselves on2 being rude and off-hand; and these we cannot excuse. Some of these people (conceited fellows!) think that rudeness is a sign of independence and manliness.

And others say that politeness is a form of insincerity, and hold that to say that you are glad to see a person whom you really dislike, or that you are sorry when a visitor has to leave when all the time you are glad to get rid of him, or to ask after a person health when you do not care whether he is alive or dead, is simply hypocrisy. There may be something in this objection; and yet a little innocent pretence and a few mild "social lies," may be less morally wrong than the unnecessary wounding of people feelings.

Even if you do not like a man, it is not always necessary to tell him the brutal truth.

Good manners may be superficial, and sometimes they may be a little insincere ; but they are as necessary to the continuance of society as oil is to the working of a machine without friction.3 And with people who have naturally kind hearts, politeness is neither insincere nor artificial. For the essence of good manners is consideration for the feelings of others ; and surely this is a virtue. Some one has called good manners "surface religion", because the essence of true religion is unselfish sympathy. You cannot like or approve4 of all you meet ; but you can and must learn to be kind to all, even to your enemies ; and the least you can do is to treat them courteously. There is enough sorrow in the world without our trying to increase it by unnecessary unkindness, which is the essence of bad manners. And it costs so little to be polite--showing respect without servility to our superiors, courtesy to our equals, and consideration for those below us.

The true gentleman is one who instinctively thinks of the feelings, the comfort and happiness of others, before his own. He will therefore be courteous to all. And there are true gentlemen, nature's gentlemen, even amongst the poor and ignorant, who, though they have not had the chance of learning all the rules of etiquette, have kind hearts.

1. objectionable /6b'd2ek~6n6bl/ (adj) ñaùng cheâ traùch 2. pride oneself on /pra1d w^n'self/ (v) laáy laøm kieâu haõnh veà 3. friction /'fr1k~n/ (n) söï coï xaùt 4. approve (of) /6'pru:v/ (v) taùn thaønh, chaáp nhaän

327. THE NEED FOR KEEPING ONE'S TEMPER UNDER CONTROL SÖÏ CAÀN THIEÁT PHAÛI KIEÀM CHEÁ CÔN GIAÄN DÖÕ Temper can be defined as the mental vibrations1 is consonance2 with the external events which touch our senses. The reaction may be calm and quiet or violent. When one is subject to sudden conclusions of mental reactions to externals, he is said to be temperamental.3 In such cases, reason which helps one to keep poise4 is either absent or fails to help the subject.

Temper is a matter of training. It is the domestic environment that is responsible for the development of temper in children. The child may be pampered and wants to have his will and when he is not satisfied he flies into tempers. There is much more so in the case of a child who is lonely and who has no brothers and sisters; or again the child may be petted by all those around him he may become a spoiled child subject to tempers. This is how man grows to be temperamental.

To keep up one's temper requires a lot of insight into things. Simply because certain things happen in certain ways not to the liking of the subject, it is no reason why one should fly into a temper.5 There are innumerable occasions when things go wrong in spite of perhaps careful preparation and so on. To quote an instance, one may be in a hurry to open a lock ; in spite of the key being there it takes some time before the lock is opened. In between, the person may lose his temper.5 Very often we find people standing in a queue getting bored and so losing their temper. Unless one applies his reason calmly to know why certain things are happening the way they do, he is likely to lose his temper. When we say 'he' it includes 'she' also. Of course she is more subject to tempers than he. Those who are in the higher rungs of society appear to be more subject to temper than those at the lowest rung. It may be because the former assumes that things should be as they please simply because they command. One very common instance would suffice to bring home the point. One is in a hurry to dress and to go and attend a function or meeting. At the last minute he takes out a shirt from the cabinet and finds out to his chagrin either the shirt has been torn by the washerman or the buttons are missing. He could have avoided the problem had he but given thought to it before.

When one loses one's temper it leads to many undesirable consequences. One is easily upset, with the blood circulation going quicker, using angry words and offending others.

In extreme cases it leads to a nervous breakdown and it may be sometime before the subject comes to the normal self. Such a person may lose friends, lose the sympathy and co-operation of servants. He may upset the peace and calm at home. He may prove a poor executive and in the mart he may create enemies. A man of temper is prone to commit crimes.

Then how to control oneself and keep up the mental poise ? This requires training in introspection.6 No use of fretting and fuming over spilt milk. Reason should dictate how to avoid it the next time the unexpected does happen, then there is no meaning in losing one's temper. In routine affairs, with regular planning, things may be made to move smoothly without jolt or hitch ; everything in its proper place and everything in its proper time. If one were to follow this there may be few occasions for losing one's temper.

One should develop his faculty of reasoning ; then he could easily keep his temper under control. It is also a matter of philosophy as in the case of stoics.7 There is a

classical case of temper under control. In the Battle of Philipines, Brutus and Cassius quarrelled and Brutus called Cassius names. That was quite unusual of Brutus. Cassius himself felt that it had come to that extent. Then some friends nearby whispered into the ears of Cassius that Protia, the dear wife of Brutus had been dead. Any one other than Brutus would have burst into tears, torn his hair and so on, but he never did any such thing. When Cassius heard it he could only say 'sorry'.

By keeping one's temper under control one saves a nervous breakdown. His friends and relatives would like him. He is saved from wrong judgement which he arrives at when he loses his temper.

A man who can keep his temper is a sweet person. He is happy and makes others happy.

He illumines the company where he is found. He will never be subject to a nervous breakdown. So let us learn to keep our temper under control.

1. vibration /va1'bre1~n/ (n) söï rung ñoäng 2. consonance /'k4ns6n6ns/ (n) söï haøi hoøa, söï phuø hôïp 3. temperamental /tempr6'mentl/ (adj) tính khí thaát thöôøng, hay thay ñoåi 4. poise /p01z/ (n) söï töï chuû, ñieàm ñaïm 5. fly into a temper (idm) noåi côn thònh noä - keep/lose one's temper (idm) giöõ ñöôïc/maát bình tónh 6. introspection /1ntr6'spek~n/ (n) söï töï xem xeùt noäi taâm 7. stoic /'st6$1k/ (n) ngöôøi khaéc kyû

328. "THE WAY TO GET ALONG IS TO GO ALONG" (JOHN F. KENNEDY).

WHAT DOES THIS STATEMENT MEAN ?

“PHÖÔNG CAÙCH ÑEÅ HOØA HÔÏP LAØ PHAÛI TIEÁN LEÂN” (JOHN F. KENNEDY). LÔØI TUYEÂN BOÁ NAØY COÙ YÙ NGHÓA GÌ ?

To get along is to accomodate with others. To go along is to proceed with the task on hand. To proceed confidently and to reach the goal, it requires certain qualifications and make up. They are not only physical but also neutral and emotional. It refers to the mental and social aspect. To go along implies a company or companion. It may be for then individual, a group, a country or countries at large. No man is an island. So far as man is a part of a society he has to live in it which means he must be able to get along with others. This requires a mental set up such that getting along may not be a problem.

What is the mental set up ? One must recognize there is place for everybody under the sun. Theoritically at least that is the fact. Circumstances may change but still everybody expects to live and make the best of one's life. He needs food, clothing and shelter. He may need some more comforts. In trying to acquire them or secure them there is the clash1 coming. Because all are not endowed with the same faculties and capacities and there is always a perennial2 clash. To avoid such a clash one must know how to give and take.

Viewed closely this is a matter of environment, upbringing and education. All these play a vital role. Children must be taught how to live with others ; how they should not be selfish, how they should be able to share what they have with others ; and how they must have their emotions under control. In this the parents and the school play a vital role. Of course, other movements like the Scouting for boys and Guiding for girls go a long way to help them in getting along. As the saying goes "Charity begins at home", once the children have learned quite early in life in their homes, there may be no problems. When they grow old they will practise it in their lives, whether it be in the mart or the senate.3 To go along is not only true of individuals but also of States. The world as it is today is a package of different countries with different strengths, economically and politically. But all these countries must get along if the world has to avoid another catastrophe4 which cannot be imagined what with all the military hardwares piled up these days.

Countries must learn to be good neighbours. Look at what is happening is West Asia.

Israel and the Arab countries are at each other's throat. It is a dangerous situation which may explode at any moment. The creation of Israel after the Second World War was perhaps a great casualty. But the Arabs must know how to put up with that. "Thy must have the historical perspective." The claim of the Jews to their ancient land cannot be overlooked. The best thing should be an understanding and adjustment on both sides.

This is true of countries of different ideologies.5 With the rapid growth of science and technology, the world is moving towards the concept of one world. No country can sit in an ivory tower and close it eyes to what is happening elsewhere. Natural calamities in one area will have their repercussions in another area. If there is draught and famine in one country, another country which enjoys favourable conditions must come forward to help the other nation. Otherwise complications will set in which will have a chain reaction. Now than at any time, no country can live in isolation.

Political divisions must be forgotten for the world to prosper. So to get along is to go along, whether it be in the family, or within a nation or among the nations of the world.

This is the type of things great men like Welland Wilkie, Bertrand Russell, Jawaharlal Nehru, Poet Tagore and perhaps Kennedy were dreaming of.

1. clash /kl%~/ (n) maâu thuaãn saâu saéc, söï xung ñoät 2. perennial /p6'ren16l/ (adj) luoân luoân taùi dieãn 3. senate /'sen1t/ (n) thöôïng vieän 4. catastrophe /k6't%str6f1/ (n) thaûm hoïa, tai öông 5. ideology /a1d1'4l6d21/ (n) heä tö töôûng

329. TOLERANCE1 IS ESSENTIAL FOR PEACE AND HARMONY IN ANY COMMUNITY OR COUNTRY. DISCUSS LOØNG KHOAN DUNG LAØ YEÁU TOÁ CAÀN THIEÁT CHO HOØA BÌNH VAØ SÖÏ HOØA HÔÏP ÑOÁI VÔÙI MOÏI COÄNG ÑOÀNG HOAËC QUOÁC GIA. HAÕY THAÛO LUAÄN The progress of any community or country depends largely on the conduct of the people who reside in it. Discontent, jealousies, prejudies and intolerance among a few of the people can cause great damage to the whole community or country.

Gregarious2 by nature, men hate to live in isolation. The urge for association, therefore, enables men to tolerate the view and habits of others, to great extent. Most men have come to realise that the cohesion of society cannot be secured without the exercise of tolerance on the part of its members.

A community or country is composed of various types of people, whose psychological social and temperamental attitudes and needs are not the same. In a great number of cases, there are fundamental differences even in race, language and religion among the people. This is the result of the economic and social necessities of the modern age, which have compelled people to leave their original homes and live among people of foreign descent. These diversities3 in a community or country necessitate the maintenance of a tolerant attitude on the part of the people towards one another. They have to respect the cultural and social habits and beliefs of one another and refrain themselves from doing or saying things which might offend the susceptibilities of some people. The racial and religious clashes that have occurred in various parts of the world indicate the damage that the expression of hatred and prejudice can cause in a country.

Even differences in the colour of the skin can cause trouble and violence in a community, and when passions are aroused, men lose their reason and sense of proportion and indulge in the most barbaric4 acts. Innocent lives become the victims of insensate5 cruelty.

That tolerance is essential for peace and harmony in a country could be illustrated by reference to the people in Malaysia, a country in which people of various races reside.

Despite cultural, racial and religious differences among themselves, the people here have lived for generations in peace and harmony. They have also helped one another in various ways at various times. It must be admitted, however, there have been a few incidents from time to time caused by communal differences in certain localities, yet they can hardly be attributed to the general uprising6 of the races against one another.

In fact, the goodwill that prevails among the different races of people here has contributed to the development of a new nation, which has become the envy of many countries. The racial unity among the people is the main factor that has contributed to the progress of the country in all spheres of activity.

Another country that deserves mention is the United States of America. The people of this country too are made up of a diversity of races and cultures. Yet, by tolerance, cooperation and goodwill among the people as a whole, it has become the richest country in the world. All this proves what could be achieved by the people of a community or country, who exercise tolerance among themselves.

1. tolerance /'t4l6r6ns/ (n) söï saün saøng hoaëc khaû naêng dung thöù; loøng khoan dung 2. gregarious /9r1'9e6r16s/ (adj) thích soáng vôùi ngöôøi khaùc 3. diversity /da1'v3:s6t1/ (n) tính ña daïng 4. barbaric /b@:'b%r1k/ (adj) daõ man 5. insensate /1n'sense1t/ (adj) voâ tri voâ giaùc 6. uprising /'^pra1z17/ (n) cuoäc noåi daäy, cuoäc khôûi nghóa

330. WAR AND PEACE CHIEÁN TRANH VAØ HOØA BÌNH Since the time men learned to live in communities, in the remote past, wars have been fought at regular intervals in various parts of the world. In fact, the history of the human race is mainly a record of the battles and wars fought in the past between communities and nations.

Wars are caused mainly by human greed and ambition. In the early days of men's existence, many communities lived a very hard life, owing perhaps to the lack of geographical advantages or intellectual ability. As a result, the prosperity of other communities aroused their greed and envy, and wars between communities became inevitable. One side fought to conquer the prosperous communities in order to gain control of the means of prosperity, and the other side fought to defend its independence and way of life. With the passage of time, the communities developed into nations, and wars were fought on a bigger scale1 ; but the basic causes of war remained the same. It was only occassionally that battles were fought with other aims, such as the capture of a woman to satisfy the sexual lust of a conqueror or ruler.

However, success in wars stirred2 the ambition of many nations. Wars were then fought for domination and extension of power. Several small nations soon came under the dominion3 of a powerful country, which then developed into an Empire. The Roman Empire, for example, was created mainly by conquest. Even the personal ambitions of some individuals have been the cause of wars at times. The ambitions of Napoleon and Hitler for conquest caused many battles, in which millions of people, young and old, gave their lives.

The devastation4 caused by wars, however, has always aroused the conscience of several nations, and attempts have been made by such nations to prevent wars in the future. Their leaders have met at various times, in the course of history, to discuss peace and to find a way of removing the causes of war. It is this urge that led to the creation of the United Nations, after the failure of the League of Nations, which today is doing its utmost to maintain peace between nations.

But the desire peace has instead led to further wars, for peace often demands the destruction of the ambitions of those who begin wars. The wars begun by Napoleon and Hitler could be ended only by fighting further wars to destroy these men, who have been responsible for the greatest sufferings in the history of the world. Human ambition, however, is indifferent to the lessons of history. In times of wars, men seek peace ; but when there is peace, there are attempts to begin wars. Once a war is begun, however, those responsibles for it are crushed in the end. Yet ambitious, countries and individuals are still trying to extend their power, but they are being opposed by those who love peace. Thus, wars will continue to exist, while at the same time attempts will be made to attain peace in the world.

1. scale /ske1l/ (n) phạm vi 2. stir /st3:(r)/ (v) khuaáy ñoäng 3. dominion /d6'm1n16n/ (n) quyeàn thoáng trò 4. devastation /dev6'ste1~n/ (n) söï taøn phaù hoaëc bò taøn phaù

331. THROUGHOUT HISTORY, MEN HAVE BEEN WILLING TO FIGHT AND DIE FOR FREEDOM. WHY ?

LÒCH SÖÛ ÑAÕ CHO THAÁY CON NGÖÔØI LUOÂN SAÜN SAØNG CHIEÁN ÑAÁU VAØ HY SINH VÌ TÖÏ DO. VÌ SAO ?

Men have been willing to fight and die for freedom. Yes; that is the essence1 of history.

Where freedom fails or is denied, man is willing to fight and die ; history is replete with2 examples. The countries which have found freedom newly have had to fight against the erstwhile3 colonial rule. The fight is still on in some countries even today.

Why is this fight happening ? This is a psychological question. A boy does not allow another boy to sit in his place in the classroom; a casual traveller in a bus or train claims his place ; a child does not allow another child to touch its playthings. At the bottom of all this lies the sense of ownership, temporarily or otherwise. Ownership and acquisitive4 tendency go together. What has been acquired and owned must be saved and protected and when the ownership is in danger fight ensues. This is a basic animal instinct and man has not reached a magnanimous stage, in spite of his long sojourn5 on earth, to overcome this instinct. The ideal socialistic state is only a pipe dream and whether the world will reach that stage at all is anybody's guess.

Another factor that leads to this sort of fight or revolt is the opposition to the imposition of authority from outside. We see children singing or playing on their own accord. But when someone asks them to do it again they feel shy or don't want to do it. In the case of a country it may even do things leading to its' own destruction. Even then it would not like an external interference. In the name of human sympathy some Western nations deliberately impose their will on another nation and are now paying a heavy penalty for it.

Freedom is very precious. It cannot be decided on the battlefield. Freedom is essential for natural growth. A creeper6 always moves towards light and air. However much one tries to turn it the otherway, it will always strive to seek light ; so with people. They want to be free as the bird in the air. The spirit of "Who are you to tell me ?", is always within us.

The sense of being and feeling free is fundamental to make life worthwhile and hence man has always been fighting for it. But there cannot be absolute freedom.

1. essence /'esns/ (n) baûn chaát, caùi coát loõi 2. replete (with sth) /r1'pli:t/ (v) coù nhieàu, ñaày daãy 3. erstwhile /'3:stwa1l/ (adv) ngaøy xöa, xöa kia, tröôùc ñaây 4. acquisitive /6'kw1z6t1v/ (adj) ham meâ vaät chaát 5. sojourn /'s4d26n/ (n) söï löu laïi taïm thôøi 6. creeper /'kri:p6(r)/ (n) daây leo

332. UNION IS STRENGTH ÑOAØN KEÁT LAØ SÖÙC MAÏNH The best illustration of this saying is the familiar fable of Aesop. An old man, being distressed by the constant quarrelling going on between his sons, one day called them to him and showed them a bundle of sticks tied together, and asked if any of them was strong enough to break them. First one, and then another tried; but although they were all strong young men, they all failed. He then untied the bundle, and told them to break each stick separately. This they did easily, and all the sticks were soon broken in pieces.

Thus he taught them that united they would be strong, but disunited they would always be weak.

The same lesson can be learnt from the organisation of an army, or a football team. The strength of a regiment consists in all the soldiers acting together as one man. This is the secret of the constant drilling on the parade ground, and army discipline. If a thousand men go into battle who have never learnt to act together, each man fighting as and when he likes, they will be defeated with ease by a disciplined and united company of only a hundred strong. One of Napoleon's favourite maxims was, "Divide and conquer." If he could divide the enemy's army up, and take one part at a time, he could conquer it piecemeal1 ; or he could subdue a whole nation by fomenting2 discord3 among its different classes, and breaking it up into warring factions.4 In the same way, the success of a football team in a match depends very much on their "team work" ; that is, the way the members work together and co-operate with each other. A team composed of comparatively weak individual players, but well-organised and playing heartily together, has often defeated an ill-organised team composed of much better players.

In all departments of life union, or co-operation, is strength ; disunion is weakness. A united nation, a united community, a united family, a united society of any sort, is strong ; but disunited, quarrelling, split up into factions, they are all weak. United they stand ; disunited they fall. Their motto must be, "One heart one way."

1. piecemeal /'pi:smi:l/ (adv) töøng phaàn moät, töøng caùi moät 2. foment /f6$'ment/ (v) khích ñoäng, xuùi giuïc 3. discord /d1'sk0:d/ (n) söï baát hoøa, chia reõ 4. warring factions /,w0:r17 'f%k~ns/ (n) caùc beø phaùi xung ñoät vôùi nhau

333. PATRIOTISM LOØNG YEÂU NÖÔÙC Patriotism, which means literally1 the love of the fatherland, is a noble sentiment and a national virtue ; and the man who lacks it has indeed, as Sir Walter Scott says, "a dead soul" : "Breathes there the man with soul so dead Who never to himself hath said, This is my own, my native land !"

But the word has been so misused to cover the most selfish aims and narrow passions, that Dr. Samuel Johnson said in disgust, "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel2".

We must, therefore, distinguish between true patriotism and the spurious3 article.

False patriotism is an enlarged selfishness and a narrowed nationalism.4 Patriots of this kind support their country simply because it is to their own private interests to do so ; and they do so blindly. Their motto5 is, "My country, right or wrong" ; that is, whatever foreign policy our nation adopts, whether just or unjust, we must support it, without criticism, simply because it is the policy of our country. Such spurious patriots are narrow nationalists, and teach that we cannot love our country without despiring and hating all other nations. They form the Jingo, or war-loving, party in any country, which is always crying out for war with other nations on the sligtest pretext.6 Their motto is, "Might is right".

The true patriot, on the other hand, is an unselfish lover of his country. His sincere desire is to serve it in all ways possible. He is proud of his country ; but just because he loves it, he does not hesitate to expose its sins, denounce its abuses, and, if he thinks it necessary, to criticise its policy. He is more anxious that his nation should be right than that it should be powerful. While he loves his country, he loves other nations too, and gladly recognises their virtues and achievements. He would therefore cultivate international friendship, and hates and opposes wars. But if war breaks out, then he is the first to fight for his land, and willingly sacrifices his life even in its defence. Such patriotism is one of the noblest virtues.

1. literally /'l1t6r6l1/ (adv) theo nghóa ñen 2. scoundrel /'ska$ndr6l/ (n) teân löu manh, coân ñoà 3. spurious /'spj$6r16s/ (adj) giaû taïo, khoâng xaùc thöïc 4. nationalism /'n%~n6l1z6m/ (n) chuû nghóa daân toäc - nationalist (n) 5. motto /'m4t6$/ (n) khaåu hieäu, phöông chaâm 6. pretext /'pri:tekst/ (n) côù – the slightest pretext côù nhoû nhaát

334. IS PATRIOTISM OUTMODED ?

PHAÛI CHAÊNG LOØNG YEÂU NÖÔÙC ÑAÕ BÒ LOÃI THÔØI ?

Patriotism is a loyal feeling which one has about his own country. In the words of Scott, when he said "This is my own, my native land", he must have a deep and passionately loyal feeling for his country. According to this a man without this feeling dies unsung and unhonoured. This feeling had kindled2 many dormant nations into actions. It has made people fight against tyrants and deposed them. It has shaken the very roots of empires. In every nation and in every language, the bards2 have sung about the greatness of patriotism and they have called upon patriotism to brook no delay in throwing out the conquerer. History is replete with instances where patriotic people under an able leadership rallied round and resisted aggression and saved their land. Joan of Arc, Simon Bolivar and M. K. Gandhi are some of the famous names who fought for the freedom for their countries, with a burning patriotic zeal.

One must take pride in the culture and beauty of one's own country. The rivers, mountains, hills, valleys and dales must inspire his patriotic feeling. He must fight against the forces that tarnish3 the fair name of his country. Given the chance, he should encourage the art and trade of his country. He must support his country as his duty. He will never do anything that would bring down the fair name and image of his country.

One must live for his country and even be prepared to sacrifice all for the sake of his country. Today, unfortunately after the Second World War we find acute-nationalism wrongly identified with patriotism.

Nationalism is a phenomenon mostly seen today in many countries. These people become militant and are against foreigners who had come and settled in one country.

There may be legitimate fear warranting such action as in the case of 'The White Australian Policy'. This is patriotism laced4 with self interest. This is the cause of much misunderstanding and bickering among nations.

In the present context of the world, narrow patriotism is really outmoded. No country today, however, powerful or rich can stand aloof. The world is shrinking with the coming of faster modes of communication and no country is too far away. The complex economy of the world had every country depending on one another. What affects the people in Pakistan may affect the people in the U.S.A. This interdependence cannot be overlooked. Self-contained condition is only a thing of the past. Every culture today is what it has rowed from other cultures ; no culture can boast of being pure. So there is no meaning in narrow nationalism.

It is safe to conclude that fanatic patriotism is bad though loving one's own country and contributing for its betterment and good ideals is a noble act.

1. kindle /'k1ndl/ (v) nhen leân, khôi gôïi 2. bard /b@:d/ (n) thi só, nhaø thô 3. tarnish /'t@:n1~/ (v) laøm hoen oá, laøm nhô nhuoác 4. lace (with) /le1s/ (v) pha troän, pha theâm

335. I AM PROUD OF MY COUNTRY TOÂI TÖÏ HAØO VEÀ ÑAÁT NÖÔÙC TOÂI In his poem of patriotism Scott says if a man is not proud of his country, he will be burried without honour. When a man returns after a travel to his country he must be bubbling1 with enthusiasm and his heart must be pulsating2 with joy to land on his native soil. We have heard of great martyrs who sacrificed themselves for the sake of their country. So it is only proper and fair that one should love one's country.

To love one's country one need not have taken part in the liberation movements. One need not have carried the flag, shouted slogans and stood in the front line of agitators.

His ancestors need not have shed blood for the sake of the land, nor there is any need for any material sacrifice. Still one may be proud of one's country.

There are many things why one must be proud of one's country. It may be due to the climate, natural regions, its people and the government, its tradition and culture and manufactures. The relation which the country has with other countries is also a point to be considered.

Considering the above norms let me say why I am proud of my country. My country has an equable climate. We are having bright sunshine throughout the year and plenty of rain. There are virgin evergreen forests. There are some good rivers, and the hills and valleys make the country beautiful. The sea coast is not straight but has bays so there are some good harbours.

Our people are quiet, hard-working and peace loving. They know their land gives them plenty in the form of grains and fruits and so one need not be hungry. The forests have natural wealth and the plantations are rich producing money spinning rubber. Our mines produce valuable tin making the country rich. We are a developing nation and a lot of good things will have to be done.

We have a good government which is democratic3 in set up. We have had a succession4 of enlightened rulers who have taken measures for improvement. The upheavals we see in some countries are practically absent in our country and the people are law-abiding.

Our country has had a long history of several centuries. Several cultures have flowed in here and so there we see a mixed culture. This is reflected in the way people dress and eat ; the buildings show the effect of these over-riding cultures. Our country has very friendly relation with the neighbouring countries and we are held in high esteem.

Considering all these I am proud of my country.

1. bubble (with sth) /'b^bl/ (v) traøn ngaäp (nhöõng caûm giaùc) 2. pulsate (with sth) /p^l'se1t/ (v) rung ñoäng, roän raøng (do moät xuùc caûm maïnh) 3. democratic /dem6'kr%t1k/ (adj) döïa treân caùc nguyeân taéc cuûa cheá ñoä daân chuû 4. succession /s6k'se~n/ (n) söï noái tieáp nhau; söï keá tuïc

336. "THE TWENTIED CENTURY IS AN AGE OF GREED." DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS OPINION? “THEÁ KYÛ HAI MÖÔI LAØ THÔØI ÑAÏI CUÛA LOØNG THAM”. BAÏN COÙ ÑOÀNG YÙ VÔÙI YÙ KIEÁN NAØY ?

To be greedy is to own more than what one can legitimately claim. This is very well illustrated by the parable of the greedy dog which wanted to have the bone seen in the reflection. It lost the bone thereby. That is greed. All people are greedy; it is not only the poor who are greedy but also those who are very rich. When Alexander and most conquerors went on expeditions, it was their greed to extend and expand their empire. Muhamad Gazini invaded India allured by its wealth. European nations went to the New World in search of gold and silver. Even in the Unite Stated people went west in search of gold. There are many instances in fact the pages of history books are replete with wars fought for this reason. Even now the super powers are not exempt1 from greedy expansion motives.

To avoid being greedy, the child must be educated. The parents at home have got a great responsibility in this respect. Children must not be allowed to have more than what they need, whether it be in food, toys or clothes. Greed and jealousy go together. Hence to avoid being jealous one should overcome greed.

Let us see if the twentieth century is an age of greed. The First World War was the result of Kaiser's ambitions to build a German Empire. He was itching2 for it and the murder of the prince at Sarajevo was only a pretext to start a war. Then came Hitler.

From the beginning he wanted to continue from where Kaiser failed. Slowly and steadily he built up an army and thus the rape of Czechoslovakia (former) followed. At the same time Mussolini invaded Abyssinia. All these culminated3 in the Second World War. Japan followed the Axis partners and it started on an expansion spree.4 After the Second World War many small things happened which, viewed in their proper perspective, was nothing but greed. Only the offending parties gave them different names just as once they looked upon African countries as the white man's burden.

Greed in modern politics appears in different guises. Look at the latest Afghan de bˆcle in which Russia has deliberately invaded that country and has created a political unsettlement there. Russia had adopted subtle5 ways to expand its hagemony.

Looking at modern day individuals, we can say they are in no way worse than those who had lived in previous centuries. One thing we can say that in this century which is becoming more and more materialisitic, moral forces are on the wane. The influence of home and church does not seem to turn out good citizens. When man's needs were few, chances for his being greedy were also minimal. Now that there is more for material possession and man growing ever greedy than before. Temptation and greed are the two sides of a coin. To overcome them, moral education and a very disciplined way of life is essential.

So it can be concluded that this century alone is not an age of greed.

1. exempt (from sth) /19'zempt/ (adj) mieãn (khoâng bò raøng buoäc) 2. itch (for sth) /1t~/ (v) caûm thaáy luoân luoân ham muoán caùi gì 3. culminate /'k^lm1ne1t/ (v) cuoái cuøng ñaõ daãn ñeán 4. spree /spri:/ (n) cuoäc ñi chôi vui veû vaø soâi noåi 5. subtle /'s^btl/ (adj) vi dieäu, tinh vi

337. CO-OPERATING WITH ONE'S NEIGHBOURS SOÁNG HOØA ÑOÀNG VÔÙI HAØNG XOÙM LAÙNG GIEÀNG Living next to next is the principle of a neighbour. Good neighbourliness1 is the ideal to be aimed at and pursued. People are thrown into the same neighbourhood by chance.

One may try to choose the neighbourhood for many reasons. Sometimes it may be aesthetic and very often convenience. It may be the nearness to one's office of work, school, traffic centres and so on. As the saying goes, no man is an island ; he has to live with his neighbours. To make life tolerable and bearable one must co-operate with one's neighbour.

One's neighbour may be temporary as in the case of travelling by bus or train. Here the neighbour is with one for a few minutes or few hours. Even here if there is understanding between the neighbours the travel will be pleasant. Good neighbourliness generates good company and especially during travel it helps to take away the boredom.

There are cases when such travel has culminated in longstanding friendship.

Whether one likes it or not, one cannot do without neighbours. Even where houses are isolated as in the case of bungalows there is inevitably the neighbour. Normally one may think one can do without neighbours because one can command all comforts and services, so the services or the need for a friend may not arise. However serviceable the radio or the TV may be in providing the recreation, they cannot supply all the human elements. The sympathy, the admiration and the appreaciation which a neighbour may offer will have great humanizing influence. To share one's view and sometimes even one's sorrows one needs some neighbours. Because man is gregarious he cannot live in isolation.

But all neighbours are not always keeping the cordial relationship. Stresses and strains develop because of misunderstandings. The cause may be very trivial or flimsy,2 still tension develops ending in animosity3 and feud.4 Jealousy may be another cause for such a tension. The neighbour may be doing fine, has earned a lot of money, his children are doing well, he gets quick promotions, there and such others may create jealousy.

Once this is generated, this leads to non cooperation and petty quarrels. Very often children may be the cause for strained feelings.

Children may quarrel drawing the elders into the fray5 The neighbour's son may pick a flower or a fruit from your garden. Again he may throw his ball at your window pane damaging it. These are not unnatural so far as the younger one is concerned but it is for the elders to view at them with equanimity6 and make up for it. This may read easy on paper but not so in practical life. But with some broad outlook one must be able to tolerate.

Another reason for tension may be the animals. Your neighbour's dog may be a real nuisance or his poultry which would come into your garden and eat away the young saplings.

In all these cases, to keep up good neighbourliness, some understanding between the neighbours is important. Small differences can be easily patched up or ironed out. Care can at times play the good samaritan and helps the neighbours in a small or big way.

Nobody is perfect and it is better not to speak disparagingly of your neighbour.

A cheerful word or a nod or a casual enquiry will strengthen the feeling of good neighbourliness. Negatively, one must not pry into what the neighbours is or does.

Tolstoy speaks in one of his stories how neighbours should behave. A child was wearing a new shirt and the neighbour's child threw mud on it and thus spoiled it. Women folk started the quarrel and men folk entered into the fray ending in a few heads broken and so on. By then the children forgot all their quarrel and were playing. Tolstoy draw a moral from the story namely neighbours must be quick to forget small wrongs done.

Neighbourliness is not only for individuals but it is important also in a great measure between neighbouring countries. History has got a lot to teach in this respect. Unless countries learn to live as good neighbours, there cannot be peace on earth. So children must be taught at home and in the school to co-operate with the neighbours and be friendly with them. The basic principle is to give and take and to develop a sense that the other man has as much right as you have and some degree of tolerance is very necessary.

1. neighbourliness /'ne1b6l1n6s/ (n) söï aên ôû hoøa thuaän (giöõa haøng xoùm laùng gieàng vôùi nhau) 2. flimsy /'fl1mz1/ (adj) hôøi hôït, noâng caïn, yeáu ôùt 3. animosity /%n1'm4s6t1/ (n) söï thuø oaùn, loøng haän thuø 4. feud /fju:d/ (n) moái cöùu haän laâu daøi vaø gay gaét 5. fray /fre1/ (n) cuoäc ñaùnh nhau, cuoäc tranh caõi hoaëc ñua taøi, v.v…

6. equanimity /ekw6'n1m6t1/ (n) tính bình thaûn, söï ñieàm tónh

338. THE AREA NEAR WHERE I LIVE VUØNG NÔI TOÂI ÔÛ I am living in the midst of an agricultural community and our house is situated in a village. Naturally the people are agriculturalists. Since the village is served by a river which supplies enough water almost throughout the year, agriculture is a profitable occupation here. There are luscious1 fields of green paddy around and normally people raise two crops a year.

Since they are agriculturalists following traditional farming, there is a set pattern of life among them though modernity has recently invaded their homes. Thus most of them own a radio and their houses have electricity. Their children go to the neighbouring town for their education. Most of them own bicycles and a bus service connects the village with the neighbouring town. In fact my neighbours are actively interested in the politics. They are no more the innocent rustics,2 they were once believed to be. Some of them aspire to hold offices in the village councils.

These people are looking forward as agriculturalists. Some of them even own tractors and almost all of them know the value of good seeds and fertilizers. For them agriculture is no more a shaky gamble of the unknown. They use pesticides3 and insecticides4 and have built a marketing federation to sell their products at a profit.

They make use of the bank facilities so that they need not be a pawn in the hands of the village pawn broker and money lender.

Paddy growing is the major occupation though some adventurous farmers have switched on to cash crops like sugar cane. They employ casual labour when there is an intensive operation as in the transplanting, hoeing and harvesting season. But for those who actually own no land, the life of the casual labourer is very often uncertain. In an agricultural economy this can't be helped.

The people when not employed go about in a leisurely way. There is a tea shop in the village where people gather for gossip over a cup of tea. If you sit there for some time you can learn all about the village. Besides that, the cinema and films seem to be the most favourite topic with the villagers since they love frequenting the theatre.

There is a small school which is not a hot favourite with the affluent villagers. The affluent villager prefers to send his children to the Convent or English Schools in the neighbouring town. The village school has its strength of students drawn from the lower strata5 of the society. The chapel6 is visited by the parish priest once a week on Sundays. The Christian community in my village is a minority group.

1. luscious /'l^~6s/ (adj) (veà muøi vò) ngoït ngaøo, thôm ngoït 2. rustic /'r^st1k/ (n) ngöôøi noâng daân queâ muøa chaát phaùt 3. pesticide /'pest1sa1d/ (n) thuoác tröø saâu 4. insecticide /1n'sekt1sa1d/ (n) thuoác tröø saâu 5. strata /'str@:t6/ (n) (snh. cuûa stratum) taàng lôùp hoaëc giai caáp trong xaõ hoäi – giai taàng 6. chapel /'t~%pl/ (n) nhaø thôø nhoû

339. EARLY MORNING WALK ÑI BOÄ VAØO SAÙNG SÔÙM This looks like a scientific topic. Yes, an early morning walk is good for one's physical and mental health. Of all the recreations that men indulge in, a morning walk is one of the most rewarding. The air is fresh and free of dust, smoke and pollution. This is the only time that the roads are not crowded with heavy traffic. One can enjoy one's walk.

As one walks, all care, anxieties or worries fade away. He becomes refreshed with good blood circulation and fresh air.

But is this possible for everyone in a city where life is mechanical on weekdays and sombre1 on holidays ? It may not be possible for the young people as they have to go to school or colleges. However, this is very good for the old as the early walk is good for the health and makes them feel refreshed.2 In the early hours of the morning, nature is at its best. The dew drops on lush green grass and leaves of plants look like pearls. The splash of colours created by flowers laden with dew fills the air with fragrance.

A walk in the big park or along the coast of a bank or a reservoir3 is even more charming and rewarding.

The morning walk is very invigorating. It tunes4 one's body system and prepares him for a new day.

1. sombre /'s4mb6(r)/ (adj) buoàn chaùn, aûm ñaïm 2. refreshed /r1'fre~t/ (adj) tænh taùo, khoûe khoaén 3. reservoir /'rez6vw@:(r)/ (n) hoà chöùa nöôùc 4. tune /tu:n/ (v) ñieàu chænh

340. CAMPING IN THE HIGHLANDS CAÉM TRAÏI ÔÛ MIEÀN CAO NGUYEÂN The highlands have their fascination for those who love camping. With its hills and dales,1 green valleys, murmuring rivers and silence only to be broken by the chirping2 of birds, and the buzzing of beetles,3the attraction will be endless. One must be a seeker and be willing to keep company with nature, be physically hardy and resolute to face hardships have a philosophical attitude and be poetically inclined to enjoy the pleasures of camping in the highlands. It would be to have one or two companions to share the joy and adventures of camping in the highlands.

For a city-bred person who is accustomed to noise, dust, smells and all sorts of pollutions, camping in the highlands has its thrills from sunrise to sunset. One may study the habits of birds and animals. One may enjoy the sky at night with its sentinel4 stars.

One also can find time to read, draw or reflect. That is why most of the saints of the world sought the peace of caves and mountains.

To enjoy camping, one must be familiar with forest craft even though one need not be an expert. For instance, one must enjoy walking, be able to climb trees and hills, be able to satisfy with simple food which he has to prepare, and revere the habitat of animals.

He must be able to pitch his tent and know how to go about preparing the camp site.

A tent when properly set up will give a certain amount of protection against wind and rain as well as shelter for sleeping. A provision box should be well provided with necessary things for making food, a few plates, cups and saucers and other necessary items for cooking. One must take pleasure in cooking, otherwise there mustn't be enough food to last for the period of camping. A radio set or a cassette player with a selected list of tapes would help drive away the silence and loneliness of the night.

Anyway before going on a camp one must plan well to avoid disappointments. Above all what is needed is a mind to enjoy it.

Great philosophers and writers have praised the value of camping in the great open. For instance, R.L. Stevenson praises such a life in his "night among the pines". Thoreau, the American philosopher has a lot to say about such a life far from the maddening crowd.

I will certainly enlarge ones views of life and may help one to see the hands of God shaping nature around us.

1. dale /de1l/ (n) thung luõng (nhaát laø ôû vuøng Baéc nöôùc Anh) 2. chirp /t~3:p/ (v) keâu chieâm chieáp 3. beetle /'bi:tl/ (n) boï caùnh cöùng 4. sentinel /'sent1nl/ (n) lính canh, lính gaùc

341. POLLUTION NAÏN OÂ NHIEÃM Pollution has been defined as the addition of any substance or form of energy to the environment at a rate faster than the environment can accommodate dispersion,1 breakdown, recycling or storage in some harmless form. In simpler terms, pollution means the poisoning of the environment by Man. Pollution has accompanied mankind ever since groups of people settled down in one place for a long time. It was not a serious problem during primitive times when there was more than ample space available for each individual or group. As the human population boomed,2 pollution became a major problem and has remainded one ever since. Cities of ancient times were often unhealthy places, fouled by human wastes and debris.3 Such unsanitary conditions favoured the outbreak of diseases that killed or maimed4 many people living in those times.

The rapid advancement of technology and industrialization today is something that Man can be proud of. However, it has brought along with it many undesirable results, one of which is the pollution of our environment. Humanity today is threatened by the dangers of air, water, land and noise pollution.

The air that we breathe is heavily polluted with toxic gases, chemicals and dust. These consists of the discharge from industrial factories and motor vehicles. The emission5 of tetraethyl lead and carbon monoxide from exhaust fumes is a major cause for concern too. Outdoor burning of trash and forest fires have also contributed to air pollution. They cause the smarting of the eyes, bouts of coughing and respiratory problems. Owing to the burning of fossil fuels, the level of carbon monoxide in the air is more than desirable. Too high a level of carbon dioxide will cause the Earth's temperature to rise.

The heat will melt the polar caps, thus raising the sea level and causing massive flood around the world. The burning of fuels also produces gases which form acid rain. Acid rain has a damaging effect on water, forest and soil, and is harmful to our health.

Man has reached the moon and invented supersonic crafts that can travel faster than the speed of sound. However, these inventions emit pollutants which contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer. This depletion of ozone, which absorbs the harmful rays of the sun and prevents them from reading the Earth, will have drastic effects on all living things. It will lead to a rise in the number of people suffering from skin cancer.

Water pollution has become widespread too. Toxic waste has found its way into our lakes, streams, rivers and oceans. This waste is released by factories and sea-going vessels. Spillage6 of oil by tankers and during the recent Gulf War has caused irreparable7 damage to marine8 life. Thousands of sea animals have died or were poisoned by the pollutants in their natural habitat. As such, it is dangerous for humans to consume sea food caught in polluted waters.

Dumping of used cars, cans, bottles, plastic items and all other kinds of waste material is an eyesore. Much of the refuse9 is not biodegradable10 and this interferes with the natural breakdown process of converting substances from a harmful form to a non harmful one. As such, it becomes a hazard to one's health.

We are often faced with noises from construction sites, jet planes and traffic jam. We may be unaware of it but noise pollution has been attributed to causing a loss of hearing, mental disturbances and poor performance at work.

To control environmental pollution, substances which are hazardous and can destroy life must not be allowed to escape into the environment. This calls dangers of pollution.

1. dispersion /d1'sp3:~n/ (n) söï taùn saéc 2. boom /bu:m/ (v) buøng noå, boäc phaùt 3. debris /'de1bri:/ (n) maûnh vôõ, vaät ñoå naùt 4. maim /me1m/ (v) laøm taøn taät, laøm taøn pheá 5. emission /'1m1~n/ (n) söï toûa ra, söï thaûi ra 6. spillage /'sp1l1d2/ (n) söï ñoå ra 7. irreparable /1'rep6r6bl/ (adj) (veà toån thaát, veát thöông, v.v…) khoâng theå ñeàn buø hay hoài phuïc 8. marine /m6'ri:n/ (adj) thuoäc veà bieån, do bieån sinh ra 9. refuse /'refju:s/ (n) raùc röôûi, vaät pheá thaûi 10. biodegradable /ba16$d1'9re1d6bl/ (adj) (veà nhöõng chaát) coù theå bò thoái röûa do vi khuaån

342. MAN IS POLLUTING HIS ENVIRONMENT. DISCUSS CON NGÖÔØI ÑANG LAØM OÂ NHIEÃM MOÂI TRÖÔØNG SOÁNG. HAÕY THAÛO LUAÄN Ever since the first atom bomb was burst in the Arizona desert, scientists have become aware of the radioactive fall-outs1 from the bursting of megaton bombs by nuclear nations and subsequently the pollution of water by nuclear reactors. But this is not the first time that air and water are being polluted. For quite a long time it has been going on, especially, since the coming of the petroleum to be used in the internal combustion engines.2 Oil in whatever form consumes the life-giving oxygen of the air and the end products mainly carbon dioxide fills up the atmosphere. The green parts of plants clear up this debris, consume the carbon in the process of photosynthesis3 and bring back the oxygen. There is a limit to this reaction. When the percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere grows beyond some tolerance level, even all the green plants of the world will not be up to the task. Add to it the careless denudation of forest and wooded areas which are destroyed for the sake of industries.

The results of such pollution are something like this. The atmospheres gets heated and the average temperature may go beyond what it is ; as a result ice in the oceans may melt increasing the level of the seas and so the low-lying areas may be submerged. The water in the seas get evaporated4 sooner and upset the balance.

Another thing that pollutes the air is dust particles.5 Dust particles and smoke in the air act as nucleus6 for the water vapour in the atmosphere to condense and form what is called 'smog'. This causes poor visibility to the motor car drives and is a great handicap for aeroplanes to land and take off.

The pollution of water is equally serious, still it is growing at a rapid pace. Chemical wastes from factories and nuclear reactors are drained into rivers, lakes and seas. At first the water becomes unfit for drinking. Where the water has not been properly sterilised, it has led to serious epidemics7 like jaundice.8 Furthermore it tells on the aquatic life, both plants and animals. Fishes die or they carry small doses of radioactive elements in them that those who consume them may die ; so too in the case of plants.

This has caught the eye of the public in the U.S.A. that recently the Americans observed what is called the Earth Day or Environment Control Day. They have become aware of it and the government, the labour force, students and artists are involved in fighting against such pollution. In many of the States, they raised loud voices that the government has come forward to do something. For instance, in his State of the Union address once President Nixon said : "The great question of the seventies is, shall we surrender9 to our surroundings or shall we make our peace with nature and begin to make reparations for the damage we have done to our air, land and water."

There was much talk on Earth Day about closing the loop. The terms will have much significance in the future as science and technology turn more attention to progress that will take man's waste and recycle it into the system thereby making better use of what already had been taken from the earth and conserving the resources that are left.

If man does not act now, the ecological1 systems will breakdown creating diseases man cannot resist, loss of food supplies from lakes and seas, the necessity of gas masks whenever one goes outside. Can it happen ? Obviously, it can and will, if man fails to act right from now.

1. radioactive fall-out /re1d16$,%kt1v 'f0:la$t/ (n) buïi phoùng xaï 2. internal combustion engine /1n,t3:nl k6m,b^st~n 'end21n/ (n) ñoäng cô ñoát trong 3. photosynthesis /f6$t6$'s1n86s1s/ (n) söï quang hôïp 4. evaporated /1'v%p6re1t1d/ (adj) bò boác hôi 5. particle /'p@:t1kl/ (n) moät phaàn töû nhoû (cuûa caùi gì) 6. nucleus /'nju:kl16s/ (n) haït nhaân 7. epidemic /ep1'dem1k/ (n) beänh dòch 8. jaundice /'d20:nd1s/ (n) beänh vaøng da, beänh hoaøng ñaûn 9. surrender /s6'rend6(r)/ (v) ñaàu haøng, töø boû 10. ecological /i:k6'l4d21kl/ (adj) thuoäc veà sinh thaùi hoïc

343. POLLUTION-HOW TO REDUCE IT NAÏN OÂ NHIEÃM VAØ BIEÄN PHAÙP HAÏN CHEÁ The world that we live in now is badly affected by pollution. The rivers and seas are polluted. The air is polluted. The land is polluted. Consequently the things we drink, breathe in and eat are all polluted.

This sad state of affairs do not good for our health and well-being. Pollution is virtually destroying the place we live in - Earth. If pollution is allowed to go on and on we will surely destroy ourselves too. We ought to value our planet for it is only place we can live in. If we destroy it then we are also finished.

Eliminating pollution completely is impossible. So it is important that we try to keep pollution to a minimum. There are many things that we can do to reduce it.

The very first thing for everyone is to stop dumping1 rubbish anywhere they like.

Throwing rubbish seems to be the favourite pastime of everyone. So we see piles of rubbish on road sides, in ditches and drains, in backlanes and often on main roads too.

What rubbish do people throw away ? Empty cans and bottles, sweet wrappers, plastic bags full of smelly stuff, dead animals, broken toys, broken TV sets, food, old cars and kitchen sinks are item that can be found in the rubbish dumps. Perhaps we could recycle the things we use instead of simply throwing them away. We could, for example, reuse glass, metals and plastics. We could cook only what is necessary instead of throwing what we could not eat. We could keep our cars and sinks in good working order instead of abusing them as many of us do now. Then we would have less rubbish to throw.

Consequently there would be less rubbish dumps and less pollution.

Motor vehicles are a major cause of air pollution. They emit much exhaust fumes. In big cities this pollution has reached levels that pose2 a threat3 to the health of the city dwellers. Some cities have already advised their residents to wear gas masks when they venture onto the streets. The only way to reduce this pollution is obviously to reduce the number of vehicles on the roads. This is easier said than done for very few people would want to sacrifice the convenience of having one's own transport.

Factories and industrial plants are largely responsible for pollution of the air, water and land. The waste they discharge4 into the rivers and land destroy both. The smoke they emit pollutes the air. What they must do is to find ways to reduce their wastes. Also they have to treat their wastes so that they emit. All these things are required if we are to see any reduction of pollution. At the rate things are going however, we see increase in pollution instead.

Whether we can really reduce pollution and thus save our planet is up to us. Pollute it more and we shall perish.

1. dump /d^mp/ (v) vöùt boû 2. pose /p6$z/ (v) laøm cho (caùi gì) xuaát hieän, taïo ra hoaëc ñöa ra 3. threat /8ret/ (n) söï ñe doïa 4. discharge /d1st~@:d2/ (v) tuoân ra (chaát loûng, hôi, v.v…)

344. MEN'S ENEMIES IN THE WORLD OF NATURE KEÛ THUØ CUÛA NHAÂN LOAÏI TRONG THEÁ GIÔÙI TÖÏ NHIEÂN Somebody has observed that man is born free but everywhere he is in chains. Though this was said in some other circumstances, man is not so free. From birth to death he has to contend1 with his enemies. Where the enemy is known, man has always found ways and means of combating it. If it is disease, he has medicines for it. He would set up snares2 and catch certain types of enemies. He would kill them with slings, bows and arrows, spears and guns and so on. But the story of man, when he cannot fight his enemy, is helplessness as in the case of a big storm.

Among the animate enemies, the bacteria and virus are the worst for one does not know when they may strike for they are lurking everywhere only to enter the human system and play havoc. Long, long tried to appease them by offering sacrifices and by worshipping them. Now thanks to the advance of science and invention of scientific instruments especially the microscope and the X-Ray machines, man knows diseases are caused by bacteria and virus. He knows also how to prevent falling prey to those diseases. He has in his repertoire3 sulpha drugs and antibiotics, vaccines and serums.

Almost all epidemic diseases have become things of the past. For instance, small pox, the scourge which was taking away a toll of men has been eradicated practically from the face of the earth. Only cancer is defying all treatmen.

Man has to be wary4 about insects that bite because he cannot hope to eradicate them.

From experience he has come to know of medicines for such stings, for example snake bites can be treated with serum.

Man has enemies among animals such as the tigers, wolves and foxes. They don't attack man unless he interferes with them. These animals have their part to play in the ecological belance. Even the dog, man's best friend, can prove as an enemy especially when it becomes mad. The bite of mad dog causes rabies, thanks to the pioneering effort of Louis Pasteur and anti-rabies, vaccine has been prepared and has proved a blessing in healing dog bites.

There are also other type of enemies which destroy man's food. For example, rats and other rodents5 destroy sezable quantities of grains and fruits. But man from experience and scientific skills has overcome these enemies. He builds rat proof warehouses where grains are dusted with chemicals so that they don't rot. He keeps food items in cold storage and thus preserve them.

There are then the enemies from the very elements themselves. The life giving atmosphere may prove fearsome when it turns into a storm or tornado. With scientific instruments man is able to forecast a coming storm. Similarly, the rain, snow, ice and frost may prove to be enemies when they occur. Rain destroys life and property and leaves destruction when it recedes. Fog has caused many a disaster on land and water such as ships colliding, air crashes and land accidents. Ice was known to have broken ships. But the dangers from them are being minimised because of sophisticated apparatus man has at his command. Mother earth herself very often makes up her mind to heave and shake. These earthquakes do cause a heavy loss almost every year.

The worst enemy of man is death. One does not know what death is except that all the organs fail to function. Man may argue as to how death is caused, but nevertheless it

does occur at every age and in all places at all times. There is none who is not afraid of death. People carry mascots6 and talismans7 to avoid death.

The mystery of death is so deep that a lot of theories have sprung up about it. It may be a friend in certain cases and it may appear cruel in other cases. Whether death is an enemy or friend depends on how one views it.

So one can conclude that man is always surrounded by enemies and if at all he survices, it is indeed a miracle.

1. contend /k6n'tend/ (v) ñaáu tranh (ñeå chieán thaéng moät ñoái thuû, moät khoù khaên, v.v…)

2. snare /sne6(r)/ (n) caùi baãy (duøng baãy chim hoaëc caùc con thuù nhoû) 3. repertoire /'rep6tw@:(r)/ (n) kho, voán 4. wary /'we6r1/ (v) caûnh giaùc 5. rodent /'r6$dnt/ (n) loaøi gaëm nhaám 6. mascot /'m%sk6t/ (n) vaät laáy phöôùc 7. talisman /'t%l1zm6n/ (n) buøa, phuø

345. THE HARVEST OF THE SEA THU HOAÏCH TÖØ LOØNG BIEÅN CAÛ Ordinarily harvest refers to the return or income which a farmer gets from the field.

There may be a bumper harvest. Nevertheless the harvest is the end product of long waiting, back breaking operations, involving a lot of skill and patience. In the case of the sea also there is a similarity connected with the harvest in the field; the only difference being there is not a question of ploughing, preparing the field and sowing. But a good harvest in the sea means a great deal of risk and danger. It means pluck and courage on the part of those who take to sea life.

Let us take a look at the exact harvest of the sea. The foremost thing that comes into the mind is the fish. Fishing in the sea is a major industry of the world and maritime countries and their people depend on fish for food. There are major fishing grounds of the world, notably the North Sea, off the coast of New Foundland and British, Columbia and the sea of Japan. In these countries they have mechanised fishing. Fish is caught on a large scale and canned to be sent to the markets.

Besides fish, the whale1 is hunted for its flesh and blubber2 as well as it's bones. Whale hunting is a dangerous job because that mammal, yes, whale is not a fish in the real sense, can destroy a boat if it strikes. A whole novel 'Moby Dick' had been dedicated to whale hunting.

The floor3 of the sea has not been exploited. There is a belief that the deep floors of the seas must be rich in minerals. When the minerals on the land is exhausted, perhaps man may turn to the sea bed for his resources. There is, of course, mineral oil found in some places in the sea bed. Already some countries have taken up the idea and have started prospecting for oil in the sea.

Beside the economic value of the life from the sea, children enjoy picking the beautiful shells deposited on the shore by waves.

The sea too can be used for producing food. The green plankton4 which produces starch can be exploited to stem the hunger of the world.

If the harvest of the sea is taken to mean in a wider sense, water transport then can also be the bloodstream of the world's commerce. Wide arteries5 of shipping lines have liners loaded with the world's merchandise. Till the advent of the aeroplane, the ship was the only link connecting countries divided by the seas. For transporting heavy cargo there is nothing better than sea transport.

Another important item of harvest is the energy that could be produced by using the tidal waves. There are countries where these tidal waves play havoc. But these waves could be suitably harnessed6 to produce power. This possibility has not been ruled out and there are attempts afoot to tap this source. This is how man gets a good harvest from the sea.

1. whale /we1l/ (n) caù voi 2. blubber /'bl^b6(r)/ (n) môõ (caù voi vaø cuûa caùc ñoäng vaät khaùc ôû bieån/duøng ñeå thaép saùng) 3. floor /fl0:(r)/ (n) ñaùy (bieån, thung luõng, v.v…)

4. plankton /'pl%7kt6n/ (n) sinh vaät phuø du 5. artery /'@:t6r1/ (n) ñöôøng giao thoâng chính 6. harness /'h@:n1s/ (v) cheá ngöï, khai thaùc (ñeå saûn xuaát naêng löôïng)

346. DISCUSS THE PART PLAYED BY SCIENCE IN THE PROMOTION OF PUBLIC HEALTH DURING THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS HAÕY THAÛO LUAÄN VAI TROØ CUÛA KHOA HOÏC TRONG VIEÄC NAÂNG CAO SÖÙC KHOÛE QUAÀN CHUÙNG SUOÁT MOÄT TRAÊM NAÊM QUA One of the most striking features of the present century is the progress of science and its effects on almost every aspect of social life. Building on the foundations laid by their predecessors1 the scientists of today are carrying their investigation into ever widening fields of knowledge.

The contribution of science to the promotion of public health in the last hundred years has indeed been tremendous. The unceasing work and experiments of scientists during this time have led to numerous discoveries and removed many misconceptions that many people had before, regarding health illness. The causes of many of the diseases have become generally known. Indeed, many of the facts relating to public health, which are now regarded as common knowledge, were unknown even to the doctors of those days. The fact that germs were the cause of most of the common diseases was not realised by doctors of high repute in the not very distant past. Today, however, even a pupil of a primary school has some knowledge of the destruction that germs can cause.

The discovery of germs has indeed revolutionised all medical concepts of disease and illness. Everywhere people have come to realise the importance of cleanliness in the prevention of disease.

The researchers or scientists of all countries have also revealed other secrets. It is now known that illness and diseases can be caused by other living creatures also, such as flies, insects and even birds, animals and human beings. Their discoveries have contributed to the progress of medical science. Today, people in all parts of the world are doing their utmost to destroy the creatures that carry diseases. At the same time, however, scientists have also discovered that certain animals and creatures could provide some cure for a variety of diseases that are dangerous to human beings. Even the curative2 value of certain plants has been discovered.

An important result of the discoveries of scientists has been that, they have also found the cure of almost every disease. It is a practice of the scientists to work for the discovery of a cure as soon as they have discovered the causes of a certain disease. This service of the scientists has promoted the welfare of the human race. In this field of research, scientists make no distinction between races. Whatever they discover is used for the advantage of men everywhere. The progress of humanity is their main aim.

The work of medical scientists also reduced pain to great extent. In the past, operations3 were performed on individuals in a very crude manner. Amputation4 was a very painful affair. Today, however, the whole body of a man could be cut open without his feeling any pain by the use of chloroform. In this way science has relieved the misery of men tremendously.

Another very important discovery has been that, water, without which life cannot exist, sometimes contains the elements of destruction as well. Impure water could spread disease and death at tremendous speed. This knowledge has led people in all parts of the world to use only pure water for all domestic and other purposes. Water is

considered so important a factor in public health that all the governments of the world control its use for drinking purposes.

All these discoveries have indeed promoted public health during the last hundred years.

1. predecessor /'pri:d1ses6(r)/ (n) ngöôøi ñi tröôùc, ngöôøi tieàn nhieäm 2. curative /'kj$6r6t1v/ (adj) coù khaû naêng hoaëc duøng ñeå chöõa beänh 3. operation /4p6're1~n/ (n) vieäc phaåu thuaät; ca moå 4. amputation /%mpj$'te1~n/ (n) vieäc caét boû (tay, chaân) baèng phaåu thuaät

347. "ADVERTISEMENTS ARE BORING, USELESS AND OFTEN MISLEADING." HOW FAR DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS OPINION ?

“QUAÛNG CAÙO RAÁT NHAØM CHAÙN, VOÂ DUÏNG VAØ THÖÔØNG GAÂY LAÀM LAÃN”. BAÏN ÑOÀNG YÙ VÔÙI YÙ KIEÁN NAØY ÔÛ MÖÙC ÑOÄ NAØO ?

Advertisement is highly developed nowadays. To some extent, nature itself advertises her wares; for instance, the colour and smell of flowers is nothing but advertisement to attract the attention of insects and birds and the promise of honey is the gift.

Advertising is one of the media to draw the attention of the public and to educate them regarding a particular product. This is called the psychology of persuasion in converting people to a way of life or thinking. For example, to introduce a new drink, it is not enough if the product is good, the public should be made to realize its existence. The manufacturer adopts subtle ways of advertising. It must appeal visually. Since advertisement has become very important and the methods used are many, it has become a very professionalised trade today. In fact advertising agencies do good business. Since they employ specialists like artists and script writers, the advertiser can have expert service at a price.

There are hundreds of ways of advertising. Generally they may have visual, audio and audio-visual appeal. Leaflets and brochures are produced describing a colourful product.

Free samples are given, so that new customers may be found. Calendars are quite common and there are very plain ones to picturesque1 ones. Some fine calendars are being preserved. So calendar manufacturing during the end of the year season is a big business.

Perhaps one of the most popular medium of advertisements is the newspaper, since they reach a very wide section of the public. Some products are advertised throughout the year and they generate a source of income for the newspaper. Here the picture and the script play a very important part. Nowadays small gifts like key chains, purses, table wares and so on are used to advertise.

If the same advertisements are issued2 for too long they become boring. The advertiser knows this, so he changes the mode of advertisement from time to time. Either the pictures may be changed or the script. Sometimes subtle sex appeal is thrown in by advertising agencies. Whether this is ethically3 correct is a debatable point.

Any advertisement cannot be useless. It has got a purpose. An advertiser can use a ton of paper for printing his advertisement and distributing it to various houses to get the message of his product across. Throwing to the public just like throwing some mud on the wall, some of it is sure to stick. So too with advertisement which brings the prospective buyer and the product man nearer. With a complex market with dozens of products competing, advertisement is one of the ways of winning the market.

Of course there are advertisements which are really misleading. Some medicines that are advertised claim to be panacea for all bodily ills but very few products claim that honour. Some of the products are not of that high quality as claimed by the advertisement. Take for instance, some of the advertisements for toothpaste. They claim to give all protection to the teeth but they are proven otherwise. In USA this subtle way of persuading the public has been questioned and number of products advertised did not stand the test of proof.

We can conclude here that in spite of its limitations, advertisement is a powerful media that has come to stay.

1. picturesque /p1kt~6'resk/ (adj) ñeïp ñeõ, xinh ñeïp 2. issue /'1~u:/ (v) phaùt haønh, ñöa ra 3. ethical /'e81kl/ (adj) ñuùng ñaén veà ñaïo ñöùc

348. HOW TO SHOP WISELY CAÙCH THÖÙC MUA SAÉM KHOÂN NGOAN All of us, except for some very few, use money to buy what we need in this world. We do our shopping in various places. Sometimes we are satisfied with what we buy.

Sometimes though we do not get our money's worth and we feel cheated. To avoid being cheated we have to know how to shop wisely.

To shop wisely simply means not wasting our money on useless goods. We have to be careful with what we buy. While we cannot make absolutely sure that what we buy are really worth our money, we can reduce our risks of buying faulty goods to a minimum.

Here are some suggestions on how to do it.

It is good practice to check the price of the goods first. Shops are required by law to display price tags1 for all items. Goods that have no price tags are suspect and ought to be avoided. Also it is better if we compare the prices of the goods at various places. We will probably be shocked by the price differences. The money saved on finding the best deal is usually worth the time spent on it.

Next the expiry2 date of perishable goods should be checked. Items without expiry dates or that have expired should not be bought. It is silly to buy a cheap can of sardines at a much reduced price only to discover that the contents are inedible when we open it.

The condition of the goods that we intend to buy should be checked. For example, cans should be examined for dents3 and rust.4 If the cans show any of these signs then they should not be bought. Often the contents of such cans will be unsatisfactory too.

Vegetables and meat should be examined for freshness. Do not be fooled by the attractive packaging. See the item itself and make sure it is worth the money.

When buying something that has to be weigded, it is a good idea to witness the weighing ourselves. Also ensure than the needle reads zero when there is nothing on the balance.

It is all too easy to the short-weighed.

When paying for things bought at the counter, it is good practice to make sure that the prices are correctly entered. Keep the receipt in case we want to return or exchange anything. Count the change after paying for what we buy. There are many unscrupulous traders who short-change customers.

Finally we should only buy what we need. All too often we are taken in by attractive sales gimmick and buy things we never use. This is sheer waste of money. Also perishable goods will perish if kept too long. It is better to buy fresh things than to discard old useless ones. In this way we spend our hard-earned money wisely and not waste it.

1. tag /t%9/ (n) nhaõn haøng, baûng giaù 2. expiry /1k'spa16r1/ (n) söï heát haïn - expire /1k'spa16(r)/ (v) heát haïn, maõn haïn 3. dent /dent/ (n) veát loõm 4. rust /r^st/ (n) ræ, ræ seùt

349. WHAT CLOTHES TELL ABOUT PEOPLE Y PHUÏC PHAÛN AÙNH CON NGÖÔØI Clothes can tell us a great deal about a person's background, his social status, his aesthetic taste, his mood and also about the climatic conditions he ordinarily lives in.

They can also indicate whether he has been recently bereaved or not; at times it is possible to find out the marital status1 of women by the way they dress. If a person is wearing black it is indicative of some bereavement. Of course now black bands are also worn to indicate resentment of the policies of a firm or an association. White is associated with a large number of emotional states. In many Asian societies it is considered to be a colour of mourning and amongst the orthodox Hindus white is the colour of widowhood. At the same time white stands for purity and chastity. White is the colour for bridal dress in the West. In tropical countries it is a colourful scene that meets the eye. The lush greenery of the landscape in Malaysia, in Singapore and in Burma is matched by the floral designs of the sarong and the bright colours of the blouses and the umbrellas. Bright coloured clothes besides providing a contrast to the greenery, also absorb the heat and are cooler to wear. Similarly it has been noticed that people living in sand coloured surroundings of the desert are inclined to dress up gaily and are conspicuous2 amidst their surroundings.

The quality of the material used and the tailoring at once indicate the social status of the man. If the clothes are of a good quality but are worn and threadbare then obviously the man has fallen on evil times. If they are new but not well cut and the wearer doesn't carry them with ease then it would be fair to say that here is an upstart who is learning the ways of the rich. Poets and bohemians carry clothes with a subtle indifference and cultured women impart a grace all their own to the clothes they wear irrespective of3 the quality or the cost of the clothes. It should be understood that in the tribal world, the aborigines4 do not pay excessive heed to clothes. They belong to the world of civilization and consciousness ; they belong to the post-lapsarian period when Adam and Eve had become acquainted with good and evil. The European gypsies - though colourfully dressed do not make dress their prime concern. In the civilized and highly sophisticated societies, however, clothes have acquired a disproportionate importance.

Sartorial5 differences have been minimized to a very great extent. The use of synthetic fibres and cheaper imitations of expensive garments have flooded the market. Imitation furs and jewellery add to this effort of camouflaging. It is not always possible to judge correctly the social background of a person due to these reasons. People are consciously dressing according to the accepted standard in order to benefit from class prejudices.

Though this may pass in many cases, the truly naive6 and the truly sophisticated don't join in this effort and even if the naive do they are not successful. For when a man fresh from a rural background tries to acquire an urban exterior, the rest of his behaviour will give him away.

Clothes, like language, can be used both for deception and expression. They can express a personallity transparently : they can also help achieve a disguise and carry through a deception. If the attempt is to deliberately deceive people, clothes can go a long way in doing this and this hypocritical behaviour may one day become the reality. As far as

human integrity is concerned it is best to follow Thoreau's advice : "Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes", for clothes may well destroy the man within.

1. marital status /,m%r1tl 'ste1t6s/ (n) tình traïng hoân nhaân 2. conspicuous /k6n'sp1kj$6s/ (adj) deã thaáy, thu huùt söï chuù yù 3. irrespective (of) /1r1'spekt1v/ (prep) khoâng keå, baát chaáp 4. aborigines /%b6'r1d26ni:z/ (n) thoå daân 5. sartorial /s@:'t0:r16l/ (adj) thuoäc caùch aên maëc 6. naive /na1'i:v/ (n) ngöôøi ngaây thô, caû tin, khôø khaïo

350. "GOOD DESIGN MUST SUIT THE MATERIAL USED." DISCUSS THE STATEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO ANY ONE ART OR CRAFT “KIEÅU DAÙNG ÑEÏP PHAÛI PHUØ HÔÏP VÔÙI CHAÁT LIEÄU SÖÛ DUÏNG”. THAÛO LUAÄN QUAN ÑIEÅM NAØY VAØ LIEÂN HEÄ VÔÙI MOÄT NGAØNH THUÛ COÂNG MYÕ NGHEÄ NAØO ÑOÙ Good dressing adds to a person's personality. When an ordinary man goes in for something costly, people think that he is in borrowed glories even though he may have bought those things out of his own hard earned money. The opposite is also true. When a rich man appears in really borrowed garb1 or ordinary clothes people think highly of him. We have a certain measure of standard by which we appraise things.

So too in the case of designs. Its value is enhanced when it is transposed on to a good base. A statuette of fine workmanship in clay may not be so much appreciated as one done in ivory. The value of the design appears more because of the material used. In the same way an idol in bronze or alloy may be valued more than if it is done in stone. Even there we apply a different scale. If the stone is marble instead of granite, the statue is highly valued. This is only to show that the same design in different materials has different values.

Now let us take the case of jewellery. Many kinds of materials are used and the value varies from a few cents to a few thousands of dollars. In making a jewel the artist uses the material according to the price he can get. Thus the costume jewellery used by cineartists2 8 is cheap. In front of foot-lights they glitter like expensive jewellery. Cheap metals and polished glass are used in them. Beautiful items like necklaces, bangles,3 pendants4 and so on are made like the original pieces but their value is very low. On the other hand, we see beautiful and magnificent designs in gold and silver but because of the material used the design is appreciated.

This has a moral. One is known by the company he keeps. If he is found among ruffians,5 scoundrels and villians he is also one of them, though he may be different and may be a good one. There is a saying, 'If one drinks milk under the plamyra tree, he is taken to drink toddy'. So too in the case of designs. Good design and good material should go together.

1. garb /9@:b/ (n) (kieåu) quaàn aùo (ñöôïc moät lôùp ngöôøi naøo ñoù maëc) 2. cine-artist /'s1n1 ,@:t1st/ (n) dieãn vieân ñieän aûnh 3. bangle /'b%79l/ (n) voøng trang söùc ñeo ôû coå tay/chaân 4. pendant /'pend6nt/ (n) maët daây chuyeàn 5. ruffian /'r^f16n/ (n) ñöùa coân ñoà, voâ laïi, löu manh

351. "WHY BOTHER TO PAINT WHEN YOU CAN PHOTOGRAPH ?"

COMMENT “TAÏI SAO PHAÛI MAÁT COÂNG VEÕ KHI TA COÙ THEÅ CHUÏP AÛNH ?” HAÕY BÌNH LUAÄN The statement deals with two aspects of art namely photography and painting. They are complementary to each other.

Photography, nowadays has supplanted painting because it is a more faithful reproduction of the model, person, thing or scenery. Photography is based on a scientific principle, and provided1 the mechanism in a camera does not fail, excellent results are produced. The camera has been improved to a very great extent so that more life like pictures could be taken even by an amateur photographer. Photography saves time. In a matter of minutes pictures are taken. Nowadays colour pictures are taken. Fast films and powerful lenses2 make it easy to take pictures even in the darkness. The cine industry has added a momentum to the growth of photography. If the chemicals are properly treated on a film a photograph can be kept to the end of time. That is why great documents and books in the national archives are being photographed. Whereas paper spoils too soon, films do not.

With all its favourable points, photography cannot score over paiting. The latter is something personal and in great master-pieces, we see the personality of the painter.

The painter sets the tone in colour, creates moods and he is a student of emotions in that he could reproduce them in his paintings. In order to do that he must be a student of human nature. Every facial expression, every movement of the muscle, every twinkle in the eye or the contortion of the lips catches his trained eye. The expressions in the human face are kaleidoscopic,3 still once the painter catches an expression, he will never forget it and given the chance, he immortalizes it in his pictures.

In short the painter is a creative artist. He knows the value of his colours and he is master of every stroke of his brush. He is an actual creator. One or two examples would illustrate this point. In Mysore in India, there is a picture of a women with an oil lamp in her hand. The flame illumines her face. Unless you look at it twice you won't understand it. But if you look at it from a distance a whole world of art is before you. What a lovely expression. This painting has won the appreciation of the whole world. After all, this painting has no riot4 of colours. Still it can bring out a whole world of emotions.

The camera may do the same job but it is devoid of emotions. We get a feast of good photography in famous cinema pictures. A cameraman must wait to take particular scenes. The shots may come up or may not when developed. There are chances for mechanical failures. A photographer may spoil a picture which cannot be caught at that precise moment again. He may bring about distortions by taking at wrong angles.

Photography cannot displace the painting for a painted picture is a reflection of the personality of the painter and subject. The same can never be said of photography. That is why we speak of "schools" of painting and not "schools" of photography.

1. provided (that) /pr6'va1d1d/ (conj) mieãn laø, vôùi ñieàu kieän laø 2. lens /lenz/ (n) thaáu kính 3. kaleidoscopic /k6la1d6s'k4p1k/ (adj) söï bieán aûo thöôøng xuyeân veà maãu hình 4. riot (of sth) /'ra16t/ (n) söï phoâ baøy thöøa thaõi (caùi gì)

352. THE ONLY THING PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED TODAY IS EARNING MORE MONEY. DISCUSS ÑIEÀU DUY NHAÁT CON NGÖÔØI QUAN TAÂM TÔÙI TRONG THÔØI ÑAÏI NGAØY NAY LAØ KIEÁM ÑÖÔÏC NHIEÀU TIEÀN HÔN. HAÕY THAÛO LUAÄN Once upon a time there lived a beautiful young woman and a handsome young man.

They were very poor, but as they were deeply in love, they wanted to get married. The young people's parents shook their heads. "You can't get married yet" they said. "Wait till you get a good job with good prospects". So the young people waited until they found good jobs with good prospects and they were able to get married. They were still poor, of course. They didn't have a house to live in or any furniture, but that didn't matter. The young man had a good job with good prospects, so large organizations lent him the money he needed to buy a house, some furniture, all the latest electrical appliances and a car. The couple lived happily ever after paying off debts for the rest of their lives. And so ends another modern romantic fable.

We live in a materialistic society and are trained from our earliest years to be acquisitive.

Our possessions, "mine" and "yours" are clearly labelled from early childhood. When we grow old enough to earn a living, it does not surprise us to discover that success is measured in terms of the money you earn. We spend the whole of our lives keeping up with our neighbours, the Joneses. If we buy a new television set, Jones is bound to buy a bigger and better one. If we buy a new car, we can be sure that Jones will go one better and get two new cars : one for his wife and one for himself. The most amusing thing about this game is that the Joneses and all the neighbours who are struggling frantically to keep up with them are spending borrowed money kindly provided, at a suitable rate of interest, of course, by friendly banks, insurance companies, etc...

It is not only affluent societies that people are obsessed with the idea of making more money. Consumer goods are desirable everywhere and modern industry deliberately sets out to create new markets. Gone are the days when industrial goods were made to last forever. The wheels of industry must be kept turning "built-in obsolescence"1 provides the means : goods are made to be discarded. Cars get tinnier2 and tinnier. You no sooner acquire this year's model that you are thinking about is replacement.

This materialistic outlook has seriously influenced education. Fewer and fewer young people these days acquire knowledge only for its own sake. Every course of studies must lead somewhere : i.e. to a bigger wage packet. The demand for skilled personnel far exceeds the supply and big companies compete with each other to recruit3 students before they have completed their studies. Tempting salaries and "fringe benefits" are offered to them. Recruiting tactics4 of this kind have led to the "brain drain", the process by which highly skilled people offer their services to the highest bider. The wealthier nations deprive their poorer neighbours of their most able citizens. While common is worshipped as never before, the rich get richer and the poor, poorer.

1. built-in obsolescence /,b1lt1n 4bs6'lesns/ (n) tính loãi thôøi ñaõ ñöôïc hoaïch ñònh tröôùc (cuûa moät saûn phaåm), töùc laø ñöôïc ngöôøi cheá taïo chuû taâm thieát keá ñeå khoâng beàn laâu, nhaèm khuyeán khích khaùch haøng laïi mua nöõa

2. tiny /'t1n1/ (adj) (veà ñoà baèng kim loaïi) khoâng beàn hoaëc khoâng chaéc chaén 3. recruit /r1'kru:t/ (v) tuyeån (nhaân vieân, v.v…)

4. tactics /'t%kt1ks/ (n) chieán thuaät

353. MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL. DISCUSS TIEÀN BAÏC LAØ COÄI NGUOÀN CUÛA MOÏI TOÄI LOÃI. THAÛO LUAÄN Money is the instrument of exchange, helping in buying and selling and also in fixing a value on things and commodities. It may be in metal or in paper. With the market getting more and more complicated there are other negotiable instruments which are as good as the minted1 coins absolute as it is on various factors. In such a case it is termed2 currency and according to their purchasing power they are termed hard, soft and weak. Though coins and notes are issued by the Government of the country, there is a limit to their minting.

Let us see why money is needed. Simply because it helps the possesser to buy things.

The days of bartering are gone though it is indirectly resorted to at international level.

Money is helpful as a standard of price. Money helps the owner to have power, not only in buying things but also in influencing many human activities. Money is used to good things such as using it to build a temple, a church or a museum. Great educational institutions can be built. Students can be helped by providing them with scholarships in furthering their studies. The Nobel Prize would not have been there but for the huge sum of money earned by Alfred Nobel.

Money can buy men as it does things. Thus money play an important role in fighting and winning elections. Money mars men's and women's morals. It is the evil influence in corrupting peoples. "Sell out" is the new term used for bribery. There are people who could do anything for the sake of money. Moneyed people can buy many things which the poor cannot do.

With the power of money, individuals as well as states can dictate terms. The Middle East countries have found new wealth because of their oil deposits and they have become a very powerful group.

This kind of power should not go to one's head. One should remember that the money coming into him was by chance. He must not use it for evil purposes. But wherever there is evil there is usually money involved. Other motivating forces for evil action are jealousy, vengeance, hatred and so on.

Money is normally the fruit of labour. The question is how one spends that money.

Great thinkers have suggested that one who has money enough and enough to spare must look upon himself as the trustee of the money and see to it that it is spent in a wise and useful way. There is nothing good or evil about money. It depends on how one puts it to. The same money which could help bring relief to the suffering millions, can be used to build up armaments. The hope of getting money spurs one into action. The power decides how to spend the money. Money can be used morally or immorally. A morally strong man may not use money in evil ways and vice versa.

1. mint /m1nt/ (v) laøm (ñoàng tieàn) baèng caùch daäp kim loaïi; ñuùc (tieàn) 2. term /t3:m/ (v) ñaët leân laø, cho laø, goïi laø

354. HEALTH OR WEALTH : WHICH IS BETTER? SÖÙC KHOÛE VAØ CUÛA CAÛI – CAÙI NAØO QUYÙ HÔN ?

"Look to your health ; and if you have it, praise God, and value it next to a good conscience ; for health is the second blessing that we mortals are capable of ; a blessing that money cannot buy".

- Izaak Walton These are the words of wisdom and none would question their validity. But there are times when people do value money over health. When a person has been deprived of a thing for too long, he longs for it ; and as money is the commodity most in demand people want money to fulfil their needs. It can help rent or build a house. It can buy medicines, clothes, fruit and food ; it can pay for the small pleasures of life as well as the big ones - may be a cup of tea or a holiday abroad. Aesthetic and cultural enjoyment - tickets for the latest play, an evening at the opera, an expensive book, the latest L.P. all these money alone can buy. There are far too many things which are out of the reach of the middle and the working classes. A good education, expensive sports and games like skating and golf, travelling in comfort, owning the gadgets which add comfort to life - these are things which people with limited incomes cannot buy. The unprecedented unemployment of the thirties was responsible for a great deal of human misery and resulted in the loss of self-respect and dignity. It also forced people to recognize the worth of money and resulted in a disproportionate attachment to the material world.

There is no denying the value of money and the pleasure of enjoying it ; but there are basic issues involved. If money can be got only after a huge amount of sacrifice, is it worth it ? Is it really necessary for human beings to go on increasing their needs and temporary pleasures ? Or would it be wiser to impose1 a self-restraint2 on one's needs ?

People get so busy in getting money, man has no time for his family or his friends and at times no time even for his health. On the other hand, the pursuit of money may adversely3 affect both his physical and spiritual health. He may overcome his initial scruples in his desire for power and money. The question then is how much evil is justified to get to the good.

If one has to choose and even if there is no choice, health is better than wealth. A healthy person can look after not only himself but also others. He can be a useful member of society and of a family. He can be generous and sympathetic and be constructive in his thinking. An ailing person whether man or woman is a drain on others. And money can buy medicines, pay for a visit to a health resort or long hospitalization but it can neither buy health nor happiness. It is immaterial that a man can buy an expensive pair of shoes, if he has no shoes. Ultimately it is equally irrelevant whether a man is dressed up in the most expensive clothes, or drives the latest model of an expensive car. What is important is how good a human being he is. And for this he needs health. If he is healthy, his whole approach to life will be governed by this factor.

Ask a man who has been through a long illness and an equally long spell4 of poverty and he will chose health. Money is the value of the man-made world-not of the world God created. Health is a god-given grace and let us be grateful for it.

1. impose /1m'p6$z/ (v) aùp ñaët 2. self-restraint /self r1'stre1nt/ (n) söï töï kieàm cheá 3. adverse /'%dv3:s/ (adj) coù haïi - adversely /-l1/ (adv) 4. spell /spel/ (n) khoaûng thôøi gian (maø moät caùi gì ñoù keùo daøi)

355. "ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES A DULL LIFE" LAØM VIEÄC MAØ KHOÂNG CHÔI TAÏO NEÂN MOÄT CUOÄC SOÁNG BUOÀN TEÛ Imagine a world without leisure and enjoyment ! We would all be drudges and consequently would be no better than animals. I can only imagine people with bowed shoulders and lowered eyes, people who have no light in their eyes and no hope in their world. As it is things are pretty bad. People are always busy - busy with work and busy with idleness. No - no ; I'm not trying to be witty but people are busy with nothing to do because they do not know how to make use of their leisure. But of that later, for the time being let me stick to the point - all work and no play would be a monotonous existence.

Man has always been busy with the effort of fulfilling his needs. In the early stages man spent his time hunting and then ploughing, but these activities did not fill up his whole day. Today man is busy keeping up with the Joneses ; he is the company of his kind in the rat race that he runs. It is no longer a question of survival but a question of acquisition - acquiring more worldly goods, having more money to hoard1 and to spend.

Most of us do not feel happy when there is nothing to do. Those who are able to enjoy what they do and those who are able to do what they enjoy are indeed very lucky. But even these people need a change. A person who is doing an office job or busy with books welcomes a walk in the evening, half an hour in the garden, a drink with a friend.

And a person who has been working in a factory or in a field would definitely enjoy a visit to a restaurant, an hour to go through the newspaper, watch the television. It is not only the nature of one's work which conditions one's choice of recreative activity ; intellectual and cultural development is also an important factor.

Those people who do not know how to enjoy their leisure and do not allow themselves to recoup2 lose their efficiency. No one can continue at the same rate of efficiency over an indefinite period. Just as the body needs sleep, the mind needs rest and change. That is why the hobbies which one cultivates and the activities which keep one busy are referred to as recreative ; they help to recreate something which has been spent and utilised.

People who only know about their work and are perpetually engrossed in it do not recreate that part of themselves which is spent. Thus they either break down under the strain or merely tag along3 automatically. They make very poor conversationalists and do not have well-integrated personalities. Over the years they lose their mental alertness and become confined to the narrow limits of their job. This is not to decry4 hard work. Work is necessary and only those who work hard are able to achieve something. But at the same time one must know how to relax no matter for how short a period. Relaxation does not mean only sleeping or idling ; it also means finding something satisfying and meaningful to do. Otherwise life becomes monotonous and dull.

1. hoard /h0:d/ (v) thu thaäp vaø tích tröõ 2. recoup /r1'ku:p/ (v) töï buø ñaép 3. tag along /t%9/ (v) theo nhö hình vôùi boùng, theo leõo ñeõo 4. decry /d1'kra1/ (v) cheâ bai, deøm pha

356. METHOD OF WORKING PHÖÔNG PHAÙP LAØM VIEÄC Method in work means a certain wise orderliness in doing the work. It is working according to some plan which experience has proved to be sound. It involves mapping out1 one's time, taking things in their turn, finishing one job before we tackle another.

No really satisfactory or sucessful work can be accomplished in a haphazard way. Lack of method spells worry, overwork, waste of time, inefficiency, and often failure.

A businessman must have method in his work, or his affairs will soon be in a muddle.2 A successful businessman, being asked how he could get through the enormous amount of work he had to do, said, "I always keep a clean table." He meant that he never allowed correspondence and files and bills to accumulate on his desk. However late he had to work, he always finished all the work the day brought before he left his office, so that his table was clear. He never put off3 till tomorrow what should be done today.

A good clerk will always have his files in order and kept daily up-to-date. He will have a place for everything, and everything in its place ; so that he can put his hand on a letter, a bill, a reference, at once without any waste of time. He will plan out his day's work, so that every hour will have its allotted4 task. And though the work of his office be heavy, he will get through5 it with ease and comfort; whereas an unmethodical clerk will always be in a muddle and his work half-done, even though the work of his office is comparatively light.

For a student, method in study is very important. Lazy students, who take it easy in their first year at college, get hopelessly behind with their work, and at last have to take to feverish cramming6 as the examination approaches, and generally fail as a result. On the other hand, there are over-eager and impatient students, who want to run before they have learnt to walk, and who, instead of doing each day's work thoroughly as it comes, are rushing on to the advanced parts of their subjects, only muddling their brains for their pains. The wise student will content himself with thoroughly mastering each day's work as it comes. He will prepare for the lectures the night before ; that will give his whole mind to the lectures in the classroom next day ; and will the same evening revise the work done in the classroom in the morning, before he turns to tomorrow's lectures. Such a student, by methodical and orderly work, will master his subject, step by step : and when the time for final preparation comes, his revision will be simply refreshing his memory about things thoroughly learnt.

1. map out /m%p a$t/ (v) xeáp ñaët, laäp keá hoaïch 2. muddle /'m^dl/ (n) tình traïng roái raém, hoãn ñoän 3. put off /put 4f/ (v) trì hoaõn, khaát laàn, xeáp qua 4. allotted /6'l4t1d/ (adj) ñöôïc chæ ñònh 5. get through /9et 8ru:/ (v) hoaøn taát, laøm xong 6. cramming /'kr%m17/ (n) vieäc hoïc gaïo, hoïc nhoài nheùt

357. "NEVER LEAVE TILL TOMORROW WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY." HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THIS MAXIM? “ÑÖØNG BAO GIÔØ ÑEÅ ÑEÁN NGAØY MAI NHÖÕNG GÌ COÙ THEÅ LAØM HOÂM NAY”.

BAÏN GIAÛI THÍCH THEÁ NAØO VEÀ CAÂU CHAÂM NGOÂN NAØY ?

One of the many weaknesses of which man must be warned is procrastination or putting off things that can be done today till a later date. There is some natural inertia1 in man which makes him lethargic.2 He knows he must work but he doesn't want to unless he is goaded, very often leaves things where they are. If it doesn't affect him personally he doesn't act immediately. He would rather bask in idleness. To make him work and act, many incentives are offered. Thus we see in business, what is called an incentive bonus.3 In regular services they are offered increments.

Man knows that putting off till tomorrow what one can do today is bad. So there are many maxims like 'Time and tide wait for no man"; "Take time by the forelock"; "Make hay while the sun shines." These idioms go to show how society realize the value of time and doing thing in time. For time lost is a loss forever and it can't be brought back.

Hence the proverb "procrastination is a thief of time".

Time is a factor which is very important, the more so nowadays. In the jet-age or the "Supersonic-age", everything takes place at a speed which the ancients would never have dreamed of. A generation or so ago it took many days to reach Malaysia from India. Now it is a matter of less than four hours. In order to keep pace with the speed with which things move, man also must know how to act quickly. Suppose one has to fly on a mission or business to a distant place he has to be at the airport very early. A delay of even five minutes would see the plane taken off and his whole programme would be causing a lot of chain reactions. Suppose a man fails to turn up at the hour he has fixed for an engagement he would not only lose his face but it may also tell on his future with which his whole life is tied up. The more complex and technological the society grows, the value of time grows equally acute.

Work falls in arrears,4 means he has to work harder and even faster the next day. This is found among students who often postpone doing their homework and wait for the weekend holiday to come. But when the holiday comes they find it difficult to sit and do their homework while their friends are playing outside. The next day they have to think of ways and means to deceive their teachers when homework has to be passed up.

There is a sense of fulfillment for those people who are punctual and regular in their work. They enjoy a guiltfree conscience. A forcibly true example is the case of health.

If there is any ailment one should attend to it immediately. Some people hide their ailments only to suffer later, when it is too late. When one is regular and punctual it adds to his dignity and brings him peace at heart.

It requires principles, discipline and will power to do one's duty on hand at once. If only one were to keep a record of idle hours it would be astounding to see the sum total of the time. One must develop the philosophy of life quoted in the "Village Blacksmith", "Something attempted, something done, earned him a night's repose".

1. inertia /1'n3:~6/ (n) tính ì, tính trì treä 2. lethargic /l6'8@:d21k/ (adj) ueå oaûi, bô phôø, thaån thôø

3. bonus /'b6$n6s/ (n) tieàn thöôûng, lôïi töùc chia theâm 4. fall in arrears /6'r16z/ (idm) chaäm laøm moät coâng vieäc caàn thieát; (vieäc) chöa laøm xong

358. TIDE AND TIME WAIT FOR NO MAN THÔØI GIAN KHOÂNG CHÔØ ÑÔÏI AI A story is told of Canute, the Danish King of England in the 11th century, that one day, when he and his courtiers1 were walking on the shore at Southampton, the courtiers were flattering him and speaking of his power and greatness. The king ordered that a chair should be placed on the sand near the water's edge, and, sitting down on it, he said to the sea, "O sea, I am thy lord and master; my ships sail over thee whither I will and this land against which thou dashest is mine ; stay thou thy waves, and dare not to wet the feet of thy master and lord." But the waves came on, as the tide was now coming in, and presently washed round the chair where Canute was sitting and wetted his feet and clothes. Then the king rebuked2 his courtiers for their flattery, saying, "Ye see how weak is the power of kings and of all men, for ye see that the waves will not hearken3 to my voice. Honour God only, for Him only do all things obey".

We do not need this story to remind us that we cannot control the tides of the sea, which wait upon4 no man's convenience ; but we do often need to be reminded, especially when we are young, that if we miss our opportunities in life we may never find them again. Time will not stand still and wait until we make up our minds ; it is ever flowing on, and every moment the present is becoming the past ; and the past can never be recalled.

Time is often represented as an old man with a single lock of hair5 on nities, and it lasts but a very short time. To give one illustration : if a boy wastes his time at school, he is missing the golden opportunity of a sound education. And he will find later that he will suffer all his days for lack of the mental training he should have got at school. It is a chance that can never be fully recovered. The time for it has passed, and will never return.

1. courtier /'k0:t16(r)/ (n) quan ôû trieàu ñình; trieàu thaàn 2. rebuke /r1'bju:k/ (v) maéng, khieån traùch 3. hearken /'h@:k6n/ (v) chòu nghe, laéng nghe 4. wait on (upon) /we1t/ (v) haàu haï, phuïc dòch 5. lock of hair /l4k 6v he6(r)/ (n) loïn toùc 6. forelock /'f0:l4k/ (n) moùn toùc moïc (vaø xoõa) xuoáng traùn

359. MORE HASTE, LESS SPEED DUÏC TOÁC BAÁT ÑAÏT This proverb seems at first sight to be a contradiction1 in terms: for "haste" and "speed" mean the same, namely, swift movement. So that the saying would seem to mean, the more you hurry the less quickly you will go - which seems absurd. However, the word "speed" has got another shade of meaning, which has now almost gone out of use ; but we find it still in such phrases, as "to speed the parting guest" and "God speed you !" In such phrases, "to speed" means to wish a person a quick and prosperous journey, or to give him success in what he undertakes. If we take "speed" here with this meaning the proverb says - The more you hurry, the less successful you will be ; the more anxious you are to finish a piece of work quickly, the less likely you are to do it well.

The proverb is therefore a warning against impatience, and eagerness to get a task done quickly. To do a thing thoroughly and well takes time and thought and patience ; and if we hurry matters in our impatience to get them over, we shall fall in our work.

This truth can be illustrated in several ways. I once saw an unfinished house that the local people called "Smith's Folly"2. It was so called because a certain Mr. Smith began to buid himself a fine mansion ; but before he had got the walls half way up, his money was exhausted, and he had to leave it as it was, a standing example of undertaking a thing without carefully calculating what it would cost. If he had not been in too great a hurry to begin before counting the cost, he might have succeeded in building and finishing a less pretentious3 house.

It is a great mistake to make important decisions in a hurry. We should wait and think the matter over thoroughly, and not decide until our minds are quite clear. Second thoughts are best. If we act in haste, we may regret our decision all the days of our life.

"Marry in haste, repent4 at leisure".

So in learning and education, hurry defeats its own object. Students sometimes want to fly before they can walk ; to get degrees before they are fit for the Matriculation examination.5 Hurry in learning leads to scamped6 lessons, and superficial knowledge. A thorough education must always be a slow and patient business.

1. contradition /k4ntr6'd1k~n/ (n) söï maâu thuaãn - contradictory (adj) 2. folly /'f4l1/ (n) theo ngöõ caûnh ta phaûi hieåu töø naøy theo hai nghóa: (1) toøa nhaø to lôùn nhöng voâ duïng vaø (2) haønh ñoäng ngu xuaån, thieáu khoân ngoan 3. pretentious /pr1'ten~6s/ (adj) coù veû phoâ tröông, kieâu caêng 4. repent /r1'pent/ (v) saùm hoái, hoái haän 5. Matriculation examination /m6,tr1kj$'le1~n 19z%m1'ne1~n/ (n) kyø thi tuyeån vaøo ñaïi hoïc 6. scamped /sk%mpt/ (adj) hôøi hôït, chaúng ra gì

360. NO PAINS, NO GAINS KHOÂNG KHOÅ NHOÏC, KHOÂNG THAÉNG LÔÏI This proverb means that we cannot achieve sucess in anything without effort and sacrifice. At first sight this may seem to be not quite true ; for we can think of examples of people who have gained much without any trouble to themselves. A man who happens to have been born the son of a millionaire, will get great wealth on the death of his father, without any effort on his part ; and people sometimes win a large sum of money in a lottery without the slightest effort. But such cases of luck are exceptional, and cannot be counted on1. For most people it remains true that success can be won only at the cost of hard work.

It is certainly true in education and scholarship.2 As the philosopher told the king, "There is no royal road to learning." A student can never become a scholar unless he works hard, denies himself, ease and pleasure, and devotes himself to books. No idler ever achieved fame as a scholar.

Some men are born with great artistic gifts. They have a natural genius for music, painting, poetry, literature, or acting3. One would think there would be no need for such geniuses to work. But experience teaches that no natural genius has ever become the master of his art and achieved complete success, who has not cultivated and perfected his gift by untiring industry and constant practice.

In business life success certainly depends very largely on hard work - on taking pains.4 The man who goes to his office late and goes home early, who leaves the work to his subordinates and spends his time in amusements, will never be a successful business man. The men who have made fortunes have all been hard workers. "No pains, no gains", is certainly true of business.

It is true, too, in a more important matter - in character - buildings. Few men are naturally good ; and a fine, noble character is as a rule5 the result of effort and struggle.

It requires ceaseless6 moral effort to form good habits, to break bad habits, to resist temptation to develop virtues. No one becomes good in his sleep.

1. count on /ka$nt 4n/ (v) tin caäy vaøo, tin chaéc vaøo 2. scholarship /'sk4l6~1p/ (n) söï uyeân baùc 3. acting /'%kt17/ (n) taùi dieãn kòch 4. take pains /te1k pe1nz/ (v) chòu vaát vaû, khoå nhoïc 5. as a rule (idm) theo thoâng leä, thoâng thöôøng 6. ceaseless /'si:sl1s/ (adj) khoâng ngöøng, lieân mieân

361. WHERE THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A WAY COÙ CHÍ THÌ NEÂN "Where there's a will, there's a way" ; that is, when we are determined to do a thing, however difficult it may be, end even apparently1 impossible, we shall find a way to do it.

The real reason why we do not try to do certain things, or fail to do them when we try, is often because we do not really want to do them ; or, if we really want a thing, our desire for it is feeble.2 When we do not really want to do it, we set to work to find excuses, and make mountains out of mole hills.3 Every difficulty is exaggerated and we so fill our minds with the obstacles4 in the way, that we think it is impossible of attainment. Our desire is kike a thin, feeble stream of water which is turned aside or blocked by every small obstacle. But a rushing torrent simply sweeps rocks and trees and banks out of its way and forces itself through or over every obstruction5. In the same way, a fierce desire, and a strong determination, will make light of6 difficulties, and will discover the way to success.

Take the story of Pallissy, the French potter in the 17th centure. He made up his mind to discover a pure white glaze7 for china. He was a poor man, and had had but little education ; but for twenty years he worked at his task, trying hundreds of experiments and failing in all. But he never gave in.8 His wife and neighbours called him a lunatic9, for he ruined himself in his efforts. At last, to get wood to feed his furnace in the final experiment, he burnt up all the furniture in his house. But he succeeded in the end, and became a famous man. He had the will, and he found the way.

Many a man who became famous as a scholar, artist or business man had a similar struggle against apparently insuperable10 obstacles. But their determination to succeed brought them success. Napoleon said the word "impossible" was not found in his dictionary.

1. apparently /6'p%r6ntl1/ (adv) nhìn beà ngoaøi, hình nhö, coù veû 2. feeble /'fi:bl/ (adj) yeáu ôùt 3. make mountains out of a mole hill (idm) vieäc beù xeù ra to 4. obstacle /'4bst6kl/ (n) chöôùng ngaïi vaät, trôû ngaïi 5. obstruction /6b'str^k~n/ (n) söï caûn trôû 6. make light of /me1k la1t 4v/ (v) coi nheï, coi thöôøng 7. glaze /9le1z/ (n) nöôùc men traùng ñoà söù, ñoà goám 8. give in /91v 1n/ (v) chòu thua, nhöôïng boä 9. lunatic /'lu:n6t1k/ (n) ngöôøi ñieân, ngöôøi maát trí 10. insuperable /1n'su:p6r6bl/ (adj) khoâng theå vöôït qua

362. A ROLLING STONE1 GATHERS NO MOSS HOØN ÑAÙ LAÊN KHOÂNG BAÙM RONG REÂU I have always regarded this as a rather pointless2 proverb ; for, when all is said and done, why should a stone gather moss ? A covering of green moss certainly beautifies a stone in our eyes ; but it is of no use to the stone. However, the proverb is an old one, and everyone knows what it means. The "rolling stone" is the man who is always changing his occupation and pursuits, and never settles down3 steadily to anything ; and popular wisdom says that such a fickle person makes litle out in life.

No doubt there is a good deal of truth in this, as a few illustrations will show. Take business life, for example. In these days of keen competition and specialisation, a man must choose a trade or profession and stick to it, if he is to achieve any success. Steady application and hard work at one job are essential. A man who starts one kind of business and gets tired of it and tries another, and gives that up for a third, cannot hope to get on and succeed in any. Constantly chopping and changing he cannot expect to produce any satisfactory result by his dissipated4 efforts. As the saying says, "He who hunts two hares, loses both" The same is true of studies. After he has received a good general education, a student who wishes to become a scholar must specialise in one subject, or even one branch of one subject ; and he must devote all his time and energy to it, if he is ever to become an authority5 on that subject. The student who takes up mathematics, and then goes in for history, and, tiring of that, takes up philosophy, and drops this again for economics, will be "Jack of all trades and master of none".

The typical "rolling stone" is the man who never keeps any situation in his own trade or profession long. When you receive an application6 from him for a post, and find from his testimonials that he has had many posts but has never stayed in any of them more than a few months, you say, "Ah ! This fellow is a "rolling stone" : he will never stick to this job even if I give it to him. He is no good". Such men seem to have restless natures, and are incapable of settling down anywhere.

At the same time, there is something to be said for some "rolling stones". Adventures, explorers, travellers, and discoverers are generally people of restless energy who could never settle down to any steady monotonous occupation. And yet the world owes much to such "rolling stones" who can never stand still ; for even if they gather no "moss" for themselves, they certainly gather much for the world, in the shape of new knowledge.

1. rolling stone /'r6$l17 st6$n/ (n) ngöôøi khoâng oån ñònh cuoäc soáng vaø vieäc laøm ôû moät nôi – ngöôøi nay ñaây mai ñoù 2. pointless /'p01ntl1s/ (adj) khoâng coù nghóa, muïc ñích hoaëc yù ñònh – vu vô 3. settle down /'setl da$n/ (v) oån ñònh (cuoäc soáng; coâng vieäc, v.v…)

4. dissipate /'d1s1pe1t/ (v) phung phí (söùc löïc, tieàn cuûa, v.v…)

5. authority /0:'84r6t1/ (n) ngöôøi coù uy tín veà chuyeân moân 6. application /,%pl1'ke1~n/ (n) ñôn xin vieäc

363. THE IMPORTANCE OF RIGHT IDEALS TAÀM QUAN TROÏNG CUÛA LYÙ TÖÔÛNG ÑUÙNG ÑAÉN An ideal is some desirable thing we seek to achieve. It is always beyond our present attainment ; for when we realise it, it ceases to be an ideal. Because it is beyond us, and because we desire it, our ideal, what ever it is, rouses us to put forth effort to reach it. A man who wants to reach the top of a mountain, climbs.

Different people have different ideals, high and low. An artist has before his mind a standard of excellence in his art, and strives to reach it ; a politician sets himself to reach a position of power and influence ; a devout1 man puts before him a lofty height of saintliness2 and will never be satisfied till he attains it ; a business man devotes all his energies to making a fortune. In all cases, the ideal a man sets before him determines the sort of life he will live and the sort of man he will become ; hence the importance of choosing a right ideal.

Many people, however, seem to have no definite ideal in life. They are like ships without compasses, sailing to no definite port, and blown hither and thither3 by every change of wind. They live an aimless life, and what they do, and what they become, is largely a matter of chance, determined by the circumstances in which they happen4 to be placed. Such people, because they aim at nothing, achieve nothing.

To make anything of life, we must have an ideal of some sort. A man striving to realise a definite ideal, is like a steamship steaming by the compass to a known destination. It does not depend on the wind, but forges ahead5 by its own innate energy in the teeth of6 wind and wave. But if it is necessary to have an ideal in life, it is of the utmost importance that that ideal should be the right one. For the more earnestly we strive after our ideal, the more swiftly shall we realise it ; and if it is low or wrong, the more swiftly shall we ruin ourselves. If our ideal is simply to become rich, or to enjoy pleasure, we shall lose the best things of life. But if our ideal is to serve our God, to do our duty and to develop our gifts for the good of humanity, we shall make the best of this life, and of the life to come.

1. devout /d1'va$t/ (adj) suøng ñaïo, moä ñaïo 2. saintliness /'se1ntl1n1s/ (n) veû thaùnh thieän, thaàn thaùnh 3. hither and thither /'h156 %nd '5156/ (n) ñaây ñoù, khaép nôi 4. happen to /'h%p6n tu/ (v) ngaãu nhieân, tình côø 5. forge ahead /f0:d2 6'hed/ (v) tieán tôùi, tieán boä nhanh choùng 6. in the teeth of /ti:8/ (idm) baát chaáp (caùi gì), ngöôïc vôùi (caùi gì)

364. CONDITIONS OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP ÑIEÀU KIEÄN PHAÛI COÙ CUÛA MOÄT TÌNH BAÏN ÑÍCH THÖÏC Every one has a number of acquaintances1 ; but no one has many friends. For true intimate2 friendship is not common ; and there are many people who seem to be incapable of it. For a friendship to be intimate and lasting, both the friends must have some very special qualities.

First comes unselfish love, which is the very essence of friendship. A man who is engrossed in his own interests and feelings, may, no doubt, like to have an unselfish who will admire him, serve him and always study his interests. But friendship is a two-sided affair, and lives by give-and-take, and no friendship can last long which is all give on one side and all take on the other. A selfish person is incapable of true friendship. The love and serve must be mutual.3 Constancy4 is another important condition of friendship. But some people are constitutionally fickle. They take up an interest with enthusiasm, but they soon tire of it, and feel the attraction of some new object. Such changeable and uncertain people are constitutionally incapable of a lifelong friendship with any one.

Two friends must be loyal to each other, and they must know each other so well that there can be no suspicions between them. We do not think much back ; nor of the man who readily believes rumour and gossip against his friend. Suspicious natures, and those who are easily influenced by reports and whispers, can never make good friends.

There must be implicit5 confidence between friends, so that each can feel that he can tell the other his most intimate secrets without any fear of his being misunderstood or betrayed.6 But there are talkative and communicative people, who cannot keep a secret, either their own or those of others, to save their lives ; and such will never keep a friend long.

Lastly, there must be perfect sympathy between friends - sympathy with each other's aims, likes, joys, sorrows, pursuits and pleasures. And where such mutual sympathy does not exist, frienship is impossible.

1. acquaintance /6'kwe1nt6ns/ (n) ngöôøi quen bieát, khoâng thaân thieát 2. intimate /'1nt1m6t/ (adj) thaân thieát; rieâng tö 3. mutual /'mju:t~$6l/ (adj) hoã töông; coù ñi coù laïi 4. constancy /'k4nst6ns1/ (n) söï baát bieán, söï kieân ñònh 5. implicit /1m'pl1s1t/ (adj) tuyeät ñoái, khoâng hoaøi nghi 6. betray /b1'tre1/ (v) phaûn boäi

365. MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS HAÕY QUAN TAÂM ÑEÁN COÂNG VIEÄC CUÛA RIEÂNG MÌNH Have you ever heard of somebody called Nosey Parker ? Or one Mrs. Grundy ? If you have not I am sure one day you will. One thing most of us cannot successfully do is mind our own business. If you ask me the truth I would say we are in some measure fond of being busy bodies ; people who take interest in what is happening to others and interfering with suggestions and advice. We live under the delusion1 that we are very wise and capable, while others round us are not. Therefore we are liberal with advice, sometimes genuinely required, at other times not needed and perhaps all the time not heeded.

The worst of it is that when our help or advice is needed we are afraid to give it. There may be various reasons. We are afraid perhaps because the person who is in need of it is some person of significance and thus we are not willing to bell the cat even if the cat is raising a storm round its head. At other times we find it convenient to mind our own business if giving advice or help involves danger or the risk of disfavour. We keep ourselves to ourselves and do not extend some friendly human warmth or understanding.

Similarly if there has been a roadside accident and someone is badly injured most of us are afraid of being involved in a police case and therefore do not attach importance to the person who may be dying. Similarly, if there is a fight or a theft, or some other episode requiring physical courage, many people stay away. The cases which I have cited above are not the ones justifying the keeping of oneself to oneself. Where courage and support are required we should not find a convenient excuse by saying that we are minding our own business.

Minding one's own business is important in many other spheres.2 It is no concern of ours if the little boy in the neighbouring house has broken somebody's pane, or the boss's daughter is marrying a factory hand. It is no concern of ours if the lady across the street is a year older than her husband or the local grocer is a millionaire. We should not really be bothered if Nancy has failed in the examination. These are insignificant things in life and if we interfere3 we will only be adding fuel to the fire and causing a great deal of trouble. In such affairs one should be reserved and stick to one's own affairs.

But there is also a time and a place not to mind one's own business. Emotional or social reserve should not bind one to the needs of the others. In Western society, there is an undue4 emphasis on strictly sticking to one's business and this has resulted in the loneliness of the old people who live either by themselves or in homes for old people. It is a matter of concern and also of deep regret that men have not yet learnt to discriminate when to speak up for others, when to interfere and advise and when not to do so. For those of us who lack the finer sense of judgment, it would be wise to mind one's own business.

1. delusion /d1'lu:2n/ (n) aûo töôûng 2. sphere /sf16(r)/ (n) phaïm vi, lónh vöïc 3. interfere /1nt6'f16(r)/ (v) can thieäp vaøo 4. undue /^n'dju:/ (adj) thaùi quaù, quaù ñaùng

VAÊN VIEÁT THÖ Vaên vieát thö laø moät hình thöùc vieát, trong vaøi tröôøng hôïp ñoù laø hình thöùc vieát duy nhaát, maø haàu heát moïi ngöôøi söû duïng ñeán trong ñôøi soáng haøng ngaøy. Tuy nhieân, trong thôøi ñaïi thoâng tin hieän ñaïi ngaøy nay, khi maø caùc phöông tieän lieân laïc, nhaát laø ñieän thoaïi, ñaõ trôû neân heát söùc thoâng duïng, thì nhöõng tình huoáng ñoøi hoûi phaûi vieát thö roõ raøng laø nhöõng tình huoáng cöïc kyø quan troïng. Do ñoù, raát caàn thieát phaûi hoïc caùch vieát nhöõng theå loaïi thö tín ñeå giao dòch trong kinh doanh hoaëc ñeå giao tieáp trong caùc hoaït ñoäng xaõ hoäi.

Moãi moät laù thö baïn gôûi ñi ñaïi dieän cho caù nhaân baïn. Baïn seõ muoán ngöôøi ñoïc thö coù ñöôïc aán töôïng toát ñeïp nhaát veà baïn. Moät phöông phaùp ñeå taïo ñöôïc aán töôïng toát trong giao tieáp qua thö töø laø phaûi tuaân theo ñuùng nhöõng hình thöùc thö tín ñaõ ñöôïc thöøa nhaän. Vieäc naøy seõ laøm ngöôøi ñoïc nhaän ra ngay raèng baïn bieát caùch vieát thö. Vaø ngöôøi ñoïc seõ khoâng böïc mình vì noäi dung thö quaù ngheøo naøn hoaëc laù thö coù hình thöùc khaùc vôùi hình thöùc thoâng thöôøng.

Tuy nhieân, cho duø hình thöùc laù thö raát quan troïng, nhöng ñoù chæ laø moät phaàn cuûa vieäc vieát thö. Noäi dung laù thö vaø caùch thöùc theå hieän noäi dung ñoù môùi quyeát ñònh lieäu laù thö maø baïn ñaõ vieát coù theå hieän ñöôïc muïc ñích cuûa baïn khoâng, töùc laø nhaèm giao tieáp moät caùch roõ raøng vaø kheùo leùo vôùi ngöôøi khaùc.

A. THÖ TÖØ TRONG GIAO DÒCH COÂNG VIEÄC VAØ KINH DOANH I. Veà maët hình thöùc: 1. Moät laù thö giao dòch coâng vieäc vaø kinh doanh goàm 7 phaàn chính, nhö ñöôïc minh hoïa trong böùc thö maãu döôùi ñaây: (1) ñòa chæ ngöôøi göûi vaø ngaøy thaùng, (2) ñòa chæ ngöôøi thaân, (3) lôøi chaøo ñaàu thö, (4) noäi dung thö, (5) caâu keát thö, (6) chöõ kyù, (7) ñòa chæ treân phong bì.

23 North Morris Avenue (1) Atlantic, Tennessee May 22, 19-Thomas Fitch Company 789 Madison Avenue Elmwood 3, Nevada (3) Gentlemen : The Greenway tennis racket, model 12-A, which you mailed to me parcel post on May 10 was delivered today with two strings broken.

(4) The racket is being returned to you by parcel post.

I shall appreciate your replacing the damaged racket with one in good condition.

(5) Yours very truly, (2)

Harry J. Allen (6)

Harry J. Allen 23 North Morris Avenue Atlantic, Tennessee

Harry J. Allen

(7)

Thomas Fitch Company 789 Madison Avenue Elmwood 3 Nevada

Ngoaøi ra coøn coù nhöõng phaàn khaùc, coù theå coù hoaëc coù theå khoâng: (1) doøng ghi maõ soá tham chieáu (Ref. No), (2) lôøi ghi chuù caù nhaân (Confidential hoaëc Personal), (3) doøng ngöôøi nhaän (Attn : Mr...), (4) ghi chuù veà taøi lieäu ñính keøm (Enclosure), (5) taùi buùt (P.S. vaø P.P.S.).

2. Maëc duø caùc hình thöùc söû duïng trong thö töø giao dòch coâng vieäc vaø kinh doanh ñaõ ñöôïc tieâu chuaån hoùa, nhöng vaãn coù nhöõng bieán theå maø baïn phaûi naém vöõng, ñoù laø bieán theå trong caùch vieát ñòa chæ ngöôøi nhaän, lôøi chaøo ñaàu thö vaø caâu keát thö. a. Ñòa chæ ngöôøi nhaän: – Duøng soá cho taát caû caùc soá nhaø. Khoâng vieát taét teân thaønh phoá, tröø phi ñoù laø caùch duøng chuaån möïc, chaúng haïn St. Louis hoaëc St. Paul. Neáu ñòa chæ khoâng coù teân ñöôøng, haõy vieát teân thaønh phoá, teân quoác gia vaø maõ soá (neáu coù) treân cuøng moät doøng.

– Khoâng vieát taét caùc töôùc vò chæ chöùc vuï, chaúng haïn nhö president, sale manager, v.v…

Vieát Mrs., Ms., Mrs., Miss. tröôùc teân moät caù nhaân cho duø coù töôùc vò keøm theo. Ví duï: Mr. George F. Moore Advertising Manager Price & Patterson 234 Seventh Avenue New York, NY10023 Tuy nhieân, khuynh höôùng hieän ñaïi laø boû ñi chöùc vuï (trong kinh doanh) neáu ñòa chæ daøi hôn 4 doøng. Chaúng haïn coù theå boû Advertising Manager trong ví duï treân.

– Neáu coù hai ngöôøi nhaän trôû leân, vieát teân cuûa ngöôøi coù chöùc vuï cao nhaát tröôùc, neáu hai ngöôøi coù chöùc vuï ngang nhau thì vieát theo thöù töï chöõ caùi: Mr. Rod Boyleston Ms. Janie Smith Computer Consultants, Inc. 1811 First Avenue Milwaukee, WI 12346 b. Lôøi chaøo ñaàu thö: – Vieát hoa töø ñaàu tieân, chöùc vuï vaø teân. Khoâng vieát hoa töø dear khi coù My ñöùng tröôùc (My dear Mr. Jones). Duøng daáu hai chaám sau caâu chaøo. Chæ duøng daáu phaåy khi vieát thö tay.

– Kieåu chaøo thoâng duïng nhaát laø Dear Mr., kieåu naøy hay hôn kieåu trònh troïng My dear Mr. hoaëc kieåu loãi thôøi My dear Sir. Neáu thö ñeà ñòa chæ coâng ty thì duøng Ladies and Gentlemen ; cuõng duøng caùch töông töï neáu gôûi cho moät nhoùm ngöôøi caû nam laãn nöõ. Neáu gôûi moät nhoùm ngöôøi ta bieát chaéc laø chæ coù nöõ thì duøng Dear Mesdames hoaëc Ladies (ngöôïc laïi Dear Sirs hoaëc Gentlemen). Neáu thö khoâng ñeà ñòa chæ moät ngöôøi hay moät cô quan cuï theå naøo, chaúng haïn nhö trong moät laù thö giôùi thieäu chung chung, lôøi chaøo ñaàu

thö seõ laø To Whom It May Concern. Neáu gôûi cho moät ñoâi vôï choàng coù hoï gioáng nhau, duøng Dear Mr. and Mrs. Marsh. Döôùi ñaây laø kieåu chaøo duøng cho caû hai vôï choàng ñeàu coù töôùc vò, hoaëc ngöôøi vôï coù töôùc vò nhöng ngöôøi choàng thì khoâng vaø ngöôïc laïi: Dear Drs. Marsh : (caû hai ñeàu coù töôùc vò) Dear Dr. and Mrs. Marsh : (ngöôøi vôï khoâng coù töôùc vò) Dear Dr. and Mr. Marsh : (ngöôøi choàng khoâng coù töôùc vò) Khi khoâng bieát roõ giôùi tính cuûa moät ngöôøi, haõy ghi teân goïi (first name) hoaëc teân taét cuûa ngöôøi ñoù (Dear M.L. Watson :). c. Caâu keát thö: – Chæ vieát hoa töø ñaàu tieân. Tieáp theo caâu keát thö laø daáu phaåy.

– Cuõng nhö lôøi chaøo ñaàu thö, khuynh höôùng ñang thònh haønh trong nöôùc ñang söû duïng loái keát thuùc thaân maät nhö Sincerely hay Sincerely Yours, hoaëc noàng nhieät nhö Cordially, Cordially Yours, Regards, Best Regards hay Best wishes. Ñoái vôùi thö tín quoác teá, neân duøng Sincerely hoaëc Sincerely yours. Khi vieát thö cho moät coâng ty, Sincerely thöôøng ñöôïc duøng hôn Cordially. Trong thö töø coù tính trònh troïng hoaëc hình thöùc, duøng loái keát thuùc trang troïng hôn nhö Yours very truly, Yours truly, Very truly yours, Very cordially yours, Very sincerely yours hoaëc Respectfully yours.

II. Noäi dung thö: 1. Noäi dung thö hieån nhieân laø phaàn quan troïng nhaát cuûa böùc thö. Böùc thö baïn vieát coù thaønh coâng hay khoâng tuøy thuoäc vaøo möùc ñoä roõ raøng, chính xaùc, ñuùng ñaén vaø lòch söï maø baïn theå hieän trong phaàn noäi dung. Ñaëc bieät caâu ñaàu tieân vaø caâu cuoái cuøng phaûi roõ raøng vaø döùt khoaùt.

Döôùi ñaây laø moät soá ñoaïn maãu minh hoïa: a. Khoâng roõ raøng vaø chính xaùc: I read about the model airplane outfit in this magazine I was reading the other night.

How much does it cost ? Can you send me one at once ? I am interested in model airplanes. I have already built many of them. Now I want to built another kind. b. Khoâng lòch söï: The dress does not fit me. I am going to mail its back to you. If you don't have a bigger size, I want you to refund what I paid for it. Hoping to hear from you soon. c. Ñaït yeâu caàu: Please send me tickets for two $3.30 balcony seats for any Friday or Saturday evening performance during the month of January of I Hired a Dead Man. Enclosed are a check for $6.60 and a self-adressed, stamped envelope.

2. Noäi dung thö phaûi bao goàm moïi thoâng tin vaø caùc yeáu toá nhaän dieän caàn thieát ñeå ngöôøi ñoïc bieát roõ phaûi thöïc hieän ñieàu gì.

Coù nhieàu kieåu thö trong giao dòch coâng vieäc vaø kinh doanh, nhöng tieâu bieåu vaø thoâng duïng nhaát laø thö xin vieäc (letter of application), thö ñaët haøng (order letter) vaø thö yeâu caàu cung caáp thoâng tin (letter of inquiry). Döôùi ñaây laø ba böùc thö maãu:

366. A LETTER OF APPLICATION 82 Middle Road Singapore 17 Oct. 19-The editor Straits Times Singapore Dear Sir : I understand from your advertisement columns that there is a vacancy for a reporter in your esteemed paper. I wish to offer my services.

I am 19 years old and I am a Diploma holder in journalism. Even as a student I had developed a taste for reporting especially in the forum column in your paper (photocophies of the Newspaper cuttings enclosed).

I have a vigorous news sense, a flair for quick and easy writing and am well known as "an ear to the ground".

I hope you will be kind enough to fix with me an appointment at your convenience. You can call me at 7777224.

Thanking you.

Yours faithfully,

Patrick

367. AN ORDER LETTER Caleb D. West 123 Elm Street Aiken, Kentucky June 24, 19-Rachel Coopers, Inc. 55 Fifth Avenue Aiken, Kentucky

Dear Sirs : Please send me the following items as advertised in The Gainesville Press of June 22 : 1 pair of young men's tan rayon slacks, size 32, inseam 30, $5.99 3 pairs of men's brown cotton argyle socks, size 11, $2.79 Enclosed is a money order for $8.78

Sincerely yours

Caleb

368. A LETTER OF INQUIRY 29 Bishop Street, Singapore 6.

22nd July, 1993.

The Principal, City Tutorial School, 10, Victoria Avenue, Singapore 8.

Dear Sir, Ref : Tuition In Mathematics And English I am preparing to sit for the G.C.E. "O" Level Examination at the end of this year.

As I have only a short time left, I wish to enrol myself in your school for tuition in Mathematics and English, the subjects in which I am weak.

I should therefore be pleased if you would let me know how soon I could commence my attendance and the fees I have to pay upon enrolment.

Yours faithfully,

John Tan B. THÖ TÖØ TRONG GIAO TIEÁP XAÕ HOÄI 1. Moät laù thö duøng trong giao tieáp xaõ hoäi goàm 6 phaàn, nhö ñöôïc minh hoïa döôùi ñaây: (1) phaàn ñaàu thö (ñòa chæ ngöôøi gôûi vaø ngöôøi nhaän), (2) lôøi chaøo ñaàu thö, (3) noäi dung thö, (4) caâu keát thö, (5) chöõ kyù, (6) ñòa chæ treân phong bì. Ñoâi khi ngöôøi vieát thö khoâng ñeà ñòa chæ cuûa mình, tuy nhieân khoâng bao giôø ñöôïc queân ghi ngaøy thaùng.

244 East Broad Street (1) Plainville 21, Michigan January 1, 19-(2) Dear Uncle Jack, As I sit at my desk, I can look out the window and see Broad Street frozen with ice and sleet this first day of the New Year. And I picture you looking out a window Miami, or betteryet, sitting under a palm tree, gazing at white sands, blue skies, and inviting surf.

What a life !

Our Christmas present all arrived safely, and the beauti-ful cards, too. Thanks so much for the skates you gave me. I've put them to good use several times already. But tomorrow school opens again, and I'll have less time for skating. Vacations always end too soon.

Thanks again for the skates and my Christmas card. You have really been too generous to me.

We are all looking forward to seeing you on your return North in April. For the present, however, "Happy New Year !"

(4) Sincerely, (5) Ted 2. Naêm loaïi thö thöôøng ñöôïc söû duïng nhaát trong giao tieáp xaõ hoäi laø thö troø chuyeän (conversation letter), thö caùm ôn (thank-you letter), thö môøi (letter of invitation), thö nhaän lôøi môøi (letter accepting an invitation), thö khöôùc töø lôøi môøi (letter declining an invitation).

3. Caùc qui taéc caàn nhôù: a. Traùnh vieát taét b. Lôøi chaøo ñaàu thö thöôøng coù tính thaân maät vaø theo sau luoân luoân laø daáu phaåy. c. Caâu keát thö cuõng coù tính chaát thaân maät, vaø coù theå chaáp nhaän nhieàu hình thöùc khaùc nhau, nhöng khoâng bao giôø ñöôïc duøng töø truly. d. Trong thö troø chuyeän, baïn phaûi bieåu loä söï quan taâm ñeán ngöôøi ñoïc thö baèng caùch cung caáp taát caû nhöõng thoâng tin ngöôøi ñoù caàn ñeán vaø toû ra quan taâm ñeán coâng vieäc cuûa ngöôøi naøy. e. Khi vieát thö caûm ôn, baïn phaûi theå hieän söï bieát ôn vaø traân troïng ñoái vôùi moùn quaø taëng hoaëc loøng toát baèng caùch ñeà caäp ñeán nhöõng chi tieát naøy thaät cuï theå. f. Thö môøi phaûi neâu döõ kieän veà ngaøy thaùng, giôø giaác vaø ñòa ñieåm moät caùch roõ raøng, chính xaùc. g. Thö nhaän lôøi môøi phaûi cho thaáy raèng baïn ñaùnh giaù cao lôøi môøi, ñoàng thôøi ñeà caäp laïi caùc yeáu toá veà thôøi gian vaø nôi choán. h. Trong thö khöôùc töø lôøi môøi, baïn phaûi bieåu loä loøng bieát ôn khi ñöôïc môøi, vaø neâu roõ raøng, cuï theå lyù do khöôùc töø lôøi môøi.

Döôùi ñaây laø moät soá böùc thö minh hoïa.

369. A CONVERSATION LETTER 171 East 16th Avenue Denver, Colorado August 20, 19-Dear Tom, I was very glad to hear that you have been having a grand summer at the shore. We all enjoyed your letter, particularly the details of the fishing trip, and the trouble you had with that motor.

There has been a lot of activity at the lake this summer. Many new houses have been built up here, and that means, of course, many new families. Butch and I were eager to see if that meant new girls, too, and it does. We have had a lot of fun with several of them at the club dances. Most of them are attractive, and good sports as well as good dancers. I'm afraid we have neglected the girls whom we dated last season. And so don't think that the seashore is the only place for bathing beauties.

I have not done any fishing this year, but I've been playing tennis almost every day and riding several times each week.

You'll be interested to know that Gladys has been asking about you. Bill and his sister Mary did not come up this year. They are both working, for a change. I see their parents, though, almost every day. Bill is driving a bakery truck, and Mary is working in an office. I think they'll be up for a couple of week ends later in the summer.

You had better be practising your backhand. I'm getting so hot on the courts that I may take you over 6-0, 6-0 when we're home in September.

Write again, Tom, when you can pull yourself away from all those admiring mermaids for a moment or two. It's always good to hear from you.

Your loving friend,

David

370. A THANK-YOU LETTER June 10, 19-Dear Mary, Thank you very much for the fine sweater you sent me for my birthday. The fit is perfect, and it's just the right color to wear with my sport jacket.

I wore it to school the day after it arrived, and many of my friends complimented me about it.

We are all well. Mother will be writing to you soon.

Yours lovingly,

Jennifer

371. A LETTER OF INVITATION 15 December, 19-Blk 293, # 04-409 Tampines St 33 Singapore 1547 Dear Leong, I am having a New Year's Eve party at my house December 31, at ten o'clock. How should you like to come ?

Most of the gang have been invited, too. There will be plenty of refreshments, of course, dancing to records and the radio, and some surprises I'm cooking up.

Please let me know by Monday whether you can come.

Yours friendly,

Catherine

372. A LETTER ACCEPTING AN INVITATION Blk 41, # 11-1879 Talan Rumah. Tinggi Singapore 1545 18 December, 19-Dear Catherine, Thank you for your invitation for New Year's Eve. I will ertainly be there at ten o'clock.

It sounds like a good way to welcome in the New Year. I'll bring some new records that I received for Christmas that I know you will like.

Many apologies

Yours lovingly,

Kate

373. A LETTER DECLINING AN INVITATION 20 December, 19-Dear Catherine, Thank you for your kind invitation to attend your birthday party and dinner dance December 25.

I regret that I cannot accept because of a previous engagement. My cousin from Ohio will be visiting us that week, and we have theater tickets for December 25.

I know you'll have a wonderful time. Cong ratulations on your birthday, and may you have many, many more !

Many apologies Yours lovingly,

Kate

C. NGOAØI CAÙC THEÅ LOAÏI THÖ TÍN NEÂU TREÂN, COØN COÙ NHIEÀU THEÅ LOAÏI KHAÙC ÑÖÔÏC SÖÛ DUÏNG TUØY THEO TÌNH HUOÁNG CUÏ THEÅ. XIN GIÔÙI THIEÄU CHO CAÙC BAÏN VAØI THEÅ LOAÏI THAM KHAÛO.

374. LETTER OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT THÖ XAÙC NHAÄN ÑAÕ NHAÄN ÑÖÔÏC THÖ GÔÛI ÑEÁN Brixton Enterprise 8 Clive Street Kuala Lumpur January 5, 19-Mr Roberts P. Harrow 7 Green Avenue Eastern Park Kuala Lumpur Dear Mr. Roberts : Your letter asking Ms. Ainsworth to speak before the Business Club of Jackson on January 14 arrived a few days after she left down on a business trip.

However, after checking her schedule for January 14, I see that she is scheduled to make a special report to the Board of Directors on that day ; apparently, it will therefore be impossible for her to address the members of your club at that time.

I know that Ms. Ainsworth will nevertheless appreciate your kind invitation and will write to you as soon as she returns to Kuala Lumpur.

Sincerely yours,

Samir Nandy

375. LETTER OF APOLOGY THÖ XIN LOÃI May 20, 19-Ms Mary Lambert & Woolf Company 1005 Tower Street Cleveland, OH 44900 Dear Ms. Morton : I hope you will accept a sincere apology for my absence from the Credit Association meeting yesterday afternoon.

When I promised earlier in the week that I would be there, I fully intended to be present. But a meeting of our own credit department staff yesterday afternoon lasted much longer than expected, and it was impossible for me to get away.

When I see Jim Davis at lunch tomorrow, I will ask him to bring me up to date on yesterday's developments.

Sincerely yours,

Harold Jay

376. LETTER OF APPOINTMENT THÖ HEÏN GAËP Rachel Coopers, Inc. 55 Fifth Avenue Aiken, Kentucky 27 February, 19-Mr. Harry J. Allen 23 North Avenue Aiken, Kentucky Dear Mr. Rhoades : Mr. Ricotti will be glad to see you some time during the week of March 3 to talk over the installation of the elevator in his residence at 20 West Street.

If you will telephone me at 353-9200 we can arrange a time that will be convenient for you and Mr. Ricotti.

Sincerely yours,

Betty Carter

377. LETTER OF COMPLAINTS THÖ PHAØN NAØN February 15, 19-Mr. A.J. Schiavone Telecommunications Equipment Ltd 85 Yersin Ho Chi Minh City Dear M. Schiavone : We were disappointed to discover that your Model 290FM copier, which we leased from you on February 9, is not at all suitable for our needs. We are, therefore, asking that you replace it immediately with the larger model 291 FM. As we had emphasized to you before leasing the 290FM, our copy volume exceeds 1,000 copies a month, and we copy in quantities of 500 to 600 at a time. The 290 FM that you recommended, however, is not able to handle this volume. The lengthy cooldown period required after only twenty to thirty pages has made it impossible for us to complete our runs of 500 to 600 copies in adequate time. This delay is causing problems not only for us but for our clients.

We would like to exchange the Model 290FM for a 291FM before March 7, when our next run will occur. Please telephone me at 279-6000 on Monday, March 3, to discuss the adjustments in our lease. Thank you.

Sincerely,

J.M. Aldine

378. LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION THÖ GIÔÙI THIEÄU Mr. Dexter T.Wilson, Manager Make-Do Manufacturing Company 123 Green Street Centertown, Minnesota May 28, 19-M.E.I. Project Engineering Inc. 789 Madison Avenue Elmwood 3, Nevada To Whom It May Concern : Jennifer King was employed as our office manager from 1984 to 1987. During this time she was responsible for the management of word processing, telecommunications, filing and records management, and other office functions.

Ms. King supervised a staff of fourteen and is credited with raising employee morale and efficiency to the highest level ever experienced during my association with this company. At all times she demonstrated a thorough and expert knowledge of office skills and procedures and maintained a steady, constant flow of high-quality work.

Ms. King would be a great asset to any organization desiring smooth and efficient office functioning, and I am happy to recommend her for any position in the area of office management and administration.

Sincerely,

Mr. Dexter T. Wilson

379. LETTER OF BIRTHDAY GREETINGS TO FRIEND THÖ CHUÙC MÖØNG SINH NHAÄT BAÏN 27th December 1989 23 Sheffield Road Pudsey Yorkshire, LS28 6EB Dear Johnson, It is your birthday on 7th of January and I am sending you through this letter my best wishes and happiness ever to follow you. Kindly accept it with my best wishes.

Yours lovingly,

Christopher

380. LETTER OF CONDOLENCES THÖ CHIA BUOÀN Sept 20, 19-Dear Mrs. Echols : It was with a very real sense of loss that I heard today of the death of your husband. I valued his friendship for many years. I don't believe I've ever known another man who was so loved and respected by all who knew him. It was a privilege to know Jack, whose place in our company can never be fully taken by anyone else.

My heartfelt sympathy goes out to you and your family. If there is any way in which I can be of assistance in the weeks ahead, please do not hesitate to call on me.

Sincerely,

Kelvin Jones