American Literature - Literature for Children

Topics for essays - I have a dream - GD & QL2

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:20:00 +0000

Write an academic essay with one of the following topics:

1. What you understand of the M.L.K’s saying “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”?

2. What do you think of the Martin’s question “When will you be satisfied” when he claimed a series of “we can never be satisfied…”?

3. Are you satisfied when there are a lot of injustice or lots of poor people around the world?

4. When you have a dream, then you face with difficulties, will you still keep dreaming? Why or why not?

5. Do you have a dream of developing your home, your life, your country, your relationship or your career? What have you done so far in order to accomplish your dream?(discuss only one of those)

6. In your point of view, what elements make dreams come true?

20-11-2009 at Nong Lam Uni

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:09:00 +0000

Kỷ niệm 20 năm thành lập Trung Tâm Ngoại Ngữ Đại Học Nông Lâm. Tsb nhận đc 2 phần thường heeeeeee. thix ghia

Có ai woánh zá tấm nì là xin nhứt hem ta? heeee

Trí Cao and Ngọc Diệp

An essay of The Cop and the Anthem

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:16:00 +0000

Written by Phung Thi Giang 06AV-G

TOPIC 1: The arguments in your class today were rather unhappy with the ending of the story “The Cop and The Anthem” because O.Henry enclosed it with an unexpected end (Soapy was sentenced to be in the “island” for three months right at the time he awakened himself to be a good person). In your own viewpoint, are you happy with that ending? If not, providing that you have a chance to change the ending of the story, what would the ending be? Don’t forget to tell your reasons.

---------------

O.Henry is a pseudonym of William Sydney Porter, is a famous American writer with a lot of short stories. With his skillfully writing way, he carries the readers into the surprising endings. And in “the cop and the anthem” has shown this ending clearly. In this story, the author brings us into a half laughing and half crying ending. Some people said that it is the unhappy ending because O.Henry enclosed it with an unexpected ending (Soapy was sentenced to be in the “island” for three months right at the time he awakened himself to be a good person). However, with me, it is a completely fair and very happy ending for Soapy because of some following reasons.

Firstly, the prison is a cost which Soapy has to pay for his bad actions. In the world, there is not any bad action without having to pay the price. If not pay by this way, have to pay another ways. Through the works which I have been learnt from the beginning course so far, I find that most characters have to pay the price for their bad actions. For example, in “Rip Van Winkle,” Rip Van Winkle was punished sleep twenty years in the mountain for his idleness and irresponsibility. How about “the tell-tale heart” Although the narrator has used every ways to hide his guilty and nobody knows the narrator killed the old man, his conscience court himself does not also give him peacefully. Then he confessed that it is mainly him who killed the old man with the policemen. And now in this work, so have the cost for Soapy. Soapy has caused many evil actions such as eating in the luxury restaurant without paying money, broken the window of the shop, then wheedled a beautiful lady, and stole an umbrella. From these bad actions of him, I think that the author enclosed the story with scene Soapy was arrested into the prison in the end of the story is very fair for him.

Secondly, I think that the prison is a good settled place for Soapy to survive from the frozen winter. All of us do not want to experience our life in the prison. Soapy is, too. He wants to live in the prison is just an unexpectedly condition. As we known, in the beginning of the story, O.Henry said obviously that Soapy was a homeless, no money, and no relations man. He has to live in the sidewalk and sleep in the bench of the park. If living in the sidewalk in the spring, summer, or autumn season, it goes without saying. However, when coming winter, the snow covers the ground. In the cold air, he can not sleep in the bench any more. He does not want to be frozen to death in the icy winter as well. Thus, he wants to live three months in the prison in the island. That is a normal matter because the prison is mainly the warmest and most comfortable place for him to survive through the cold winter. I think O.Henry enclosed the story with arresting Soapy into the prison is the totally reasonable end, and it is very kind to Soapy.

Finally, when living in the prison, he can deeply think about his awakening. Some people can think that arresting Soapy into the jail is unfair and unhappy. However, I believe that it is truly a good chance for him. All we knew that after all of evil actions he caused, yet he was not arrested. And in the disappointed mood, he wanders and sits beside a church. He heard the anthem which brought him become a good person right at that time, he was arrested. I mean that although he changes to be a good person, it just occurs in a short time when he heard the anthem. If the cop does not put him into the prison whether he can carry out what he thought. We can not know. Because saying is very easy, but doing is very difficult. Moreover, here it is the changing a person, a soul. It is very hard. We can not change it just in overnight. If just with his thinking to become a good man is not strong enough in order to help him showing his changing soul. Perhaps, he will need more time to think deeply about his longing. Therefore, I think the prison is the best place for him thinking deeply about his awakening.

In sum up, the ending of the story is very happy and fair for Soapy. Living in the prison is not only a consequent of Soapy’s bad actions but also a good hibernatiricel place for him. Moreover, I think that arresting Soapy into the prison is truly making a good opportunity for him to have enough time thinking about changing in his soul to become a good person.

Have you ever experienced of change in your soul? (The Cop and the Anthem)

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:10:00 +0000

Composed by Huynh Thi Bao Tram av32

Life is not easy as many people think. In the contrary, it is really so complicated and make us confuse with unforeseeable things. Nobody of us can predict what our life will be in the future when all sudden events are always ready to appear and make a change in our mind as well as our soul. In my life, I have already experienced of unforgettable change in soul once time

The memorable change in my soul happened four years ago when I was a junior at the high school. I will never forget that day when one of my friends celebrated a birthday party, and I stayed with her and helped her all day without any call for permission from my parents. Of cause my parents were very worried, and they went out to look for me in the dark rainy night while I was joining the party with all of energy and paying not attention to time until my parents came to my friend’s house. Therefore, the result that I got was so terrible. My dad used the strong words that I did not get them out of mind and hit me with the broom.

In fact, at that moment, I did think that my dad did not love me, and I wrote all I thought in my dairy, even I also planned to escape from my family so that my parents could not see me any more. Since then, the relationship between me and my dad was not good till last year when my dad was diagnosed that he had problem with heart.

When getting this bad news from my sister, I seemed to fall down to the hell. I really regretted. I blamed myself of not caring and loving him much for a long time. I prayed for him every night with the hope that my dad would be ok soon and always continue to be a stern father as he was. Luckily, the doctors said my dad’s case is not quite serious if he did not get any strong shock. There were no words to express my happiness.

I knew that my dad never stopped loving his children, and what he did just made us better. Our crack relation gradually disappears naturally. And now, my only wish is that my parents will be healthy forever. Of cause I also promise myself not to make them sad or shock as well as possible.

Maybe I don’t have a good condition like the others who are having rich parents, but I proudly think I’m one of the lucky people in the world because I have a happy family with the love from parents, and that did make me have few change in soul for a long time.

In general, changing our soul does not really depend on whatever we do, but the way we face and deal with the difficulties in life because the more we get troubles, the more changes we have in soul as well as in mind. My experiences is less than the others; however, they are the meaningful lessons that I will never forget in the whole my life.

An essay of The Cop and the Anthem

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:05:00 +0000

By Do Thi Huyen Trang

Do you believe that fairness always appears in the world? Give examples!

O. Henry is a famous writer with light, humorous literary style, surprise and open close endings. The cop and the anthem is also a story like that. It makes the readers think a lot when finishing the story. In this story, there is an interesting idea: it mentions about the fair in the world. For me, I think that fairness always appears in the world. Life is always equal; no one can get free anything. In below paragraphs, I’ll explain my ideas by examples.

Firstly, the only way to receive your results surely is working, it is fair. Although sometimes, you don’t do anything, you can receive luck. But you can’t get luck continuously; you must work to receive your results. Soapy in this story is a clear example about this idea. He wants to have a warm house in winter, food, friends without doing anything, so he wants to be imprisoned. He is very lucky that he has been imprisoned for years. Maybe, in the past, if he had feigned to do something wrong like this year such as having meal in an expensive restaurant without paying, breaking the window by rock, flirting with woman or stealing and so on, he would have been imprisoned. But it is not always that with these works, he will always be imprisoned. This year, whatever he does, he can’t be imprisoned. Maybe, it is O. Henry’s design: as lazy as Soapy can’t get luck continually. If Soapy works, he will get a house to stay, food to eat, it is fair. Another example about this idea: Once you do not study for your examination, but you get high score because of your friends’ helping. However, your friends can’t always be with you with your examinations. There are many others examinations that you must do by yourselves, so before or after, you must study. It isn’t always that all wishes can become true if you don’t do some practical working for them. There are many idioms tell about this problem: no pains, no gains; no work, no money; no bees, no honey and so on.

Secondly, life is always equal, when it takes you something, it will give you another. Example: you are not beautiful, but you have knowledge, you can have a suitable job for your knowledge and your habit: engineer, teacher… In contrast, you just have a good appearance; you can do some jobs that require appearance like modal… You don’t have knowledge, but you have a good health, you can do labor jobs like building worker and so on. You are not good at calculating or you can’t have ability to study higher, but you are a dextrous person, you can become a painter, tailor, woodworker … All jobs have these own usefulness and contribute to society. In general, there are different kinds of jobs to choose so everyone has their own jobs which suitable for their habits, their abilities. Everyone has their good and bad sides, no one is perfect, so one’s good side can support others. It’s completely fair.

Throughout this story, there are many funny circumstances, but behind them are messages of human culture. Life is always equal; your results will fit your working. Sometime, if it takes you something, you’ll be received another. You should wait, hope and believe in life. You’ll never be received unluck continually if you really work hard. Awarding of it, we draw ourselves moral: the fair to rise in life. We should try to work hard to receive our good results.

Cách vào facebook

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:46:00 +0000

Mấy ngày rồi tsb ko vào facebook đc. May wa' hum wa nhờ bạn Khoa Nguyen suy tập đc cách vào facebook nên tsb post ở đây cho các bạn tham khảo lun. Bài này đã đc ai đó viết hướng dẫn ở Yahoo rồi.

Khoa Nguyen:
đa số nhà mạng chặn hết fb hết rồi. Thầy làm cách sau để vào fb nè. E làm rồi và thấy có hiệu wả hihi
- Vào Start ->Control Panel.
-> Click vào Network Connections.
-> Click chuột phải vào phần kết nối để chọn Properties.
-> Chọn Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) -> Properties.
-> Chú ý phần “Use the following DNS server addresses...” bạn nhập các thông số cho :
+Preferred DNS server: 208.67.222.222
+Alternate DNS server: 208.67.220.220

Sau đó click vào OK 2 lần là xong

Topics for essays - The Old Man and the Sea- GD, QL1 & QL2

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:16:00 +0000

Choose one of the following topics to write an Academic essay about "The Old man and the sea" - Ernest Hemingway:

1. Sometimes people have a feeling of achieving something; then they try to do it in order to get what they dream of. Have you ever had that kind of experience?

2. What do you learn from the friendship between the old man and the boy in the story?

3. When you fight with someone or something, and finally you and your enemy gain nothing as the old man and the fish in the story. Do you think it is worthy doing so?

4. What do you think of the saying from the old man “Man can be destroyed, but not be defeated”?

5. What lesson have you learned from the movie “The old man and the sea” - Ernest Hemingway?

Topics for essays - A Clean Well-Lighted Place - QL 1 & QL 2

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:59:00 +0000

Select one of the following topics to write an Academic essay:

1. The younger waiter said that an hour is more to him than to the old man. Can you interpret the meaning of it? Do you have any experience about the significance of an hour?

2. Why did the author mention about youth, confidence and job in this story? Are they everything in your life?

3. What does it mean by ‘nada’ in the story of "A Clean Well-Lighted Place" - Ernest Hemingway? Do you have any experience of it? One day in your life, if you have feelings of 'nada', what should you do?

4. What should you do to help the old people's life (if there is any in your family) be more meaningful?

5. Four characters, the soldier, the young waiter, the older waiter and the old man appeared in the story of "A Clean Well-Lighted Place" - Ernest Hemingway, seemed to imply for four periods of a human life. Can you interpret that?

QL 1 - av32

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:10:00 +0000

Lâu lắm rùi tsb mới có dịp 'nhí nhảnh' với máy chụp hình với các bạn lớp QL1. Cũng trùng hợp là nhờ người ta trả máy camera nên tsb có dịp chụp hình kỷ niệm với các bạn khóa 32. 5 phút trong giờ break cũng đủ để làm 1 slideshow heeeee. Đúng là thầy trò giống nhau ghia, ai cũng thix chụp hình hiiiii.

Đầu tiên tsb chỉ tính chụp vài tấm của lớp làm kỷ nệm. Ai zè bà con thấy máy chụp hình nên hưởng ứng ồ ạt heeee.

Tấm này cả lớp dễ thun nè

Tấm này nên đặt tên là gì ta? Nững model này muh ra garden của khoa chụp với T 1 tấm thì chéc là hấp dẫn lém đây heeee

Wa' dễ thun lun

Có người khiêm tốm chỉ xem mình là dễ thun...

đố các bạn có bao nhiu ngón tay?

Có người được mệnh dành là bà...gi... heeeee

so cute...

hình như có người bít hôm nay chụp hình nên mặc áo nổi ghiaaaaaaa

một điều thú vị là trong lớp mình có 2 kids. Đó là lý do tại sao muh T cho các bạn thi midterm bằng các tác phẩm Literature for children heeeeeee

4 chàng ngự lâm pháo thủ

chắc đây là ngũ... qu...

bữa nào nhóm này đi làm 1 slideshow đi! chéc cool lém ah'

ý zaaaaaaa

Ngày nào T cũng thấy happy nhất là lúc nhìn các bạn discuss nè...

An essay of The Cop and the Anthem

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:25:00 +0000

Topic: Do you believe that Soapy would still keep his resolution of change until he was out of the Island ? If not, what do you think of the unfairness of that society in which Soapy lived?

written by Tran Thi Ngoc Thuy

In “The cop and the anthem”, by using ironic structure, O. Henry described a main character-Soapy who tries unsuccessfully six different ways breaking the law to be arrested in the Island-a prison. He just changes his soul after hearing the organ music from the church; however, the cop captures him for doing nothing. It has a surprise ending. Many people doubt that whether Soapy will still keep his determination to change after three months in jail or not. In my point of view, Soapy will still keep his resolution of change until he is out of the island because he has positive thinking and positive attitude as well as realizes the value of a man in life after listening to the anthem.

The first reason Soapy still keep his resolution of change is that he has positive thinking after listening to the organ music. At first, Soapy recalls his good and peaceful memories he had in the past. It is true that people are in the way of positive thought often having a tendency to look back the good things. This is the motive helps people to change in the good direction. For example, Soapy recalls “such things as mothers and roses and ambitions and friends and immaculate thoughts and collars.” We can see the good memories in his head will turn his thoughts towards the more positive. In addition, he also reconsiders his negative thoughts in the past and feels unpleasant about them. “The degraded days, unworthy desires, dead hopes, wrecked faculties and base motives that made up his existence”. He thinks that negative thoughts existed in his mind causes harmful to his life. This proves that his thinking has changed, of course, in the positive trend. Therefore, we must think back our good memories to encourage ourselves as well as the bad ones to change in order to hold the positive thinking.

The positive attitude is the next reason proves that Soapy will still keep his determination to change after three months in jail. The initial attitude is that Soapy has a strong urge to struggle with his internal negative attitude. He realizes that he now has to pull him from the difficult situation which he brings to himself. “He would pull himself out of the mire”. “He would conquer the evil that had taken possession of him”. He perceives that he must battle with his internal evil himself which controls his own life in the bad way. Furthermore, Soapy also looks back his ambitions and is willing to pursue them without hesitation. “He would resurrect his own eager ambitions and pursue them without faltering’. The willingness in his attitude proves that he wants to change his fate in the straight way. Thus, people should try to struggle against the internal negative attitude and fulfill the ambitions immediately in order not to feel regretful later.

The last reason demonstrates Soapy will still keep his resolution of change is that he perceives the value of a man in life. Soapy wants to be a worthy man in the world. “He would make a man of himself again”. He sees that he should not let the negative thoughts control him any more. He thinks he should change to be somebody in the world. These are the witnesses indicate that he has a strong desire to turn himself to a true man in life. Also, Soapy realizes that he has to find work to support for himself. Soapy sees his bright way in the future and feels eager to fulfill. He realizes that he must not lean upon others for living. He must take responsibility for his own life. Therefore, a man should rely on his/her capacity to assert the value of him/her in life.

In general, the story with the surprise ending causes the argument revolves around the main character Soapy. The question is that whether Soapy will keep his determination after three months in the prison or not. The answer can depend on every one. Having positive thinking and positive attitude as well as perceiving the value of man after listening to the anthem are some reasons show that Soapy will still keep his resolution of change until he is out of the island. As human beings, we all have to believe in ourselves. “We should not share our dreams with negative people, nor feed our dreams with negative thoughts”.

An essay of The Tell-Tale Heart - Edgar Allan Poe

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:16:00 +0000

Topic: There was another conflict within your group members about the madness/ madnessless of the narrator. Some argued that the narrator was really a mad man, and others denied to state that he was not a mad man due to his perfect plan of killing the old man. What is your stance? Justify it!

Composed by Tran Thi Ngoc Thuy

In “The tell-tale heart”, the narrator- the murderer tells his own story about the action of killing an old man. Through his words as well as his action, some people argue that the narrator is really a mad man, and others deny to state that he is not a mad man. In my point of view, the narrator is not really a mad man because he has a careful as well as patient action of killing the old man and has the feelings or senses about his action.

First of all, the narrator has a careful action of killing the old man that proves that he is not really a mad man. Before murdering the old man, the narrator cares about the process of killing the old man. He tells “with what caution-with what foresight-with what dissimulation I went to work”. This shows how careful he is in carrying out his plan. Also, intentionally, he behaves well towards the old man. Every morning, the narrator often talks gently to the old man to check whether the old man has any doubt about his plan or not. After killing the old man, the narrator is very cautious about his process of hiding the dead body. He works hastily, but in silence so that no neighbor can hear anything. In addition, when the murderer cuts off the corpse and puts it down in the floor, there is not any clue of the deed he has done because “a tub had caught all”. Whether a mad man can do such things cleverly or not. Thus, these actions above make us cannot think that the narrator is really a mad man.

Besides having a careful action, the narrator has a patient deed of murdering the old man that proclaims he is not mad. Every night just at midnight, the narrator always waits persistently to fulfill his plan of killing the old man. He often spends a whole hour at night to see whether the old man sleeps or stays awake. He has done such action during seven long nights. How persistent the narrator is! Furthermore, when the old man springs up in bed and asks, “Who’s there?”, the narrator keeps still and says nothing. He stands silently and patiently in the dark and waits for a long time. It shows that the narrator has great patience in waiting to carry out his plan. Therefore, a mad man will have no enough patience as the narrator has.

The last reason verifies that the narrator is not really a mad man is that he has feelings or senses about his action of killing the old man. The initial feeling we can see clearly about the narrator is that he feels nervous “True!-nervous-very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am” when he retells the story. The next sense came to him is the calm feeling while reporting the story. He tells the readers to observe how healthily and how calmly he has when telling the whole story. What’s more, the narrator hears the sound comes to his ears “a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton”. After the police officers come in the house for searching, the narrator’s head ache and this sound steadily increases within his mind. He perceives that “it grew louder-louder-louder”. If the narrator is a mad man, can such feelings disturb his mind increasingly? It is true that he still has the feelings about his crime and his agony, so he is not really a mad man.

In short, Edgar Allan Poe described a character that causes many arguments such as knowing no name, no sex as well as madness or not. Some people say the narrator is really a mad man, some argue that he is not. Basing on the great care and patience in his action as well as the feelings having about his deed, we can see that the narrator is not really a mad man. Whether a mad man can give us the meaningful story or not? Therefore, we must look at deeply the whole matter to give comment instead of the aspect of it.

Who is responsible for Rip's unhappy family?

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:11:00 +0000

Topic: The family life of Rip was described as unhappy family. In your point of view, who is responsible for this terrible situation? Rip or Dame Van Winkle?

By Le Thi Thuy Quynh

It’s not difficult to define how is a happy family? A happy family always has cheerful and warm atmosphere. The parent-child relationship is always in agreement and in respect each other. They must share the responsibility together. However, in short story “Rip Van Winkle”, we are easy to see how pity Rip’s family is? Rip’s family was a messy, unorganized one without the happiness; except the wife’s shriek, the husband’s laziness and the children’s uneducated condition. This terrible situation not only came from Rip but also from his wife, Dame Van Winkle.

The first reason is the lack of the marital sympathy. What is the sympathy? Sympathy is a social affinity in which one person stands with another person, closely understanding his or her feelings. Rip had time to help other wives in his town and he works for unprofitable purpose, but he didn’t spend his time to notice why Dame behaved like that? Why did she always shriek at him? He didn’t share about the food and clothing problems with his wife. Rip doesn’t sympathize with his wife’s strenuousness. Otherwise, Dame seems to be better than Rip in the family’s care. She works to support for their family. However, in this story, Dame Van Winkle was described as a nasty woman. Morning, noon and night, she clamoured Rip all time. She didn’t know how to sympathize with her husband. She didn’t know how to ask her husband to help her while other wives could beg him for help. She didn’t use a soft voice or sweet words to talk with her husband to encourage him on domestic working as well as their farming work. Dame didn’t spend her time on understanding Rip. How did he need and how was his feeling to guide him on their family organization. Maybe because of her hard tone, Rip became more laziness and irresponsibility. Maybe he feared to face to his wife’s hard words. Obviously, there are no deepest sympathy between Rip and Dame Van Winkle. That explains why they were in the bad condition, unhappy family.

Another reason is the lack of the responsibility. Both Rip and Dame didn’t recognize their responsibility as a wife, a husband and parents in their family. Firstly, Rip was irresponsible to be as a husband. He didn’t do anything to help his wife to earn money to support for their life, even at least helping her in house-working. He spent his idle time to gossip in the inn or do the meaningless thing. He pushed the family burden on his wife’s shoulder without any worry. He didn’t effort to earn money to put their farm in order or in the good condition to help his wife. As a husband position, he didn’t let his wife base herself on his firm shoulder. All responsibility falls on Dame’s shoulder. His selfish lead his family to unhappy one. I could tolerance for his laziness, but I couldn’t stand his irresponsibility as a father. He spent his all time to gossip in the inn without any care about his children. He could teach and play with other children but he didn’t teach his children how to do the best thing; how to be a good person. I could see why Dame treated on Rip like it; because this was out of her suffering. Secondly, Dame was irresponsible to be as a good wife although she took care of their family by herself. As a wife position, she almost forgot her place in the family. She scolded at her husband every time, everywhere. She didn’t know how to keep her husband’s face. She didn’t effort to encourage Rip to work except reprimanding her husband in heated tongue. One more thing, as a mother role, Dame was irresponsible to her children. The way she took care her children to let them be considered as “belong to nobody” is unacceptable. How be ashamed I feel! The lack of responsibility causes Rip’s family into a mess. How unhappy family are!

In short, there are many reasons which lead a family into the unhappy situation. In this story, the lack of marital sympathy as well as irresponsibility is the main reason that causes Rip’s family into the unhappy one. This terrible situation will happen in case one of them doesn’t want to do anything, even a little work. There also exist many situations like this in our modern family now.

An essay of The Cop and the Anthem

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:06:00 +0000

Topic: The arguments in your class today were rather unhappy with the ending of the story "The Cop and the Anthem" because O. Henry enclosed it with an unexpected end (Soapy was sentenced to be in the "island" for three months right at the time he awakened himself to be a good person). In your own viewpoint, are you happy with that ending? If not, providing that you have a chance to change the ending of the story, what would the ending be? Don't forget to tell your reasons.

Composed by Nguyen Tri Cao

Many people don’t like the ending of the story of “The Cop and the Anthem” written by O. Henry because of its unexpected sad end. And in my point of view, I am not happy with the ending too. Thus, if I had a chance to change it, I would not let the jury give Soapy three months in prison; I would give him one more chance after his awakening because of three following reasons.

The first reason is that I believe he deserves one more chance to start a new bright future life after awakening. We all know that Soapy was a homeless man and he tried many ways to be put in prison because he simply thought that prison is the best place for a homeless guy like him to go through the coming winter. He intentionally created a crime in order to be caught by the police. He tried 6 times to do what he thought could bring him to the best place for the cold winter. However, all his plans were unsuccessful or ignored. And when he was tired of making plans, finding the ways to be in prison, he heard the Anthem that reminded him many happy things in the past. Thanks to the Anthem, he changed not in his mind but in his soul. It is not easy for us to change something, especially in our soul but he did after all. He realized the beauty of his previous life and what he should do to live better. Everything jumped to his mind as if there was an opened door with many beautiful things. He was then different from the man who had tried to be in jail. He really wanted to change; he wanted to have a job and a happy life. And because of his deeply changing, I believe he deserves to have a chance to change his life.

The second reason is that when we give Soapy a chance, it can affect other men who are in the same situation as him in a good way. If Soapy have had a chance to change, he would have been a good mirror for many people. Other people who were in the same situation might look at Soapy’s changing and be awaken. They might think that if Soapy could change, so did they. Thus, with this way, the number of homeless and jobless people might decrease. And the society would be full of forgiveness and happiness.

The last as well as the least important reason is that I love happy endings. In my opinion, good ending is that it can make readers think. This sad ending is really good when it makes us think much about the fairness in Soapy’s society and his resolution. However, if we have a happy ending, we can make the readers think in a different way, the good way that there is still forgiveness and fairness in our unfair society. The ending can also make people keep hoping and believing in the bright future.

All in all, I will give Soapy a chance to start a new life because of my reasons above. And this is one of the happy endings that I could think of. The ending can strongly affect those who are having troubles in life and looking for the way out.

Topics for essays - A Clean Well-lighted Place - GD

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:23:00 +0000

Write an academic essay, choosing one of the topics below:

1. The old man in the story "A clean well-light place" - Ernest Hemingway, has plenty of money, but he committed suicide. Do you think that money will bring happiness to people?

2. In your point of view, why did the younger waiter said that an hour is more to him than to the old man?

3. What should you do to help old people's lives (in your family) be more meaningful?

Topics for essays - A Rose for Emily - QL 2

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:37:00 +0000

Write an academic essay, selecting one of the four topics below.

1. In the story of A Rose for Emily - William Faulkner, "The mayor Colonel Sartoris invented an involved tale to the effect that Miss Emily's father had loan money to the town..." in order that Emily did not pay taxes in Jefferson. In your point of view, is it an irresponsible action if someone does not pay taxes to the place where he/she lives?

2. After Emily's father death, she went out very little; after her sweetheart went away, people hardly saw her at all. In your viewpoint, why did Emily isolate herself? Is it good to get out of people or friends when you are sad because of losing something?

3. Why did Emily's father drive all the men away from her? Was it good for her?

4. In your life, have you ever done something supposed to be good, but actually not as a result?

Note: In order to perfect your writing, you can get out of the content of the story to relate to your personal experiences.

Why did the narrator confess at the end of the story? (The Tell-Tale Heart)

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:25:00 +0000

Compose by Truong Thi Mong Thu - DH06QL2

In our life, there are always two sides existing. These are bright face and dark face and we ourselves wonder that how we can face to face them. Perhaps, bright face is easy for us to see, but dark face is opposite. We usually realize that dark face which existing inside our body was negative aspects. Sometimes, we misunderstand that we think ourselves as kind people, but the plain truth is on the contrary. Above details are proved in the story “The tell-tale heart” which reflects obviously two faces of our life. We can live in the torment and suffer misery when fighting against the court of justice presenting in our soul. To me in the story I never care for whether the man is mad or not, I just want to emphasize that the narrator confesses at the end of the story is meaningful because of people’s spoken words “cause lead to result” and I believe that it is the truth showing in this story and in our life. In fact, after reading this story, it is difficult for me to understand what you think about the man’s confession, but to me the man confesses at the end of the story because of three following reason.

Firstly, in my opinion, the narrator confesses at the end of the story because of his fear. He feels scared by his own serious offense. Maybe he imagines that the old man’s soul will finds out and punishes him. Therefore, he cannot keep calm and loose his mind. We can suppose that the old man’s heart is in the survival, so the man hears its beating. The sound seems to be louder and louder. To me, the man thinks that the old man is still living and the police will find out the trace of the old man. As a result, the man’s plan and prediction are broken up easily. Being a human being, we can also have mistakes and maybe we do not understand which motivation leads us to become a murderer. The man is to kill the old man because of his eye so that he can get rid of the old man’s eye immediately. The man feels afraid not only the old man’s shadow but also his eye. To me, the man thinks that he has robbed the old man’s eye, even fate. Naturally, the old man also comes back to retake everything which belongs to his possessive right, even the old man can haunt all of the man’s remaining life until he dies. In fact, “cause leads to consequence”, we are too. When we do wrong work, we are not uncourageous to acknowledge our mistakes. However, after rethinking we know what right and say “I am sorry about whatever happens”. Now and then we admit that it is difficult for us to say “sorry”, but it is better if we ask for forgiveness. For that reason the man confesses at the end of the story is like the consequence for bad action that he has caused for the old man.

In the world, nobody is perfect. Sometimes one of us also makes mistakes. Maybe the mistakes are serious or not. Perhaps, we feel scared, however, we can not hide our mistakes which we had done. Simply, we are human beings and we have certain thought and never act as a madman.

Secondly, being a human being, he cannot exist from the court of conscience inside his body. At the end of the story, obviously, the old man has died and we know a die person cannot say anything. On the contrary, the man hears the beating of the old man’s heart. The sound makes him uncomfortable. Sometimes, during the period of killing, the man is in confident temper and never fears. Maybe he is sure nobody has enough magical abilities to discover his safe plan of killing. When the cops are coming to check, he still sits on the desk put over the head of the old man. The man shouts loudly to show that nothing will ever frighten out of his wits. Nevertheless, it is usual that the dark face which existing inside his body is invading all of his temper. He feels suffocation and does not believe the soul of the old man is threatening him. In addition, the court of conscience in side his body or dark face is trampling upon his mind. He fears the punishing of conscience and is having qualms of conscience. Besides, he does not want to live in the guilty during his remaining life. In fact, we had read many newspaper articles which tell about killing person although the murderer kills him or her without trace, the cop still can search after truth. That is the reason why there are many people being ready to receive his or her guilty after killing others. Simply he or she scares when facing to the call of his conscience. Therefore, he or she thinks that confession is the liberation for people who always want to escape the obsession.

In fact, according to people’s common attitude when we loose one thing which has important meaning to our life, we will feel very regrettable.

At last, the confession at the end of the story is the repent about the man’s sin. Perhaps, the man feels regrettable about what he caused for the old man. Because of guiltless eye, the man has taken the old man’s fate furiously. To me, the man wishes he could not kill the old man. Maybe when killing the old man, the man never thinks about the consequence later. Until now, he wonders himself that why he can become the mad man at that time. Do you think that changing mind will change your soul? The old man is sinless; he deserves to live being murdered. At the beginning, the man desires to kill the old man with abject intention. In fact, I have beheld one situation which likes the man’s case. At the party, that person sees this person with provoking eyes, but he does not have any bad think. After the party ended, this person has used the knife to impale that person’s body because this person thinks that person does not respect him. As a result, this person feels guilty and confesses his fault with the police as the man in this story. In fact, when hating a person, we only want to do everything to make ourselves satisfied such as harming him or making him injured. However, after reaching our bad objective, we wish we never did it. For that reason, in the story “the tell-take heart” the man’s confession is considered the consequence of the regret about his guilt.

After all, in my point of view the fear, the court of conscience and the regret are the three main reasons leading to the man’s confession. As is natural, the regret will make his temper twinkled, and the court of conscience seems to be a person who reminds him of his serious offense or crime. Thereto, there is having qualms of conscience existing in the man’s soul. In addition, the fear creates motivation to force the man confess at the end of the story. Throughout this story, now and then, it is difficult for us to receive our guilt, but it will be a meaningful thing if we can confess our guilt loyally.

What lesson have you learned from the confession of the narrator? (The Tell-Tale Heart)

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:23:00 +0000

TOPIC: What lesson have you learned from the confession of the narrator?

Composed by Nguyen Thi Dao - DH06AVQ1

Each of the stories has its own meaning and at least one message, which gives the readers. In” Rip Van Winkle”, the readers can easily realize its messages that we not only have the responsibility to our family but also are patient in all works. But in” The tell tale heart”, if it is easy for us to realize its lessons. In my point of view, there are some lessons that we can learn from the confession of the narrator.

The first thing is that we should not be too confident in all situations. Throughout the story, the narrator is always confident of his plan. He believes that no one knows his intend, no one suspects his action, and his plan is perfect. Furthermore, his confident is shown the action he invites three police officers into the room and he places his own seat upon the very spot beneath which responses the corpse of the victim. Obviously, the narrator is sufficient in his plan. However, it was the confidence that ruins the narrator. Normally, when some one is too confident, they often have a passion for the succession, and then they fail in their own succession without knowing. The narrator is the same. Although the police officers do not have any suspect, the narrator finally confesses his crime. Maybe, the narrator’s confession is result from his confidence. Therefore, when doing anything, we should not be too confident.

Another thing, we must understand that no crime can cover forever. The more something covers, the more it is discovered. The crime is not sometimes discovered by some one, but it is discovered by murder. It is simple to understand. If some one becomes the murder because of some motivation, not bad characteristics, they will certainly be haunted about their crime. They will fear, regret and be tormented by their conscience. It explains why the narrator himself confesses at the end of the story although no one discovers his crime. The narrator feels fear. The fear causes by the beating of the heart acts an internal motivation for the narrator to finally confess to the murder. It was the beating that is the telling of his conscience. Therefore, the saying” no crime can covers forever” helps us understand that we can cover everyone, but we can not cover our own conscience.

Finally, we should not deny our mistakes; on the contrary, being ready to admit those is the best way that we should do. Certainly, everyone has ever made mistake at least one time in life; however, it is important how we face to our mistakes, admit or deny those. For the narrator,” The tell tale heart”, although he never admits to have a guilty conscience, it is obvious that the narrator does feel guilty for murdering the old man. It was the beating of the heart that proves it. When the beating returns, he begins to have an intensive fight between his brain and his conscience. The narrator’s brain tries to muffle the sound of the beating heart with his action in order to forget his crime, but his own conscience is incapable of being silenced. Finally, he confesses his murder with the police. In other word, he finally dare admit his crime. It also is the final lesson which each of us can draw from the narrator’s confession in’ The tell tale heart”.

In short, each of the stories gives us a lot of lessons. It is important if we can understand those lessons. In this story, there are a lot of lessons for us. For example, no crime can cover forever, don’t be too confident and let’s admit mistakes. If we understand clearly those after finishing the story, we can certainly improve our characteristics. Besides, we need to know that a person’s heart is one of the most vital organs in our body. Without a heart, life would become unmeaning because the heart is the telling of the conscience.

An essay of The Tell-Tale Heart - Edgar Allan Poe

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:17:00 +0000

Topic: The discussion today in your class did not end with the argument that the narrator was a mad man or not. How do you justify your stance? (The narrator was mad or not mad)

Composed by Lê Thị Thuý Quỳnh

Edgar Allan Poe is very successful in two categories in his works: tales of terror and stories of intellect. One of his “Tales of terror” works is “The tell-tale heart.” In this short story, the unknown main character is also the narrator who told the story how he killed an old man lived with him. The reason made him to do that is just the eyes of the old man. The narrator was obsessed by these vulture-eyes. The simple and silly motivation for his evil that let people think he was a mad man, but the calm and cleverness in his serious crime also demonstrate that he was not mad. In my opinion, I think he was not mad, even he is a normal person. Some clear evidences as follows will explain why I could affirm that.

First, the narrator is not a mad man because of his wise mind. He knows exactly which one made him uncomfortable. That’s the eyes of the old man, the vulture-eyes because he said that “I love the old man. He had never wronged me…, except his blue, grey eyes”. A mad man could not know accurately reason of his action, but in this case, the narrator know what and why did lead him to do such evil things. He was obsessed the vulture-eye and he couldn’t control his evil thinking. “A vulture-eye”- this reason seemed stupid but in reality, there was many murders killing their victims because of their appearance like this. Besides, if he was a mad man, he would try to avoid it, so he was not mad. Furthermore, the mad man doesn’t have ability to make a perfect plan. In the work “The tell-tale heart”, we can see how carefully he made a plan to kill the old man. Obviously, the narrator has a wise mind. Every night, he returned the latch of the old man’s door and opened it. Then, he put in a dark lantern, no light shone out. He moved slowly so that he might not disturb the old man’s sleep. During seven nights, he repeated his action to see the old man lay on his bed. He couldn’t do anything because the eye always closed whereas he only killed the old man when the vulture-eye opened. Therefore, he waited the chance to come during seven long nights; until the eighth night, when the old man opened his eye because of the dim ray light, the narrator killed the old man. Actually, a mad man couldn’t do like that. Especially, after killing the old man, the narrator also concealed carefully the corpse under the planks by cutting the dead body into three parts: the head, the arms and the legs. He also washed blood-spot cautiously. His plan was so perfect that a mad man couldn’t do like this. All above evidences, I think that the narrator wasn’t a mad man.

Second, a mad man often doesn’t confess his crime. Although in our life, people still believe in the “cause – consequence” rule because of their religions. I think that the narrator’s confession is evident. However, if the murder was mad, he couldn’t do that because they lack of good sense. In this story, after killing the old man and hiding his dead body under the planks, the narrator still heard the beating of the old man’s heart. Actually, this beating came from his mind, his heart not from the corpse. Those sounds came from his nervous, anxious and guilty about his wrong. The good overslept when his evil killed the old man without a minute of hesitation. Then, it awoke, made him fearful and forced him to do the right thing. We can see clearly that these above senses just come from a normal men, it can’t come from a mad man who doesn’t have ability to control himself.

Last but not least, his mentality is strong so he is not a mad man. It doesn’t like as followed myth “The mad man never thinks he is mad which is similar to a drunker who never thinks he is drunk?” In “Tell-tale heart”, the narrator repeated many time that “I am not a mad man”. I think that, he actually is not mad in his words. He said this to confirm to the policemen or everyone that he killed the old man with a wise mind not disordered mental. Maybe his silly reason made people believe that he was mad, but actually he was not mad. Nowadays, in our life, having many murderers killed their victims without the motive for his crime even someone didn’t know why they killed them. After finishing their crime, they feel regret and confess as the narrator here. This is also the bad face of men. Sometimes we could lose our control in our action. I think among many choices to keep away from the old man’ eye, the narrator chose the worst thing that was killing the old man. In this work, the narrator maybe over-suffered from the old man’s eye. The last word, the narrator was not a mad man; on the contrary he had a strong spirit.

Through this story, the narrator who is the main character in work “Tell-tale heart” committed a crime within a silly and unacceptable reason although his mind is very wise and strong. He really isn’t a mad person. The author wants to refer to the human morality in this work. I can understand the limit between the good and the bad is very frail.

An essay of The Tell-Tale Heart - Edgar Allan Poe

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:12:00 +0000

Question: The discussion today in your class did not end with the argument that the narrator was a mad man or not. How do you justify your stance? (The narrator was mad or not mad)

Composed by Vo Chi Trung

Edgar Allan Poe (1809 – 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. He wrote about tales of mystery and macabre. One of his famous tales is “The Tell – Tale Heart” which is a story of a man who kills an old man with a vulture eyes. Someone said that the narrator in that story was a mad man because they think that no one kills a person just because of his eyes, but some refused the judgment that the narrator really was a mad man. In my stance, I believed that the narrator was not a mad man.

Firstly, a mad man cannot detail the story clearly. In the tale, the narrator proved that he was not mad by telling a story of killing an old man. For example, he recognized that the old man was a lovely man and he loved the old man. Besides, he could describe the eyes of the old man in detail. In each of his action, the narrator could remember and define them. He also treated the old man well. I had witnessed a mad man telling a story. There were many conflict in the way he talked. The narrator in the tale can tell the story logically and we cannot find out any conflict in his story. In short, the narrator was not a mad man.

Secondly, due to his perfect plan of killing the old man, the narrator again demonstrated that he was no a mad man. The motivation led to killing of the old man is the vulture eyes so he mad a perfect plan. For seven nights, the narrator went into the old man’s room and put in a lantern in order for the light beam to shine the old man’s eyes, but he did not succeed. At 8th night, the narrator mad some noise so the old man woke up. As usual, the narrator put in the lantern and it shone the vulture eyes. The narrator killed the old man, cut off his body and hided them under the floor. He effaced all vestiges as well. In addition, he was so confident that he invited three policemen to come and sit into the old man’s room for chatting. Once again, his plan justified for that he was not a mad man.

Finally, a mad man cannot confess his guilty action. At the end of the story, the narrator heard a dreadful ticking noise that made him not withstand anymore and admit his crime. He thought that the noise was from the pulsing heart of the old man. The narrator had enough cognition and awareness to notice that his action is blameworthy. From the bottom of his heart, he felt the gnawing of conscience. That made him avow his sin. In brief, the narrator cannot be a mad man because of his awareness about wrongdoing.

Generally, in the tale, the narrator proved that he was not a mad man due to three things. First, a mad man cannot detail the story logical, but the narrator can. Second, a mad man cannot make a perfect-killing plan, but the narrator can. Thirdly, a mad man cannot notice his action, but the narrator can. After this tale, we have learned that in each of our action, if we do something wrong or guilty, we shall pay for it.

Traffic accidents - Paragraph

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:43:00 +0000

Many reasons can cause traffic accidents. The followings are the main reasons leading to traffic accidents. First of all, the important reason is the drivers do not have the good consciousness to observe the traffic regulations. When they drive on the road junctions, they often run the red lights if there is no traffic police. They do not notice to traffic light as well as the traffic signs on the road. In addition, the drivers drive in the one – way roads. Therefore, they have many problems which are difficult for them to solve opportunely. Second, drinking the alcohol or beer while controlling the vehicle is one of the reasons leading to the accidents. Beer and alcohol will affect your mind and senses. As a result, you can not solve not only a situation on the street quickly but also an accident. Third, the drivers do not concentrate while driving. This is the reason why many traffic accidents occurred. The reason bringing to their distraction is that they talk on the phone and look at the sightseeing on the road. Driving requires a great deal of concentration, so your mind is alert to face to the surprising problems having on the way. For example, if you get distracted to everything around you, you will drive fast. When you come to the crosswalks, you will not recognize that pedestrians are crossing, and you can hit them. Traffic accidents are very dangerous, so we would be safe on the road if only we could realize the reasons leading the traffic accidents happened and take responsibility for our own safety.

By Truong Diem Thuy
Editor: Pham Thi Hoang Yen

An essay of The Tell-Tale Heart - Edgar Allan Poe

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Topic: In your point of view, was the confession of the narrator at the end of the story meaningful?

Composed by Nguyen Thi Hong Hue

In “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe, most the narrator’s actions are described in the darkness. However, until the end of the story, there’s an honest light which go out from the narrator when he makes the confession to policemen. In my point of view, this confession of the narrator is very meaningful. It shows that the narrator is still a human being, the truth is always displayed and the confession of the narrator is also advice from the author.

The first meaning of the confession is that the narrator is still a human being. “A human being” that I mention here is the personality of a person. In fact, it’s difficult for someone who can say a confession whenever he or she does something wrong with other people. The narrator in this story is too. He is a good man. He takes care of the old man and he also loves him. Maybe he fears the old man’s eyes so much, so he reacts by killing the old man. Although his action is very terrible, the good part of himself is rising up in his thinking. His agony doesn’t permit him continuing to down into the darkness more. Immediately, he yells out “Villains!” “Dissemble no more! I admit the deed!” The confession of the narrator is uttered from his own mouth strongly and clearly. His honest nature pulls him back to the personality of a human.

The other meaning of the confession is that the truth is always displayed. In our life, there is a lot of guilt which is presenting at every time in everywhere around us such as stealing, killing, deceiving…All of these crimes are acted under the cleverest ways. However, the justice always wins and the truth is always shown outside. Because the truth is created by human, so it’s also revealed by human. Actually, when we do something wrong, we think a lot and plan very carefully to hide our mistakes. But we often leave some small vestiges in some places that we don’t really want at all. However, the narrator in this story is very successful with his own killing plan. He doesn’t leave any vestige which can make policemen doubt him. So what is his the vestige of the crime? That is himself. It’s sound impossible, but that’s true. He tries to hide any evidence but he can’t believe that he is also a proof. He cannot hide himself because the images, the sounds and the actions in the progress of killing the old man always accuse him. Once again, the truth wins the false.

Last but not least, the confession of the narrator is also the advice from the author. He wants to send us a message accepting properties, characteristics and even bad habits of other people with heart. From that, we will not be like the narrator in this story. The narrator just notices to the old man’s eyes which made him fear from his own feeling. He doesn’t care about what the old man made for him. Maybe the old man also loves him in other ways that he didn’t know. Thus, the confession of the narrator reminds us about responsibility. We know that nobody is perfect. In fact, maybe each of us knows about Britney Spears singer. She is called the princess of the pop music and she gets a lot of success in her job. But besides the success that she gets, there are some scandals about her life style. Therefore, anyone has some mistakes in this field or others. However, the most important thing is that we can admit our mistakes or not. To the narrator, he accepts the present and is responsible for the crime that he did.

In brief, the author was very clever in describing the confession of the narrator meaningful through the voice of the heart. This confession helps us realize that everyone has a good part inside their human being though they are cruel or bad. The good part of the narrator is his own the confession. So what is the good part in us?

Topics for essays - A Rose for Emily - GD & QL 1

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:39:00 +0000

Write an academic essay, selecting one of the five topics below:

1. Discuss about the four men who might be responsible for Emily's isolation from the world outside?

2. In the story "A Rose for Emily" - William Faulkner, there are a lot of rumors among the neighbors about Emily's private life. Do you often believe in the rumor? Does it affect your lifestyle?

3. In your point of view, why did William Faulkner title the story as "A Rose for Emily"? What did the rose stand for?

4. In your viewpoint, why did Emily kill the man she loved - Homer Barron? What kind of love do you think she had?

5. What do you think of Homer Barron who seemed not to love Emily, but he still went out with her as a couple under the eyes of the neighbors?

A Clean Well-Lighted Place - Ernest Hemingway

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:14:00 +0000

It was very late and everyone had left the cafe except an old man who sat in the shadow the leaves of the tree made against the electric light. In the day time the street was dusty, but at night the dew settled the dust and the old man liked to sit late because he was deaf and now at night it was quiet and he felt the difference. The two waiters inside the cafe knew that the old man was a little drunk, and while he was a good client they knew that if he became too drunk he would leave without paying, so they kept watch on him.
"Last week he tried to commit suicide," one waiter said.
"Why?"
"He was in despair."
"What about?"
"Nothing."
"How do you know it was nothing?"
"He has plenty of money."
They sat together at a table that was close against the wall near the door of the cafe and looked at the terrace where the tables were all empty except where the old man sat in the shadow of the leaves of the tree that moved slightly in the wind. A girl and a soldier went by in the street. The street light shone on the brass number on his collar. The girl wore no head covering and hurried beside him.
"The guard will pick him up," one waiter said.
"What does it matter if he gets what he's after?"
"He had better get off the street now. The guard will get him. They went by five minutes ago."
The old man sitting in the shadow rapped on his saucer with his glass. The younger waiter went over to him.
"What do you want?"
The old man looked at him. "Another brandy," he said.
"You'll be drunk," the waiter said. The old man looked at him. The waiter went away.
"He'll stay all night," he said to his colleague. "I'm sleepy now. I never get into bed before three o'clock. He should have killed himself last week."
The waiter took the brandy bottle and another saucer from the counter inside the cafe and marched out to the old man's table. He put down the saucer and poured the glass full of brandy.
"You should have killed yourself last week," he said to the deaf man. The old man motioned with his finger. "A little more," he said. The waiter poured on into the glass so that the brandy slopped over and ran down the stem into the top saucer of the pile. "Thank you," the old man said. The waiter took the bottle back inside the cafe. He sat down at the table with his colleague again.
"He's drunk now," he said.
"He's drunk every night."
"What did he want to kill himself for?"
"How should I know."
"How did he do it?"
"He hung himself with a rope."
"Who cut him down?"
"His niece."
"Why did they do it?"
"Fear for his soul."
"How much money has he got?"
"He's got plenty."
"He must be eighty years old."
"Anyway I should say he was eighty."
"I wish he would go home. I never get to bed before three o'clock. What kind of hour is that to go to bed?"
"He stays up because he likes it."
"He's lonely. I'm not lonely. I have a wife waiting in bed for me."
"He had a wife once too."
"A wife would be no good to him now."
"You can't tell. He might be better with a wife."
"His niece looks after him. You said she cut him down."
"I know."
"I wouldn't want to be that old. An old man is a nasty thing."
"Not always. This old man is clean. He drinks without spilling. Even now, drunk. Look at him."
"I don't want to look at him. I wish he would go home. He has no regard for those who must work."
The old man looked from his glass across the square, then over at the waiters.
"Another brandy," he said, pointing to his glass. The waiter who was in a hurry came over.
"Finished," he said, speaking with that omission of syntax stupid people employ when talking to drunken people or foreigners. "No more tonight. Close now."
"Another," said the old man.
"No. Finished." The waiter wiped the edge of the table with a towel and shook his head.
The old man stood up, slowly counted the saucers, took a leather coin purse from his pocket and paid for the drinks, leaving half a peseta tip.
The waiter watched him go down the street, a very old man walking unsteadily but with dignity.
"Why didn't you let him stay and drink?" the unhurried waiter asked. They were putting up the shutters. "It is not half-past two."
"I want to go home to bed."
"What is an hour?"
"More to me than to him."
"An hour is the same."
"You talk like an old man yourself. He can buy a bottle and drink at home."
"It's not the same."
"No, it is not," agreed the waiter with a wife. He did not wish to be unjust. He was only in a hurry.
"And you? You have no fear of going home before your usual hour?"
"Are you trying to insult me?"
"No, hombre, only to make a joke."
"No," the waiter who was in a hurry said, rising from pulling down the metal shutters. "I have confidence. I am all confidence."
"You have youth, confidence, and a job," the older waiter said. "You have everything."
"And what do you lack?"
"Everything but work."
"You have everything I have."
"No. I have never had confidence and I am not young."
"Come on. Stop talking nonsense and lock up."
"I am of those who like to stay late at the cafe," the older waiter said. "With all those who do not want to go to bed. With all those who need a light for the night."
"I want to go home and into bed."
"We are of two different kinds," the older waiter said. He was now dressed to go home. "It is not only a question of youth and confidence although those things are very beautiful. Each night I am reluctant to close up because there may be some one who needs the cafe."
"Hombre, there are bodegas open all night long."
"You do not understand. This is a clean and pleasant cafe. It is well lighted. The light is very good and also, now, there are shadows of the leaves."
"Good night," said the younger waiter.
"Good night," the other said. Turning off the electric light he continued the conversation with himself. It is the light of course but it is necessary that the place be clean and pleasant. Certainly you do not want music. Nor can you stand before a bar with dignity although that is all that is provided for these hours. What did he fear? It was not a fear or dread. It was a nothing that he knew too well. It was all a nothing and a man was nothing too. It was only that and light was all it needed and a certain cleanness and order. Some lived in it and never felt it but he knew it all was nada y pues nada y nada y pues nada. Our nada who art in nada, nada be thy name thy kingdom nada thy will be nada in nada as it is in nada. Give us this nada our daily nada and nada us our nada as we nada our nadas and nada us not into nada but deliver us from nada; pues nada. Hail nothing full of nothing, nothing is with thee. He smiled and stood before a bar with a shining steam pressure coffee machine.
"What's yours?" asked the barman.
"Nada."
"Otro loco mas," said the barman and turned away.
"A little cup," said the waiter.
The barman poured it for him.
"The light is very bright and pleasant but the bar is unpolished," the waiter said.
The barman looked at him but did not answer. It was too late at night for conversation.
"You want another copita?" the barman asked.
"No, thank you," said the waiter and went out. He disliked bars and bodegas. A clean, well-lighted cafe was a very different thing. Now, without thinking further, he would go home to his room. He would lie in the bed and finally, with daylight, he would go to sleep. After all, he said to himself, it's probably only insomnia. Many must have it.

BENEFITS OF LIVING IN A BIG CITY

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:19:00 +0000

I think that living in a big city is wonderful for three reasons. First, city is an economic center of a country. People have the best chances to work or develop their careers in there. Most of the big companies are located in a big city in which many people wish they would have most suitable job for their abilities and talents. For example, after students graduate from their Universities, they will be less worried about finding a job here. They will have more chances to get good jobs in the foreign companies with high salary if they have good communicative skills and knowledge about society. Second, a big city is highly developed, so life is very modern and convenient. It has shopping centers, cinemas, night-clubs where people can go shopping, relax with some good movies or join in vivid dances. A lot of luxurious restaurants for people who can eat many kinds of delicious food with great services. Moreover, there are many good doctors and hospitals to treat sick patients such as: FV, Cho Ray hospitals in HCM city. The other conveniences are bus systems in many places on streets to serve people. Also, people can jog or do exercise in famous parks such as: Tao Dan, Le Thi Rieng, etc of HCM city. Third, education’s quality here is in high standards than the others. Universities or foreign language centers are built in city. Therefore, students have more opportunities to study with good equipments in their schools. Their listening or speaking skills are better when they study French, English, etc. Teacher are trained from popular Universities and they have good knowledge. Consequently, students here who usually study better than others and they win high rewards of national examinations. In short, living in a big city is great and useful for people.

by Nguyễn Đài Trang

Topics for essays - The Cop and the Anthem - QL 1 & QL 2

phamvuphiho@gmail.com — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:31:00 +0000

Select one of the following topics to write an academic essay:

1. What do you think of "The Cop" and "The Anthem" in the story The Cop and the Anthem of O. Henry? What do they stand for?

2. Do you think that doing nothing means something wrong?Explain with examples!

3. What do you think of Soapy's life during three months on the island?Is it good for him?

4. Do you believe that Soapy still kept his resolution to change his life after three months on the Island?

5. Have you ever experienced of change in your soul? Describe it!

6. Have you once tried to be somebody in the world? What motives led you to do it?

7. Do you believe that fairness always appears in the world? Give examples!