Tài liệu 120 bài luận mẫu tiếng anh - Phần 2 pptx

61. SUPERSTITION

BAØN VEÀ MEÂ TÍN

OUTLINE

1. What is Superstition?

2. The evil of Superstition.

3. Knowledge the cure for Superstition.

Belief which has no basis1

in reason, is superstition. Superstition is the daughter of

Ignorance and Fear. The word literally means "standing still at" a thing in fear or awe.

In religion, superstition means irrational2

fear of the mysterious, and reverence for

objects which are not proper objects of worship. Ignorant savages have no scientific

knowledge of what we call the forces of Nature; they think the sun and the moon, fire

and wind and water, are governed by supernatural3

beings, who sometimes seem kind,

but more often terrible and cruel. These they fear and worship and try to propitiate with

offering and sacrifices and senseless rites. And their imagination peoples5

the universe

with imaginary beings-demons, ghosts and fairies. As knowledge grows, superstition

dies; and to-day we laugh at such beliefs and fears, as at the follies of childhood. But

superstition dies slowly; and even in civilized countries to day, silly bits of superstition

still linger6

. You still find people who think the number thirteen unlucky, who will not

walk under a ladder, who feel troubled if they upset the salt or see the new moon

through glass, and who do mot like starting a journey on a Friday gods

In the Middle Ages in Europe, the belief in witchcraft8

led to the persecution9

of poor

old women, who were suspected of having sold their souls to the devil. The Spanish

Inquisition10 tortured and burnt thousands of good people, at the bidding of superstition.

And, though such horrors are no longer possible in civilized countries, superstition still

produces narrowmindedness, bigotry and needless mental suffering.

Superstition is a thing of darkness : it cannot stand11 the light. It is the child of

ignorance, and hates and flees from the face of knowledge. As knowledge increases,

superstition decreases. Science, which has discovered the real nature of the forces of

nature, has banished12 all the old bogies13 of superstition demons, ghosts and goblins14,

and all the creations of fear and ignorace which once made men afraid. And as our

knowledge grows and our wisdom ripens, we shall less and less believe without a sound

reason for belief until all superstition vanishes15 as a bad dream when we awake.

Meâ tín chính laø nieàm tin khoâng coù cô sôû, laø con gaùi cuûa söï ngu doát vaø loøng sôï haõi. Nghóa

saùt cuûa töø naøy "ñöùng yeân ôû" moät vaät vì sôï hoaëc neå. Theo toân giaùo, meâ tín coù nghóa laø sôï

haõi moät ñieàu huyeàn bí moät caùch voâ lyù, vaø toân thôø moät vaät theå khoâng ñaùng ñeå toân thôø. Loaøi

ngoaøi nguyeân thuûy ngu doát khoâng coù kieán thöùc khoa hoïc veà caùi chuùng ta goïi laø söùc maïnh

cuûa thieân nhieân. Hoï cöù nghó raèng maët trôøi vôùi maët traêng, löûa vôùi gioù vaø nöôùc, ñeàu ñöôïc

thoáng trò, bôûi nhöõng ñaáng sieâu nhieân maø ñoâi luùc toû ra raát toát laønh nhöng thöông thì ñoäc

aùc vaø hung baïo. Con ngöôøi sôï haõi vaø toân thôø nhöõng ñaáng naøy mong laøm hoï bôùt giaän baèng

söï cuùng teá, vaät hy sinh vaø leã nghi khoâng hôïp lyù. Vaø hoï töôûng töôïng ra moät theá giôùi ñaày

nhöõng vaät theå töôïng ma, quyû, vaø thaàn tieân. Khi kieán thöùc phaùt trieån, meâ tín töï taøn luïi. Vaø

ngaøy nay, chuùng ta cöôøi nhaïo nhöõng ñöùc tin vaø loøng sôï haõi nhö theá gioáng nhö söï ngu doát

ôû tuoåi thô. Tuy nhieân, meâ tín daàn daàn seõ maát ñi. Thaäm chí ôû caùc nöôùc vaên minh ngaøy nay,

nhöõng maãu chuyeän meâ tín buoàn cöôøi vaãn coøn toàn taïi. Baïn vaãn coøn thaáy nhieàu ngöôøi tin

raèng con soá 13 laø con soá xui. Raèng nhieàu ngöôøi khoâng ñi döôùi caùi thang. Raèng coù ngöôøi

tin vaøo söï raéc roái neáu hoï laøm ñoå muoái hay nhìn maët traêng leân qua laøn kính. Vaø thaäm chí

coù ngöôøi khoâng thích khôûi haønh vaøo ngaøy thöù saùu.

ÔÛ AÂu Chaâu, vaøo thôøi Trung Coå chính loøng tin vaøo ma thuaät ñöa ñeán caûnh saùt haïi nhöõng

phuï laõo ñaùng thöông bò haøm oan raèng ñaõ baùn linh hoàn cho quyõ döû. Cuoäc ñieàu tra cuûa

ngöôøi Taây Ban Nha ñaõ tra khaûo vaø thieâu soáng haøng ngaøn ngöôøi toát vì söï muø quaùng cuûa

meâ tín dò ñoan. Vaø maëc daàu nhöõng caûnh haõi huøng nhö vaäy khoâng coøn xaûy ra ôû caùc nöôùc

vaên minh, meâ tín vaãn saûn sinh ra nhöõng tö töôûng heïp hoøi, nieàm tin muø quaùng vaø noãi ñau

tinh thaàn vôù vaån khoâng ñaâu.

Meâ tín laø boùng ñeân taêm toái, khoâng theå chòu ñöôïc aùnh saùng. Ñoù laø moät ñöùa tre ngu doát,

gheùt boû vaø troán chaïy tri thöùc. Khi tri thöùc phaùt trieån meâ tín seõ taøn luïi. Khoa hoïc ñaõ khaùm

phaù ra baûn chaát thaät cuûa söùc maïnh thieân nhieân, ñaõ ñaùnh ñoå taát caû nhöõng caâu chuyeän coå

cuûa meâ tín : quæ, ma, vaø aùc quæ cuøng vôùi caùc moái sôï haixm meâ muoä laøm con ngöôøi sôï. Vaø

khi kieán thöùc chuùng ta lôùn maïnh vaø trí khoân cuûa chuùng ta ñaõ chín muøi, chuùng ta seõ caøng ít

tin hôn vaøo nhöõng ñieàu khoâng coù nguyeân nhaân cuï theå. Cho ñeán khi toaøn boä meâ tín chaám

döùt nhö moät giaác moäng taøn khi ñoù chuùng ta môùi coøn thöùc.

TÖØ MÔÙI :

1. basis /'beisis/ (n) : caên cöù -(n, pl) bases

2. irrational /i'r%~6nl/ (adj) : baát hôïp lyù, baát minh ñaïo lyù

3. supernatural /su:p6'n%t~ral/ (adj) : sieâu nhieân

4. to propitiate /pr6'pi~iet/ (v) : caàu xin, laøm... bôùt giaän, laøm hoøa

5. to people /'pi:p(6)l/ (v) : taïo ra... ñeå soáng trong

6. to linger /'li796(r)/ (v) : toàn taïi lai rai, löu laïi

7. to appease /6'pi:z/ (v) : laøm dòu

8. witchcraft /wit~kr%t/ (n) : ma thuaät, thuaät phuø thuûy

9. persecution /,p3:si'kju:~n/ (n) : söï khuûng boá, haønh haï

10. inquisition /inkwi'zi~n/ (n) : cuoäc ñieàu tra

11. to stand /st%nd/ (v) : chòu ñöïng; ñöùng tröôùc

12. to banish /'b%ni~/ (n) : khai tröø, truïc xuaát

13. bogy, bogie (bogey) /'b6$9i/ (n) : oâng ba bò

14. goblin /'94blin/ (n) : aùc quyû, ma quyû

15. to vanish /'v%ni~/ (v) : bieán maát, tieâu ñi maát

63. WHY WE ARE TAXED

TAÏI SAO CHUÙNG TA NAÏP THUEÁ

OUTLINE

1. Objections1

to taxes.

2. The reasons of taxation.

3. Each must bear his share of public expense.

Nobody likes paying taxes. Even those who know that taxation is necessary and just, do

not welcome the taxcollector as a bosom friend2

. It is not pleasant to see part of your

monthly income taken away from you in incometax3

; and the zamindar 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 foes, and to maintain the

roads and highways. Besides this, many governments maintain and direct education,

provide hospitals for the sick7

, and attend to sanitation8

. 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 need 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 publics 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, therfore, 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.

Khoâng ai thích ñoùng thueá. Cho duø ngöôøi ta bieát raèng ñoùng thueá laø ñieàu caàn thieát vaø coâng

baèng. Ñöøng ñoùn chaøo ngöôøi thu thueá nhö moät ngöôøi baïn taâm phuùc. Thaät chaúng vui tí naøo

khi nhìn thaáy moät phaàn löông haøng thaùng cuûa baïn phaûi ñoùng thueá lôïi töùc. Vaø ngöôøi ñòa

chuû raát ñau khoå vì tieàn thueá, hay tieàn laõi cuûa anh ta bò cuoái troâi. Ngöôøi ngu doát cho raèng

ñaây laø söï baát coâng vaø buoàn phieàn vì noù. Vì vaäy chuùng ta caàn bieát roõ lyù do phaûi ñoùng thueá

ñeå thaáy ñöôïc söï coâng baèng cuûa nhaø nöôùc.

Moãi nöôùc ñeàu phaûi coù moät chính phuû cai quaûn neáu khoâng cuoäc soáng khoâng theå coù ñöôïc.

Nhieäm vuï cô baûn cuûa chính phuû laø phaûi baûo veä ñôøi soáng cuøng cuûa caûi cuûa coâng daân, phaûi

oån ñònh luaät phaùp vaø traät töï xaõ hoäi, phaûi giaûi quyeát caùc cuoäc tranh chaáp cuûa caùc coâng

daân cho coâng baèng vaø ñuùng ñaén thoâng qua caùc toøa aùn phaùp luaät ; phaûi baûo veä ñaát nöôùc

choáng keû thuø beân ngoaøi, ñoàng thôøi phaûi giöõ gìn ñöôøng phoá vaø xa loä. Beân caïnh ñoù, nhieàu

chính phuû oån ñònh vaø laõnh ñaïo neàn giaùo duïc, xaây döïng beänh vieän cho ngöôøi oám vaø quan

taâm ñeán veä sinh. Taát caû nhöõng traùch nhieäm coâng lôùn lao naøy caàn tieàn : quaân ñoäi vaø haûi

quan phaûi ñöôïc traû löông ; löïc löôïng caûnh saùt vaø caùc quan toøa phaûi ñöôïc phaùt löông,

tröôøng hoïc phaûi ñöôïc trang bò vaø giaùo vieân phaûi ñöôïc boài döôõng, caùc chuyeân gia y teá vaø

caùc kyõ sö veä sinh phaûi ñöôïc traû coâng. Ngaøy nay taát caû soá tieàn daønh cho caùc dòch vuï coâng

coäng naøy ñeán töø ñaâu ? Caâu hoûi ñoù ñöôïc giaûi ñaùp baèng caùch khaùc.

Nhöng dòch vuï naøy giöõ lôïi ích cho ai ? Caâu traû lôøi cho quaàn chuùng, cho toaøn theå moïi

ngöôøi ; ngöôøi giaøu cuõng nhö ngöôøi ngheøo. Raèng ñaây laø lôïi ích cho söï an toaøn cuûa cuoäc

soáng vaø taøi saûn, cho söï vaän haønh chu toaøn cuûa coâng lyù, cho söï oån ñònh ñöôøng phoá, cho

caùc beänh vieän tröôøng hoïc coâng vaø cho tình traïng veä sinh ñöôïc toát. Do ñoù, chæ coù coâng

baèng khi quaàn chuùng, moãi coâng daân phaûi ñoùng goùp moùn tieàn caàn thieát, vì moùn tieàn naøy

trôû laïi ñem laïi lôïi ích cho moïi ngöôøi cuøng höôûng.

Do ñoù, chuùng ta coù ñöôïc moät chính phuû toát, coù naêng löïc caøng laâu daøi, moùn tieàn chuùng ta

söû duïng ñuùng choã caøng beàn laâu, vaø gaùnh naëng thueá ñöôïc phaân ñeàu vì moïi taàng lôùp ñeàu

chung söùc. Chuùng ta khoâng coù quyeàn than thôû phaûi ñoùng thueá.

TÖØ MÔÙI :

1. objection /6b'd2ek~(6)n/ (n) : söï phaûn ñoái, choáng ñoái

2. bosom friend /'buz(6)m frend/ (n) : ngöôøi baïn taâm phuùc

3. incometax /'1nk^mt%s/ (n) : thueá lôïi töùc

4. aggrieved /6'9ri:vd/ (adj) : Ex. to feel aggrieved : caûm thaáy ñau khoå

5. grievance /'9ri:v(6)ns/ (n) : söï buoàn loøng - to make a grievance of : laøm buoàn loøng vì...

6. fairness /'fe6n6s/ (n) : söï coâng baèng

7. the sick /sik/ (n) : nhöõng ngöôøi oám ñau

8. sanitation /s%ni'tei~(6)n/ (n) : söï veä sinh - sanitary

9. sound /s6$nd/ (adj) : kieän toaøn, chu ñaùo

10. to distribute /di'stribju:t/ (v) : phaân phoái, phaân phaùt

64. MODES OF TRAVELLING

NHÖÕNG MOÁT DU LÒCH

OUTLINE

Introduction : - Reasons, elements and methods of travel.

1. By land -

(a) On foot.

(b) Riding animals (hotses, etc.)

(c) Horse drawn vehicles.

(d) Railway-trains.

(e) Motor cars and bicycles.

2. By water-

(a) Boats and sailing ships.

(b) Steamships.

3. By air￾Air ships and Aeroplanes.

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 trains,

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 chariots3

, carts carriages and coaches4

.

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 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 sailing

ship 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 can travel as the birds

travel. The wonderful invention of the air ship (or dirigible9

balloon) and the aeroplane

will, when regular lines of air crafy 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 in telligence have harnessed11 the

forces of nature, to carry them over the world animal strength, wind, steam, gas and

electricity.

Ngöôøi ta du lòch vôùi nhieàu lyù do khaùc nhau vì coâng vieäc, vì nieàm vui, vaø vì khaùm phaù ; vôùi

nhöõng hình thöùc khaùc nhau treân ñaát lieàn, döôùi nöôùc, vaø treân khoâng, vaø vôùi caùc phöông

tieän khaùc nhau ñi boä, ñi xe, taøu löûa, taøu thuûy vaø maùy bay.

Caùch ñôn giaûn nhaát ñeå du lòch treân ñaát lieàn laø ñi boä. Ñaây laø phöông thöùc du haønh duy

nhaát cuûa ngöôøi ngheøo. Nhöng cuõng coù ngöôøi coù khaû naêng du lòch baèng taøu löûa hay xe hôi

thuù vò hôn khi ñi boä hoï du lòch ñeå tìm nieàm vui.

Töø thôøi xa xöa, con ngöôøi ñaõ bieát reøn luyeän ñoäng vaät nhö laïc ñaø voi, löøa vaø ñaëc bieät laø

ngöïa ñeå mang noù theo hay ñeå keùo xe chôû ngöôøi. Vaø tröôùc khi coù taøu hoûa, ngöôøi ta ñeàu ñi

baèng ngöïa hay xe ngöïa du haønh, xe ngöïa keùo vaø xe ngöïa boán baùnh.

Nhöng ngaøy nay, xe löûa, xe chaïy baèng hôi nöôùc hay xaêng ñeàu thay theá xe ngöïa. Ngaøy nay

thaäm chí ngöôøi ngheøo coù theå du lòch nhanh, thuaän lôïi baèng taøu löûa vaø ñi khaép trong nöôùc

baèng xe hôi. Ñi xe ñaïp khieâm toán cuõng laø moät phöông tieän coù ích raát lôùn ñoái vôùi ngöôøi söû

duïng phöông tieän caàn thieát.

Thuyeàn cheøo baèng maùi cheøo vaø taøu thuûy ñeàu laø nhöõng phaùt minh cuõ, vaø haàu heát nhöõng

ngöôøi thaùm hieåm noåi tieáng ñeàu coù nhöõng khaùm phaù veà vieäc cheá ra caùc loaïi thuyeàn buoàm

baèng goã. Nhöng taøu thuyeàn ngaøy nay chaïy baèng hôi nöôùc giuùp ngöôøi ñi laïi coù theå hoaøn taát

chuyeán ñi bieån trong maáy tuaàn maø thöôøng maát haøng thaùng trôøi hay caû naêm trôøi.

Vaø ngaøy nay, ôû theá kyû chuùng ta, con ngöôøi ñaõ chinh phuïc ñöôïc khoâng gian, vaø coù theå bay

nhö caùc loaøi chim. Phaùt minh tuyeät vôøi cuûa con taøu khoâng gian (hay khinh khí caàu coù

ngöôøi laùi) vaø maùy bay cho pheùp con ngöôøi vöôït qua nhöõng khoaûng caùch xa maáy ngaøy

ñöôøng maø taøu thuûy chaïy nhanh nhaát cuõng maát maáy tuaàn.

Trong taát caû caùc phöông thöùc du lòch, con ngöôøi vôùi trí thoâng minh hôn heát ñaõ chuyeån

duïng söùc maïnh cuûa thieân nhieân thaønh maõ löïc ñi khaép theá giôùi, söùc maïnh cuûa loaøi vaät, cuûa

gioù, cuûa hôi nöôùc, cuûa khí hôi vaø cuûa ñieän.

TÖØ MÔÙI :

1. divers /'daiv6:z/ (adj) : khaùc nhau, nhieàu loaïi

2. to ride Shank's (or Shank's) mare /ra1d '~%7ksme6/ (v) : cuoác boä

3. chariot /'t~%ri6t/ (n) : xe ngöïa nheï xe ngöïa du haønh

4. coach /k6u~/ (n) : xe ngöïa lôùn (4 baùnh xe)

5. a take the place of /te1k 56 ple1s 4v/ (v) : thay theá

6. moderate /m4d6reit/ (adj) : phaûi chaêng, ñieàu ñoä, tieát cheá

7. to propel /pr6'pel/ (v) : ñaåy ñi, thuùc ñi

8. to accomplish /6'k^mpli~/ (v) : hoaøn thaønh, hoaøn taát

9. dirigible /'dirid2ib(6)l/ (adj) : ñieàu khieån ñöôïc, taûi ñöôïc

10. to cover /k^v(6)r/ (v) : vöôït qua, ñi laïi

11. to harness /'ha:nis/ (v) : chuyeån duïng... thaønh maõ löïc

65. ARBITRATION

VIEÄC PHAÂN XÖÛ

OUTLINE

1. In law.

2. In place of war.

3. In place of strikes and lockouts1

.

If two people have a dispute and cannot come to any agreement2

, they may ask an

impartial3

third person to settle the question, both promising to abide4

by his decision.

This is what is meant by arbitration. And when we think of it, arbitration in some form is

as old as civilization; for every civil suit5

that is decided in a court of law is decided by

an arbitrator6

between the plaintiff7

and the defendant8

called a judge or magistrate9

. In

the old days, such disputes were often settled by private wars; but in all civilized states,

such appeals to force by private citizens have long been abolished, and arbitration by

law has taken their place.

If arbitration could take the place of private wars within a state, why cannot it take the

place of public wars between states? Well, it has been tried and with some success. The

first great case settled by international arbitration was when England and America

referred their dispute about the privateer10, the Alabama, to an international tribunal11

which met at Geneva12 in 1872; and both countries loyally accepted its decision13. This

was one of those disputes which might easily have led to14 war between the two nations;

but war was averted15 by arbitration. Since then many arbitration treaties have been

made between different countries and many disputes settled peaceably in this way. But

still wars have continued.

The Hague Conference16 in 1899, which was called17 at the suggestion18 of the Tsar19 of

Russia, was an important step towards international arbitration20. It appointed a

permanent arbitration court called the Hague Tribunal, which, it was hoped, would make

wars a thing of past21. But two defects in the arrangement prevented the Hague Tribunal

from accomplishing much; one was the fact that the reference of desputes by nations to

this court was to be voluntary, and the other was the Tribunal's lack of any power to

enforce22 its decisions. This is the inherent23 weakness of all such schemes24. At the back

of a magistrate, is the police force; but what force is there to compel two great Powers to

abide by the orders of a court of arbitration? Anyway, this scheme did not abolish war;

for, fifteen years after it was established, the most awful war of history broke out.

The next step was the establishment of the League of Nations25 after the Great War,

which has undoubtedly accomplished something. But it has the same weakness as

stultified26the Hague Tribunal lack of authority and force. Still it is an inportant step in

the right direction; though war will not cease until the public opinion of all nations is

absolutelly against it.

Arbitration has also been frequently tried, and with a good deal of success, as a method

of settling disputes in the industrial world between employers and their men. Yet strikes

have not been abolished; in fact in recent years they have not been more frequent and

extensive than ever. Still there is hope that gradually arbitration will win its way, and

strikes and lockouts become things of the past.

Neáu hai ngöôøi tranh luaän khoâng theå ñi ñeán moät thoûa hieäp, hoï coù theå hoûi moät ngöôøi thöù ba

khoâng thieân vò ñeå giaûi quyeát vaán ñeà, caû hai höùa chòu nghe theo quyeát ñònh cuûa anh ta. Ñaây

chính laø coâng vieäc cuûa troïng taøi. Vaø khi chuùng ta baøn ñeán vieäc aáy, ôû hình thöùc naøo ñoù

coâng vieäc troïng taøi gioáng nhö söï khai hoùa môû mang. Ñoái vôi moãi moät vuï daân söï toá tuïng

ñeàu ñöôïc phaùn xeùt cuûa toøa aùn, ñöôïc chæ ñònh bôûi troïng taøi, giöõa hai beân nguyeân caùo vaø bò

caùo goïi laø quan toøa hay thaåm phaùn. Tröôùc ñaây, caùc cuoäc tranh chaáp thöôøng ñöôïc giaûi

quyeát baèng chieán tranh. Tuy nhieân ôû caùc nöôùc vaên minh, ngöôøi coâng daân buoäc phaûi baõi boû

hình thöùc naøy vaø luaät phaùt ñöa ra coâng vieäc troïng taøi ñeå thay theá.

Neáu troïng taøi coù khaû naêng ñaûm nhaän vai troø cuûa mình trong caùc cuoäc chieán trong nöôùc,

taïi sao troïng taøi laïi khoâng theå ñaûm nhaän trong caùc cuoäc chieán giöõa caùc nöôùc ? Ñuùng vaäy,

ñieàu ñoù ñaõ ñöôïc coá gaéng vaø ñaõ thaønh coâng ñaùng keå. Tröôøng hôïp lôùn lao ñaàu tieân ñöôïc

giaûi quyeát bôûi troïng taøi quoác teá laø khi hai nöôùc Anh vaø Myõ ñem vuï tranh chaáp veà daân

thuyeàn voõ trang Alabama leân toøa aùn quoác teá ôû Giô-ne-vô vaøo naêm 1872, vaø caû hai nöôùc

chaáp nhaän quyeát nghò ñuùng ñaén. Ñaây laø moät trong nhöõng cuoäc tranh chaáp coù theå deã ñöa

ñeán chieán tranh giöõa hai quoác gia. Nhöng nhôø coù troïng taøi, hai nöôùc traùnh khoûi chieán

tranh. Keå töø ñoù nhieàu troïng taøi ñaõ ñöôïc thieát laäp giöõa caùc nöôùc vaø nhieàu vuï tranh chaáp

ñöôïc giaûi quyeát eâm thaám baèng phöông phaùp naøy. Tuy vaäy, chieán tranh vaãn tieáp tuïc xaûy ra.

Hoäi nghò hoøa bình Hague naêm 1899 ñöôïc trieäu taäp theo lôøi ñeà nghò cuûa Nga Hoaøng laø

moät böôùc quan troïng cuûa troïng taøi quoác teá. Hoäi nghò ñaõ chæ ñònh moät troïng taøi vónh vieãn

goïi laø toøa aùn Hague. Ngöôøi ta hy voïng toøa aùn naøy seõ laøm caùc cuoäc chieán ñi vaøo queân

laõng. Nhöng hai khuyeát ñieåm trong hieäp öôùc naøy caûn trôû toøa aùn Hague hoaøn thaønh toát

coâng vieäc cuûa noù. Ñoù laø vieäc tham chieán caùc cuoäc xung ñoät giöõa caùc quoác gia mang tính

töï nguyeän, do ñoù ñoái vôùi caùc tröôøng hôïp khaùc thieáu söùc maïnh thi haønh nghò quyeát cuûa

Toøa. Ñaây laø söï yeáu ñuoái cuûa caùc keá hoaïch. Sau löng quan toøa laø löïc löôïng caûnh saùt. Tuy

nhieân söùc maïnh naøo baét buoäc hai löïc löôïng ñoái ñaàu nhau phaûi nghe theo phaùn xeùt cuûa toøa

aùn troïng taøi ? Duø sao chaêng nöõa, keá hoaïch naøy vaãn khoâng ñaùnh ñoå ñöôïc chieán tranh, vì

möôøi laêm naêm sau khi toøa aùn Hague ñöôïc thaønh laäp, caùc cuoäc chieán tranh taøn khoác nhaát

trong lòch söû vaãn cöù dieãn ra.

Böôùc tieáp theo laø thieát laäp Toå chöùc quoác teá lieân minh sau cuoäc ñaïi chieán ñaõ thaønh coâng

röïc rôõ. Tuy nhieân noù coù cuøng ñieåm yeáu laøm voâ hieäu hoùa toøa aùn Hague : thieáu quyeàn löïc

vaø thieáu söùc maïnh. Noù vaãn laø böôùc quan troïng trong vieäc xaùc ñònh ñuùng höôùng maëc daàu

chieán tranh vaãn khoâng chaám döùt cho ñeán luùc dö luaän cuûa caùc daân toäc tuyeät ñoái choáng laïi

chieán tranh.

Troïng taøi ñaõ coá gaéng, coù nhieàu thaønh coâng, nhö laø moät phöông phaùp daøn xeáp maâu thuaãn

trong giôùi coâng nghieäp giöõa oâng chuû vaø ngöôøi laøm coâng. Tuy theá, baõi coâng chöa ñöôïc xoùa

boû. Thöïc teá trong nhöõng naêm gaàn ñaây chöa bao giôø baõi coâng laïi lan roäng vaø thöôøng

xuyeân dieãn ra nhö vaäy. Vaãn coøn nieàm hy voïng raèng troïng taøi daàn daø seõ chinh phuïc, ñoàng

thôøi baõi coâng vaø vieäc beá toûa coâng xöôûng seõ ñi vaøo queân laõng.

TÖØ MÔÙI :

1. lockout /l4k0$t/ (n) : söï beá toûa coâng xöôûng (chuû nhaân caám thôï voâ xöôûng laøm vieäc tröø

phi thôï chòu nhaän moät soá ñieàu kieän)

2. agreement /6'9ri:m(6)nt/ (n) : söï thoûa hieäp

3. impartial /imp@:~(6)l/ (adj) : voâ tö, khoâng thieân vò

4. to abide (by) /6'baid/ (v) : chòu theo

5. civil suil /'si(6)l/ (n) : vuï daân söï toá tuïng, kieän caùo

6. arbitrator /'@:bitreit(6)r/ (n) : ngöôøi troïng taøi

7. plaintiff /'pleintif/ (n) : nguyeân caùo

8. defendant /di'fend(6)nt/ (n) : bò caùo

9. magistrate /'m%d2istreit/ (n) : vò thaåm phaùn

10. privateer /praiv6'ti6(r)/ (n) : daân thuyeàn ñöôïc voõ trang

11. international tribunal /int6n%~6n(6)l tra1'bju:nl/ (n) : toøa aùn quoác teá

12. Geveva /d21'n1:v6/ (n) : thaønh phoá Giô ne vô (taïi Thuïy só)

13. decision /di'si2(6)n/ (n) : quyeát nghò, quyeát ñònh

14. to lead to /li:d t6/ (v) : daãn tôùi, ñöa tôùi

15. to avert /6'v3:t/ (v) : traùnh

16. The Hague Conference /56 he19 'k4nf6r6ns/ (n) : Hoäi nghò Hoøa bình Hague (le Haye)

17. to call /k0:l/ (v) : trieäu taäp

18. suggestion /s6'd2est~(6)n/ (n) : lôøi ñeà nghò - to suggest (v)

19. Tsar (Czar) : Nga Hoaøng. n. /z@:/

20. international arbitration /1nt6'n%~n6l ,@:b1'tre1~n/ (n) : söï troïng taøi quoác teá

21. a thing of the past (n) : söï vieäc cuûa dó vaõng

22. to enforce /in't0:s/ (v) : thi haønh, thöïc haønh

23. inherent /in'her6nt/ (adj) : coá höõu, vaãn thöôøng coù

24. scheme /ski:m/ (n) : keá hoaïch

25. The League of Nations /56 l1:9 4v 'ne1~nz/ (n) : Toå chöùc Quoác teá Lieân minh

26. to stultify /'st^ltifai/ (v) : laøm cho voâ hieäu löïc

66. THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF GOOD MEMORY

SÖÏ LÔÏI VAØ HAÏI CUÛA TRÍ NHÔÙ TOÁT

OUTLINE

1. The importance of having a good memory, and its advantages.

2. Memory can be trained and improved.

3. The disadvantages of remembering everything.

There is no need to dwell on1

the importance of having a good memory. A bad memory

is such a handicap in life that every one realises the advantages of a good one. By a

good memory we mean a retentive2

and accurate memory, one that will retain3

for us

know ledge once gained, and retain it correctly. How slow and eratic4

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 for ever 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 behind6

. A servant who forgets to do his work at the proper

time, quickly losses his job. One of the poorest excuses we can make for work undone

is, "I am awfully sorry; but I forgot!" And it is an excuse that is not excuse 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 life7

. 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 sucess.

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

inattention9

, lack of concentration10. 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 wandering11, 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, carefullly observe what we see, consciously12

and determinedly attend to what we are about; and the 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.

Khoâng caàn baøn ñeán taàm quan troïng coù ñöôïc trí nhôù toát. Trí nhôù keùm laø moät caûn trôû trong

cuoäc soáng, seõ nhaän thaáy ñieàu thuaän lôïi khi coù moät trí nhôù toát. Noùi ñeán trí nhôù toát, chuùng

ta coù yù noùi ñeán moät trí nhôù coù söùc nhôù laâu, vaø chính xaùc, seõ baûo trì caùc kieán thöùc chuùng ta

thu löôïm ñöôïc vaø giöõ laïi. Thaät keùo daøi vôù vaån moät tieán trình tieáp thu kieán thöùc cuûa moät

sinh vieân coù trí nhôù keùm ! Anh ta raát gioáng Sisyphus, ngöôøi baát haïnh ñaùng thöông trong

caâu chuyeän nguï ngoân Hy Laïp bò xöû phaït neùm ñaù leân ngoïn ñoài seõ khoâng bao giôø laên trôû

xuoáng tröôùc khi leân ñeán ñænh ñoài. Trong ñôøi soáng thöông maïi, ngöôøi khoâng coù khaû naêng

nhôù caùc cuoäc heïn cuûa mình, seõ khoâng theå naøo nhôù ñöôïc coâng vieäc anh ta nhaän ñöôïc. Anh

ta seõ bò boû rôi. Moät vieân chöùc queân laøm vieäc ñuùng giôø giaác, seõ nhanh choùng maát vieäc. Moät

trong nhöõng caâu noùi toài teä nhaát chuùng ta vieän côù coâng vieäc chöa ñöôïc laøm xong laø "Toâi

thöïc söï hoái tieác, nhöng toâi ñaõ queân maát !". Vaø ñoù laø lôøi xin loãi nhöng khoâng phaûi xin loãi

neáu cöù laëp laïi maõi. Sinh vieân raát caàn coù trí nhôù toát. Thöïc teá, trí nhôù raát caàn thieát cho moïi

giôùi. Trong ñôøi soáng xaõ hoäi, trí nhôù cuõng raát caàn thieát. Ñoái vôùi ngöôøi queân caùc cuoäc heïn

ngoaøi xaõ hoäi ñoàng thôøi khoâng theå nhôù ñöôïc göông maët cuûa nhöõng ngöôøi anh ñaõ gaëp, seõ

khoâng thaønh coâng trong xaõ hoäi.

Tuy nhieân ngöôøi coù trí nhôù toài khoâng neân tuyeät voïng, bôûi vì trí nhôù toài nhaát thaäm chí coù

theå hoài phuïc ñöôïc baèng reøn luyeän nhö caùc chöùc naêng khaùc. Nguyeân nhaân chính cuûa trí

nhôù toài laø söï khoâng ñeå yù, thieáu söï taäp trung. Chuùng ta thöôøng xaáu hoå vì trí nhôù keùm cuûa

chuùng ta. Khoâng löu giöõ ñöôïc kieán thöùc, khi maø moät söï kieän ñöa ñeán chuùng ta khoâng cho

noù moät kieán thöùc ñeå löu giöõ laïi. Ñoù khoâng phaûi laø trí nhôù maø phaûi hoå theïn maø laø thieáu söï

chuù yù khi ta hoïc. Baïn ñoïc saùch, vaø ngay laäp töùc queân ñi taát caû. Baïn queân bôûi vì baïn thaät

söï khoâng bao giôø ñoïc saùch. Maét baïn löôùt qua caùc chöõ treân trang giaáy nhöng taâm trí baïn

ñang lang thang. Vaø baïn thaät chöa bao giôø ñem vaøo ñaàu nhöõng lôøi taùc giaû vieát. Böôùc ñaàu

trong vieäc reøn luyeän trí nhôù laø phaûi hoïc caùch taäp trung trí oùc vaøo ñieàu chuùng ta laøm vaø

ñöa ra toaøn boä yù kieán cuûa chuùng ta. Chuùng ta phaûi hoïc ñeå yù caùc söï vaät, quan saùt caån thaän

nhöõng gì chuùng ta nhìn thaáy, vaø taäp trung moät caùch coù yù thöùc vaø quyeát taâm ñeán ñieàu

chuùng ta seõ laøm. Vaø söï laëp laïi thöôøng xuyeân kieán thöùc chuùng ta coù ñöôïc seõ nhanh choùng

laøm trí nhôù phuïc hoài, cho ñeán luùc trí nhôù trôû thaønh thoùi quen.

Ñieàu baát lôïi duy nhaát cuûa trí nhôù toát laø chuùng ta khoâng coù khaû naêng queân nhöõng ñieàu

chuùng ta khoâng muoán nhôù. Coù nhöõng söï kieän, öôùc mô vaø tö töôûng trong cuoäc soáng quaù

khöù maø chuùng ta muoán queân. Caùch duy nhaát ñeå queân nhöõng ñieàu khoâng thuù vò ñoù baïn phaûi

laáp ñaày taâm tri baïn nhöõng yù töôûng toát ñeïp. Vì baïn khoâng theå queân baèng caùch coá queân.

TÖØ MÔÙI :

1. to dwell on /dwel 4n/ (v) : baøn veà

2. retentive /r1'tent1v/ (adj) : coù söùc nhôù laâu, coù tính caùch baûo trì

3. to retain /r1'te1n/ (v) : baûo trì, giöõ laïi

4. erratic /1'r%t1k/ (adj) : baát thöôøng, vôù vaån

5. Hades /'heidi:z/ (n) : aâm phuû, aâm ty

6. to be left behind /lef't bi'haind/ : bò boû rôi (laïi sau)

7. in every walk of life : trong moïi giai caáp

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, söùc chuù yù

11. to wander /'w4nd6/ (v) : phieâu löu, ñi lang thang

12. consciously /'k4n~6sl1/ (adv) : moät caùch coù yù thöùc

67. GOOD MANNERS

LEÃ PHEÙP

OUTLINE

1. The necessity of good manners.

2. The essence of good manners.

3. The true gentleman.

Bad manners are always objectionable1

. We can excuse ignorant and badly brought up

people, who know no better; but there are many, who do know better, who pride2

themselves on 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 in sincerity, 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's health

when you do not care whether he is alive or dead, is simply hypocrisy3

. There may be

something in this objection; and yet a little innocent pretence and a few mild "social

lias," may be less morally wrong than the unnecessary wounding of people's 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 continuance4

of society as oil is to the working of a machine

without friction5

. And with people who have naturally kind hearts, politeness is neither

insincere nor artificial6

. 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 approve7

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 courteously8

. 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 servility9

to our superiors10, courtesy to our equals11, and consideration for those

below us.

The true gentleman is one who instinctively12 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.

Khoâng coù leã pheùp luoân bò gheùt boû. Chuùng ta coù theå tha thöù veà söï baát caån cuûa hoï voán

khoâng bieát leã pheùp toát hôn. Tuy nhieân cuõng coù nhieàu ngöôøi bieát cö xöû ñeïp hôn laïi töï haøo

veà haønh vi thoâ baïo. Ñoái vôùi haïng ngöôøi naøy chuùng ta khoâng theå tha thöù. Moät soá ngöôøi

(nhöõng gaõ töï phuï !) cho raèng tính thoâ loã laø daáu hieäu cuûa töï do vaø nam tính. Nhöõng keû

khaùc cho raèng lòch söï laø hình thöùc cuûa loøng chaân thaønh ñoàng thôøi phaùt bieåu raèng noùi nhö

vaäy laø baïn toû yù vui möøng gaëp ngöôøi baïn thaät söï khoâng thích hoaëc baïn toû yù buoàn khi moät

ngöôøi khaùch phaûi rôøi boû toaøn boä thôøi gian baïn muoán toång coå anh ta hay phaûi hoûi thaêm

söùc khoûe ngöôøi maø baïn thaät söï khoâng caàn bieát ñeán anh ta coøn soáng hay ñaõ cheát. Ñoù laø

haønh ñoäng ñaïo ñöùc giaû. Coù theå ñieàu gì ñoù trong söï giaû doái naøy. Vaø maëc daàu coù moät söï

giaû vôø ngaây thô cuøng vôùi nhöõng lôøi noùi doái nheï nhaøng coù theå ñoù laø haønh ñoäng ñaïo ñöùc