380 bài luận mẫu Tiếng Anh - Phần 1

ilhouetted2 by the morning sun, they painstakingly made their way towards 
an empty bench. Beyond them, the sun shone bright but the sky was of a pale azure.3 
They sat down close as if afraid of losing each other after what they had been through. 
Occasionally smiling that little sad smile of his, the old man did not seem to mind the 
wind teasing the last few strands4 of his white hair. He was drifting in his dreams. But it 
was only a seconds before he looked subdued again lost in his own world. The old 
woman too felt likewise. 
Minutes passed in complete silence. Tears of misery trickled down slowly tracing the 
strained lines on the face contorted5 with wrinkles. The only thing left for them was 
their love for each other, which glowed like a flame that will never die. 
"Damn it ! Can't you take care of yourselves ? Do you expect me to do every single 
thing for you ? Look at that mess ! God ! Can't you see that I have my own family to 
take care of ? Isn't it enough that you have wrecked6 my marriage. Why do you have to 
do this to me ?" 
The bitter words stung them but they couldn't do anything about it. They were too old. 
All they could do was sit and stare at the empty space biting their trembling lips. They 
hard come to accept the fact that they were a nuisance7 to their good daughter. As the 
heart-rending words trailed on, they realised that they were the cause of her shattered8 
marriage. They wanted to say they were sorry but she never gave them a chance. 
She regarded them as a barrier to a happy life. She had wanted too much and had tried 
to understand too litte. They struggled throught life just because they wanted her to be 
happy and this was their reward for all the hardship they had endured in trying to please 
her. 
One day they were forced to packed up and leave for their new home. It was the home 
for neglected parents. Life was unbearable there, looking at all the old people. They 
were useless and lifeless as vegetables. They were dependent on others. They felt 
ashamed but couldn't help relying on others. "They are so different from us. We don't 
need others to spoon-feed us. But they do", they thought. 
The old couple have come to accept the reality of life. This is their home now, and it is 
going to be till the end of their days. 
They held hands. He squeezed9 hers smiling, showing gaps where teeth had once been. 
She smiled back assured that everything would be alright. In the solace10 of mutual love 
and care they carried on their journey through life. 
1. falter /'f0:lt6(r)/ (v) (veà di chuyeån, ñi boä, v.v…) ngaäp ngöøng, nao nuùng (do yeáu söùc hoaëc 
sôï haõi) 
2. silhouette /s1lu:'et/ (v) in boùng, roïi boùng 
3. azure /'%26(r)/ (n) maøu xanh da trôøi 
4. strand /str%nd/ (n) moùn toùc 
5. contorted /k6n't0:t1d/ (adj) nhaên nhoù, vaën veïo, nhaên nheo 
6. wreck /rek/ (v) phaù hoaïi, laøm hoûng 
7. nuisance /'nju:sns/ (n) moái phieàn haø 
8. shatter /'~%t6(r)/ (v) laøm tan vôõ, laøm tieâu tan 
9. squeeze /skwi:z/ (v) boùp, sieát chaët 
10. solace /'s4l1s/ (n) söï khuaây khoûa, nieàm an uûi 
139. THE DAY DAD DECIDED TO DO IT HIMSELF 
NGAØY CHA TOÂI QUYEÁT ÑÒNH TÖÏ LAØM LAÁY MOÏI VIEÄC 
"Damn this stupid thing. Not again!", I heard mum say. Even without popping1 my head 
inside the kitchen I knew that it was the dish-washer making trouble again. That was the 
third time this month. 
I hate it when the dish-washer breaks down, because I would end up doing the washing. 
Mum had given up hope on the dish-washer. But is not dad ! He loves it when something 
breaks down in the house. He is always out to prove that he is the handy man around the 
house. After the amount of money he had paid to have the dish-washer repaired, I was 
sure, he wouldn't believe in anymore repairs. I was wrong. 
When he got home and found out about the dish-washer, he was all ready to try out2 the 
new tool-set my uncle had bought for me recently. 
He started working on the dish-washer soon afterwards. The first thing he laid his hands 
on was the motor. God knows how he managed to get it out. This was preceded by a lot 
of banging and hammering. My mum and I spent the evening in the living-room, away 
from the noise. My mum did not quite mind the mess3 my dad was making, because the 
dish-washer was not functioning well anyway, even before it decided to go on "strike" 
that day for the third time. 
Dad continued to work through the evening. He was engrossed with the dish-washer and 
was not distracted4 by anything else. 
While preparing dinner, mum and I tried our best to avoid directing our curious eyes to 
my dad's working spot. But habit was so deeply ingrained5 that we found ourselves 
turning our eyes on him. Believe it or not, it wasn't so bad. There wasn't much of a mess. 
Just screws6 and spanners7 of different sizes lying around - apart from the dish-racks 
and the motor. Dad gave us a mischievious grin. 
We heard a couple of "ouches" and curses8 in the kitchen but did not approach him. 
There were sounds of deafening hammerings. Suddenly, dad shouted for help. He 
sounded desperate. 
Mum and I rushed to him. We knew what was coming. It was a disaster! On the kitchen 
floor was the motor which was somehow working on its own. The door was off its 
hinges.9 Dad was surely for the dish-washer's lid was off too. I was not surprised. Dad 
was capable of anything ! 
What did my dad have to say after all these ? "They do not make tools like they used to 
anymore!" That's my dad. 
The next best thing was to pull him away from the kitchen before he brought down the 
wires, saying that the wires had caused the trouble. My mum then called the Electric 
Company to collect the remains of the dishwasher. I went straight for the tools and 
placed them back in the store room. I was not surprised the least, when we did not 
receive any cash for the junk10 we sent away. 
1. pop /p4p/ (v) laøm (caùi gì) noå boáp 
2. try out /tra1 a$t/ (v) kieåm tra ai/caùi gì baèng caùch söû duïng ngöôøi ñoù/caùi ñoù – thöû nghieäm 
3. mess /mes/ (n) tình traïng loän xoän, böøa baõi 
4. distract /d1'str%kt/ (v) laøm roái trí, laøm laõng trí 
5. ingrained /1n9re1nd/ (adj) aên saâu, thaâm caên coá ñeá 
6. screw /skru:/ (n) ñinh vít 
7. spanner /'sp%n6(r)/ (n) côø leâ 
8. curse /k3:s/ (n) lôøi chöûi ruûa, caâu chöûi theà 
9. hinge /h1nd2/ (n) baûn leà 
10. junk /d2^nk/ (n) ñoà ñoàng naùt, ñoà taïp nhaïp ít giaù trò 
140. BEING THE ODD ONE OUT 
CON NGÖÔØI LAÏC LOÕNG 
I took a final look at myself in the mirror before I put on my high heeled shoes. I thought 
I looked presentable enough. My brother was furiously sounding the horn hurrying me 
up. I went down the steps with difficulty due to my shoes. The minute I stepped into the 
car, he sped off, not caring that my heart had leapt into my mouth. 
He was to meet his friends for a barbecue. He hated to take me along on such occasions. 
He said that I was a spoil-spon1 tagging along behind him. However, he had to bring me 
because my mother insisted. She said that every time he needed to use my father's car at 
night, he must take me along. Well, whether he liked it or not, he had to oblige. I was to 
one who had to bear his deafening nags2 while we travelled to and fro in the car. 
He stopped at the East Coast Park and told me to get down. I was nearly in tears 
because I thought the barbecue was to be held at friend's house. If I had known that it 
was to be at the beach, I would have at least put on my pants and flat sandals. I would 
never dream of going to such an occasion in party skirt and high heeled shoes. Oh... why 
didn't he inform me. Although I was very angry with him, I kept my peace. I knew better 
than to say anything. 
I hurried behind him towards the beach. When we reached the location, I was utterly 
shocked to find that there was not a single female soul around. His friends stared at me. 
I felt strange, although I still cannot interpret3 their stare. I looked down shyly, and my 
eyes met my skirt. At that moment, I felt like tearing it to pieces. 
The boys did not say anything to me. I realized that my presence was not welcome. I felt 
amixed feeling of embarrassment and anger. Who should I blame ? I thought everybody 
was to blame ; my mother, my brother and I. My thoughts was rudely interrupted by a 
rough voice offering me a seat on an overturned pot. I thanked him and sat, looking at 
the pitch black, moonless sky against the dark blue, calm waters. 
I had been in the company of boys for a number of times but the occasions were never 
as forbidding as this one. At home, my mother and I live among seven males. They are 
my father, two of his brothers, my elder brother and three younger brothers. I love their 
company. 
I was again interrupted by the rough voice. This time he offered me some mutton4 
cubes pierced in an iron skewer. Without thinking, I took it and began to eat. I shouted 
in pain when the burning skewer5 touched my lips. My unsympathetic brother turned 
around to look at me. Instead of doing something, he gave me a threatening look and 
turned away. I heard him telling his friends that I was a spoil-sport. 
I felt tears in my eyes but I would not permit them to fall. 
I waited patiently till 11.30 p.m. At exactly 11.30 p.m. my brother signalled to me to go 
the car. I walked away alone, without saying goodby to anybody. This time warm tears 
really poured down my cheeks. I quickly wiped them away as I heard my brother 
coming up behind me. Then, I realized that being the odd one out was indeed trying. I 
thanked God that it was all over. 
1. spoil-sport /'sp01l sp0:t/ (n) ngöôøi phaù ñaùm 
2. nag /n%9/ (n) lôøi raày la, chæ trích lieân tuïc 
3. interpret /1n't3:pr1t/ (v) giaûi thích, lyù giaûi 
4. mutton /'m^tn/ (n) thòt cöøu ñaõ tröôûng thaønh 
5. skewer /'skj$6(r)/ (n) caùi xieân (ñeå nöôùng thòt, v.v…)