Chapter TwoA very difficult and sad life
Response Notes
Life was very difficult for Don Jose and Carmen. They had no comfort in their lives. In the summer, they slept under the stars and in the winter, they slept in very old dirty tents.1
In the beginning, their passion for each other was enough but Carmen quickly became bored.2
One day she said, “You should go home. This life is not good for you. Go back to your mother and your little village. The only thing you are good at is marching around in your silly uniform.”3
“I want to go but I will not. I love you and so I should stay here and be with you. I will never leave you,” he replied.
Check up
Complete the sentences according to the story.
At first, ______________ kept Don Jose and Carmen together.
a. dance
b. passion
c. hatred
Key Words
comfort (n): sự sung túc, sự thoải mái
sleep under: ngủ dưới
tent (n): lều
in the beginning: lúc đầu, ban đầu
passion (n): tình yêu
be good at something: giỏi về việc gì đó
march (v): diễu hành, diễu binh
silly (adj): ngớ ngẩn, lố bịch
Key Sentences
1 In the summer, they slept under the stars and in the winter, they slept in very old dirty tents.
2 In the beginning, their passion for each other was enough but Carmen quickly became bored.
3 The only thing you are good at is marching around in your silly uniform.
“But this life is difficult and you will come to hate me.1 You may even kill me one day,” Carmen said. Carmen always thought of death.
Sometime before, she and her friends had dealt the card, while playing as fortune-tellers.2
Frasquita said, “I am looking for love! I want a young man to love me forever.”
Mercedes said, laughing, “I want an old man. I want a rich old man who will die quickly and leave all of his money to me!”3
While telling each other’s fortunes, Carmen picked one card. Then they put the card back and mixed the cards. She took another card. It was the same card.
“It’s the two of spades. You picked it twice,” cried her friends.
That card had only one meaning. It was the Death card. “So I am going to die. The cards never lie,” Carmen said.
She knew that death was waiting for her and there was no way she could stop it.4
Check up
What did the cards tell Carmen?
a. She is going to marry a young man.
b. She will be very wealthy.
c. She is going to die.
Key Words & Sentences
deal the card: chia bài
(deal - dealt - dealt)
fortune-teller (n): thầy bói
fortune (n): vận mệnh, số mệnh
put back: để lại chỗ cũ
mix (v): xáo (bài)
spade (n): con bích
lie (v): nói dối
1 But this life is difficult and you will come to hate me.
2 Sometime before, she and her friends had dealt the card, while playing as fortune-tellers.
3 I want a rich old man who will die quickly and leave all of his money to me!
4 She knew that death was waiting for her and there was no way she could stop it.
The next day, Micaela arrived in the smugglers’ camp. She was looking for Don Jose. But she quickly hid behind a rock because another person also came to the camp at the same time.1 It was Escamillo, the bullfighter. As soon as Don Jose saw him, he began shooting at him.
Escamillo shouted out, “I am not the police so stop shooting at me. I have only come for Carmen!”
“What if she will not go with you?” Don Jose asked him.2
“I know that she will come. When we first met, she looked at me in a way that she does not look at other men.3 She has also been with a deserter from the army.4 That is not good for her. She will come with me,” replied Escamillo.
“It’s very dangerous to take a Gypsy’s woman away from him,”5 Don Jose warned Escamillo.
But Escamillo only laughed and said, “That is true, but you are no Gypsy. You are a soldier.”
Check up
She looked at me in a way that she does not look at other men.
= She looked at me in a _______________ way.
a. special
b. mean
c. angry
Key Words & Sentences
camp (n): lán, trại
look for: tìm, kiếm
hide (v): nấp, ẩn náu
(hide - hid - hidden)
shoot (v): bắn
(shoot - shot - shot)
what if: điều gì sẽ xảy ra nếu…
deserter (n): kẻ đào ngũ
dangerous (adj): nguy hiểm
warn (v): cảnh báo
1 But she quickly hid behind a rock because another person also came to the camp at the same time.
2 “What if she will not go with you?” Don Jose asked him.
3 When we first met, she looked at me in a way that she does not look at other men.
4 She has also been with a deserter from the army.
5 It’s very dangerous to take a Gypsy’s woman away from him.
Just then, Carmen and the smugglers returned to the camp. One of the smugglers said to Escamillo, “He will kill you unless you leave right now.”
The bullfighter replied, “Alright. I will go. But I want to invite you all to the bullring on Sunday to see me fight.”1
Escamillo looked directly at Carmen and said, “And those who love me are especially welcome to come and see me.”2
Escamillo then left the camp. As soon as he had gone, Micaela came out from her hiding place.3
“I have a message for Don Jose from his mother. His mother is sick and she wants to see him,” she said. “Don Jose, please come with me!”
Carmen said to Don Jose, “Yes, you should go.”
Don Jose turned around and asked, “And what? Leave you to run into the arms of Escamillo?”4
Carmen replied very bluntly, “Yes! I have no more love for you. We are finished.”
Don Jose prepared to leave the camp. Before he left he said to Carmen, “I promise that we will meet again.”5 His voice was trembling.
Check up
Why was Don Jose leaving?
_____________________
Key Words & Sentences
return to: trở về
unless (conj): nếu không, trừ phi
right now: ngay bây giờ
bullring (n): trường đấu bò
those who: những người mà
especially (adj): đặc biệt, nhất là
welcome (adj): được tiếp đón, hoan nghênh
message (n): thư
leave A to V: để A làm gì
run into: rơi vào
bluntly (adv): thẳng thừng
tremble (v): run
1 But I want to invite you all to the bullring on Sunday to see me fight.
2 Escamillo looked directly at Carmen and said, “And those who love me are especially welcome to come and see me.”
3 As soon as he had gone, Micaela came out from her hiding place.
4 Leave you to run into the arms of Escamillo?
5 Before he left he said to Carmen, “I promise that we will meet again.”
The next events happened a few weeks later. One Sunday, there was a very important bullfight in Seville. The bullring was crowded with spectators. Escamillo arrived for the fight and Carmen came with him. She had never looked better.1
This only made Don Jose, who was waiting for her in the crowd, more jealous.2 Frasquita and Mercedes had seen him.
“Carmen! He is here. You must be careful,” they pleaded.
“No, I will go and see him if that’s what he wants.3 I will not run from him.”
Carmen went off to look for Don Jose. When she found him she said, “My friends said that you were here. They are worried you want to kill me.”
“I do not want to kill you. I want you to love me again. My life is nothing without you.4Please come back to me.” he said.
“Remember, I choose who I love. I don’t love you anymore. I must go now. The bullfight is over,” she said.
Don Jose was becoming angry. “You love him, don’t you? Don’t deny it!” he snapped.
“I will never deny it! I do love him,” she said, laughing as she spoke.5
Key Words
event (n): sự việc, việc
be crowded with: đông nghịt
spectator (n): khán giả
jealous (adj): ghen
careful (adj): cẩn thận
plead (v): van nài
go off: đi mất, bỏ đi
nothing (n): không có gì,
chẳng có ý nghĩa
over (adj): kết thúc
deny (v): phủ nhận
snap (v): gắt
(snap - snapped - snapped)
Key Sentences
1 She had never looked better.
2 This only made Don Jose, who was waiting for her in the crowd, more jealous.
3 No, I will go and see him if that’s what he wants.
4 My life is nothing without you.
5 “I will never deny it! I do love him,” she said, laughing as she spoke.
He tried to stop Carmen from leaving. “Let me go or kill me,” she demanded. Then, she took off the gold ring that Don Jose had given her and threw it at him.1
“Don’t ever give me anything ever again,” she snapped.
At that moment, Don Jose took out his knife and pushed it into her heart.2 She fell into his arms, and he wept into her hair. His heart was truly broken. Perhaps another man may have tried to escape but he did not.3 He stayed there with her so the police could find him.
“My life is over. My life finished when she stopped loving me and now I have killed the most precious thing in the world.4 My life is worthless so it doesn’t matter what happens to me,” he wept. The police came and took him to prison.
Carmen was given the most beautiful funeral. She is dead but her love for life and freedom will always be alive.5
Fate came to take her away. She accepted her fate just like we all should.
Key Words
stop A from + V-ing: ngăn không cho A làm gì
demand (v): yêu cầu
take off: tháo, bỏ ra
throw (v): ném, vứt
(throw - threw - thrown)
snap (v): nói, lớn tiếng
take out: lấy ra
push into: đâm vào
weep (v): khóc
(weep - wept - wept)
truly (adv): thực sự
broken (adj): tan vỡ
precious (adj): quý giá
worthless (adj): không còn ý nghĩa gì
matter (v): có tính chất quan trọng
funeral (n): đám tang
freedom (n): sự tự do
alive (adj): còn sống, vẫn tồn tại
accept (v): chấp nhận
Key Sentences
1 Then, she took off the gold ring that Don Jose had given her and threw it at him.
2 At that moment, Don Jose took out his knife and pushed it into her heart.
3 Perhaps another man may have tried to escape but he did not.
4 My life finished when she stopped loving me and now I have killed the most precious thing in the world.
5 She is dead but her love for life and freedom will always be alive.
Comprehension Quiz
A. Fill in the blanks with the right words.
1. The ________ tell you about your future destiny.
(a) teachers (b) fortune-tellers
(c) bullfighters (d) smugglers
2. When Carmen went to see the bullfight, there were many other ________.
(a) spectators (b) gypsies
(c) soldiers (d) fighters
B. Fill in the blanks by writing the verbs in the correct tense.
kill - want - reply - return - look
Just then, Carmen and the smugglers ______________ to the camp. One of the smugglers said to Escamillo, “He______________you unless you leave right now.” The bullfighter ____________, “Alright. I will go. But I ______________ to invite you all to the bullring on Sunday to see me fight.” Escamillo ______________ directly at Carmen and said, “And those who love me are especially welcome to come and see me.”