Chapter OneThe ice princess
Response Notes
My life has been full of adventure. Now that I am very old, telling stories is all I can do.1 My name is Calaf. I was born the Prince of Tartary.
After a very long and terrible war, my father, King Timur, and I were forced to escape from my country.2 I didn’t know what happened to my father but now I was in Peking.
I would never forget the evening I arrived in this great city. Many people had gathered in the square in front of the Imperial Palace. It was really amazing. There must have been thousands of people there. I thought that something very exciting was to occur, so I asked, “What’s happening?”3 One person in the crowd replied, “A man will be killed soon. He had come to try to marry Princess Turandot. He had to solve the Princess’s riddles first before he could marry her, but he failed.4 Now they will cut off his head.”
Check up
Why did the people gather in the square?
_________________________________
Key Words & Sentences
adventure (n): cuộc phiêu lưu
be forced to + V: bị ép buộc phải làm gì
escape from: trốn khỏi
what happened to someone: điều đã xảy ra cho ai
Peking (n): Bắc Kinh
square (n): quảng trường
imperial (adj): nguy nga, tráng lệ
must have + p.p (v): hẳn là đã
be to + V: sắp sửa
occur (v): xảy ra, diễn ra
crowd (n): đám đông
solve (v): giải đáp, trả lời
riddle (n): câu đố
1 Now that I am very old, telling stories is all I can do.
2 After a very long and terrible war, my father, King Timur, and I were forced to escape from my country.
3 I thought that something very exciting was to occur, so I asked, “What’s happening?”
4 He had to solve the Princess’s riddles first before he could marry her, but he failed.
“Who is Princess Turandot?” I asked.
“She is the Emperor’s daughter,” said a woman standing next to me. “She is extremely beautiful. So many princes come from different countries to marry her.1 But she doesn’t want to marry any of them. She is a cold woman. Some say that her heart is made from stone. To make it difficult for any man to marry her, she has said that she will only marry the man who can solve the three riddles she gives them.2 If they fail, well,... you can see what we are waiting for...”
Suddenly, a man dressed in palace robes appeared. He called out, “The Prince of Persia has failed to answer the Princess’s riddles. He will die when the moon appears this evening.”
As I was listening to this, there was a loud sound behind me. I turned around and saw an old man lying on the ground. A woman yelled out, “Look. They just threw the poor blind man on the ground.”
I rushed over and helped the man to his feet.3I was shocked. The old man was my own father, King Timur.
“Father!” I cried out. “You are here in Peking. I have been looking for you everywhere.”
Key Words
emperor (n): hoàng đế, vua
extremely (adv): vô cùng, cực kỳ
be made from: được làm bằng
dressed in: mặc (quần áo)
robes (n): quần áo, trang phục
call out: nói lớn, công bố
Persia (n): nước Ba Tư
loud (adj): to, ồn ào
turn around: quay lại
yell out: la lớn, kêu lên
rush over: chạy vội đến
to one’s feet: (đỡ) đứng dậy
Key Sentences
1 So many princes come from different countries to marry her.
2 To make it difficult for any man to marry her, she has said that she will only marry the man who can solve the three riddles she gives them.
3 I rushed over and helped the man to his feet.
I looked up and saw another person standing by. It was Liu. She was a very faithful servant and friend to my father. “Liu! You are here too.”
“She has been wonderful,” said my father. “She has been my eyes ever since I couldn’t see and has given me so much help.1 If she had not been with me, I would have been dead.”2
Liu was looking down at her feet.
“Liu! I’m most grateful to you for looking after my father. You didn’t have to do this. Why have you given so much to me and my family?” I asked her.
“A long time ago in the palace, you used to smile at me,” she said but her words were interrupted by a loud gong.
Many men entered the square. They carried a large stone to the middle of the square. The stone was for the executioner to sharpen his ax on.3
“Cut off his head when the moon appears!” people shouted. I was quite shocked by the people. It seemed they enjoyed watching people die.4
“These people are like animals,” I thought. “How can this Princess Turandot kill so many men. She really is a cold-hearted woman.”
Check up
Complete the following sentence.
If the princess ________________________ a cold-hearted woman, no man would have been killed.
Key Words & Sentences
look up: nhìn lên
stand by: đứng bên cạnh
faithful (adj): trung thành
servant (n): người hầu
grateful (adj): biết ơn
look after someone: chăm sóc ai
interrupt (v): làm gián đoạn, cắt ngang
used to + V: đã từng
gong (n): cồng, chiêng
executioner (n): đao phủ,
người hành hình
ax (n): cái rìu
sharpen (v): mài sắc
cold-hearted (adj): nhẫn tâm, lạnh lùng
1 She has been my eyes ever since I couldn’t see and has given me so much help.
2 If she had not been with me, I would have been dead.
3 The stone was for the executioner to sharpen his ax on.
4 It seemed they enjoyed watching people die.
Everyone continued calling for the death of the poor man, but they became very quiet when the Princess appeared.
The Princess was wearing a long white robe. From a distance, it looked like ice. She had beautiful black hair, which was so long that it almost reached the floor.1 Her face was perfect and her lips were red like roses. She opened those beautiful lips and ordered, “Guards! Take him away to cut off his head!”
The poor prince was dragged away to his death. It was such a terrible night but I could not think of the poor man anymore.2 It was like a spell had been cast on me. All I could think of was the Princess. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.3 I was filled with desire and love for her. For a moment, my heart even stopped beating!4
Check up
Choose what does not match with the story.
a. The princess looked cold-hearted but had a warm soul.
b. Calaf fell in love with the princess at first sight.
c. The princess commanded the Persian prince’s execution.
Key Words & Sentences
continue + V-ing: tiếp tục
call for: đòi, yêu cầu
from a distance: từ đằng xa
reach (v): chạm
guard (n): lính canh
drag away: lôi đi, kéo đi
(drag - dragged - dragged)
spell (n): bùa mê, sự quyến rũ
cast on: buộc chặt, trói chặt vào
(cast - cast - cast)
(cast a spell on: mê hoặc)
desire (n): ước muốn, dục vọng
beat (v): đập
(beat - beat - beat)
1 She had beautiful black hair, which was so long that it almost reached the floor.
2 It was such a terrible night but I could not think of the poor man anymore.
3 I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.
4 For a moment, my heart even stopped beating!
Then, I did something which would change my life forever.1 I said in a very loud voice, “I have come here to make the Princess my bride. I will solve her riddles and she will marry me.”
“No, no! They will cut your head off. I can’t bear to think of that,” Liu cried.
“This means I will lose you again. Please don’t do this,” Father begged me. But I didn’t listen to them. I walked toward a very large gong in the square. Anyone who wanted to marry the Princess had to hit the gong three times.2
As I walked up to the gong, three men raced in front of me and stopped me.3 One said, “I am Ping, the Grand Chancellor.” The second said, “I am Pong, the Chief Cook.” The third said, “I am Pang, the Marshal.”
“Do not do this!” they all cried out.
Pang said, “Look in the sky! Can’t you see the ghosts of the dead flying around this great city?4 They are the men who died for the Princess’s love.”
Ping said, “There are so many pretty women. Go and find another pretty girl.”
I just said, “No!” and walked past them. I struck the gong three times.
Check up
Choose the common preposition for the sentences.
• He said ________ an angry voice.
• A man dressed ________ yellow appeared.
a. at
b. by
c. in
Key Words & Sentences
bear (v): chịu đựng
(bear - bore - born)
mean (v): có nghĩa là
(mean - meant - meant)
beg (v): van xin, nài nỉ
walk up to: lại gần đi về phía
race (v): chạy
Grand Chancellor (n): Đại Pháp quan
Chief Cook: bếp trưởng
Marshal (n): quan phụ trách nghi lễ, quan chủ tế
ghost (n): linh hồn, bóng ma
past (adv): ngang qua
strike (v): đánh
(strike - struck - struck)
1 Then, I did something which would change my life forever.
2 Anyone who wanted to marry the Princess had to hit the gong three times.
3 As I walked up to the gong, three men raced in front of me and stopped me.
4 Can’t you see the ghosts of the dead flying around this great city?
The whole crowd watched me hit the gong and then I could hear them whisper, “He will never solve the riddles.”1 The three men were also talking among themselves. “There have already been thirteen deaths this year. This city is filled with blood.”
Even though everyone thought I would die, I would not change my mind.2 I wanted to marry the Princess. Soon, two guards came out and took me inside the Palace.
After a few moments, a group of wise men walked in with large documents. I guessed they contained the Princess’s riddles. After the wise men, came some other men. They were carrying red and white lanterns. Red was for a wedding and white was for a funeral.3 Finally, the Emperor appeared. He did not look like a happy man.
He looked at me and said, “Please do not do this. Don’t try to answer my daughter’s riddles. You can leave now before she comes.”
“No,” I replied. “I will try to answer.”
The Emperor asked me twice more, and I answered each time, “ Let me try.”4
Key Words
whole (adj): toàn bộ
whisper (v): thì thầm, nói khẽ
mind (n): ý định
wise man (n): học sĩ
document (n): giấy
guess (v): đoán
contain (v): có, chứa
carry (v): mang
lantern (n): đèn lồng
funeral (n): đám tang
twice (adv): hai lần
let me + V: hãy để tôi…
Key Sentences
1 The whole crowd watched me hit the gong and then I could hear them whisper, “He will never solve the riddles.”
2 Even though everyone thought I would die, I would not change my mind.
3 Red was for a wedding and white was for a funeral.
4 The Emperor asked me twice more, and I answered each time, “ Let me try.”
Comprehension Quiz
A. Choose the right word to complete the sentences.
1. If your friend is _______, you can trust him.
(a) faithful (b) kind
(c) generous (d) hardworking
2. If you _______ something, it means you strongly want to have it.
(a) like (b) desire
(c) hate (d) miss
3. On the wedding day, the _______ wears a white dress.
(a) bestman (b) bridegroom
(c) husband (d) bride
B. Choose the word that describes the expressions.
fail - interrupt - arrive - force - whisper - solve
1. To speak in a very quiet voice: __________
2. To make someone do something against his / her will: __________
3. To reach one’s destination: __________
4. To find the answer to something: __________
5. To be unsuccessful at something: __________
6. To break in on someone’s speech or action: __________
C. Choose the correct answers to the questions.
1. Why did Calaf come to Peking?
(a) To marry the Princess Turandot.
(b) Because of the war in his country.
(c) Because he liked adventures very much.
2. Why do the people call Turandot the ice princess?
(a) Because she looks like ice in her white robe.
(b) Because she is a cold-hearted woman.
(c) Because everybody hated her.
D. Based on the story, mark ‘T’ if true or ‘F’ if false.
1. Anyone who wanted to marry the princess Turandot, had to solve her riddles first.
2. Liu came to Peking with the King Timur to meet Calaf.
3. Calaf fell in love with Turandot when he first saw her.
4. Ping, Pong, and Pang all believed that Calaf could solve the riddles.
5. If you want to challenge the princess’s riddles, you should call her name loudly three times.
Understanding the Story
The setting of the opera “Turandot” is the Forbidden City, a city within the China’s capital, Beijing. Let’s find out more about the “Forbidden City”.
The Forbidden City
The Peking described in the opera Turandot does not exist anymore. Giacomo Puccini, the Italian composer of this opera, never visited China. Instead, he was inspired by Marco Polo’s travels.
Marco Polo journeyed to China 1,000 years ago and wrote about a fantastic walled city on a hill in the center of the Chinese capital of Peking. This was the Forbidden City. It was named this because only royalty and their servants could enter the gates. When Princess Turnadot speaks to the public, she comes to the main gate.
In Marco Polo’s time, Peking’s streets were wide and straight. He wrote that the city looked like a checkerboard, with neat square blocks of old mansions and fine inns.
These days, the walls and buildings of the Forbidden City still stand, but the gates are wide open to tourists from all over the world. Turandot and all Chinese royalty may be gone, but the city they lived in still stands.
forbidden (adj): bị cấm
describe (v): miêu tả
exist (v): tồn tại
composer (n): tác giả, nhà soạn kịch
inspired (adj): lấy cảm hứng
travels (n): những cuộc phiêu lưu,
những cuộc du hành
walled (adj): có thành bao quanh
the Forbidden City: Tử Cấm Thành
royalty (n): hoàng thân, hoàng tộc
public (n): công chúng, thần dân
checkerboard (n): bàn cờ
neat (adj): ngăn nắp, xinh xắn
square (adj): vuông
mansion (n): biệt thự, lâu đài