Chapter TwoThree riddles
Afew moments later, the Princess appeared. She was very beautiful and elegant. She stood like a tall white candle.1 She started to speak and I felt my heart leap out from my chest.2
“I am taking revenge for the death of my ancestor, Princess Lou Ling.3 A thousand years ago, a foreign king came to her in this place, ravished and murdered her. To honor her memory, I have vowed to never allow any man to touch me.4 There are three riddles for you but only one death,” she said.
I replied, “There are three riddles but only one life.”
Check up
Mark ‘T’ if true or ‘F’ if false.
a. The Princess was graceful. ______
b. Calaf’s chest was exploded. ______
c. Calaf was confident that he could solve the riddles. ______
Key Words
elegant (adj): yêu kiều, tao nhã
heart (n): trái tim
leap out: nhảy ra khỏi
chest (n): ngực, lồng ngực
take revenge: trả thù
ancestor (n): tổ tiên
ravish (v): làm say mê, chinh phục
murder (v): giết, sát hại
honor (v): tưởng nhớ
honor one’s memory: tưởng nhớ cái chết của ai
vow (v): thề, nguyện
allow (v): cho phép
Key Sentences
1 She stood like a tall white candle.
2 She started to speak and I felt my heart leap out from my chest.
3 I am taking revenge for the death of my ancestor, Princess Lou Ling.
4 To honor her memory, I have vowed to never allow any man to touch me.
She began to ask me the first riddle.
“What is the phantom born every night that dies in the dawn but lives in the hearts of humans?”1
I thought carefully about the question and answered, “Hope.”
She looked very uncomfortable after I answered but she continued to ask the second riddle.
“What warms like a fire, boils in a fever, becomes cold in death, but glows like a sunset and flies into passion in victory?”2
Once more, I thought carefully about the question and answered, “Blood.”
Now Turandot looked at me in anger. Her eyes looked as cold as ice. She asked the final question.
“What is the ice that sets you on fire? What consumes you and yet freezes even harder?”3
The crowd in the square stood silent and listened. This time I thought even longer about the question.
“Turandot,” I said at last. Finally, I said, “Turandot. You are like ice but my passion for you burns inside me.4 You are what consumes my thoughts and feelings.”
Check up
What does it mean by “You are what consumes my thought and feelings.”?
a. You are like fire.
b. I’m in love with you.
c. You have no passion.
Key Words
phantom (n): bóng ma, ảo ảnh
dawn (n): bình minh
uncomfortable (adj): khó chịu, mất tự tin
warm (v): ấm, nóng lên
boil (v): sôi sục
fever (n): sự xúc động, sự phấn khích
glow (v): rực sáng, ánh lên
fly into: bừng lên
passion (n): sự cuồng say
in anger (= angrily): tức giận
set on fire: đốt cháy
consume (v): thiêu đốt
freeze (v): đóng băng
(freeze - froze - frozen)
burn (v): đốt cháy
feelings (n): cảm giác
Key Sentences
1 “What is the phantom born every night that dies in the dawn but lives in the hearts of humans?”
2 “What warms like a fire, boils in a fever, becomes cold in death, but glows like a sunset and flies into passion in victory?”
3 “What is the ice that sets you on fire? What consumes you and yet freezes even harder?”
4 You are like ice but my passion for you burns inside me.
The wise men standing in the square in that magnificent palace shook their heads in amazement.1 I had answered the three riddles correctly. Turandot looked stunned for a few moments.
Then, she threw herself at her father’s feet and begged, “Please do not make me marry him. Please father!”
But her father replied, “He has answered all of the questions correctly. We promised that whoever answers the questions correctly, will marry you.2 You must!”
Turandot now stood and turned to look at me.
“Do you really want a wife who marries you unwillingly?” she asked.
“No, I do not,” I replied. “So, if you can find out my name before dawn tomorrow, I will not force you to marry me and I will die happily at your hands.3
This pleased Turandot very much. She smiled in her own evil way and said, “Wonderful. No one will sleep tonight until I learn your name. Tomorrow, you will lose your head. I will give a reward to the person who finds out your name.”
That night, no one in the city could sleep. I waited in the palace garden for the sun to rise. Ping, Pong, and Pang came to see me. Again they begged, “The Princess will find out your name. Just please leave in peace before she kills you.”
Suddenly, I heard a noise inside the courtyard. I rushed in to see some guards dragging my father and Liu into the courtyard.4
One of the guards said, “These people spoke to him yesterday. They know who he is.”
I shouted out, “No, they don’t. Until yesterday, they were complete strangers to me.”
Check up
Which can be replaced with the words in bold letters?
Turandot looked stunned for a few moments.
a. shocked
b. sad
c. bad
Key Words
magnificent (adj): nguy nga, lộng lẫy
shake one’s head: lắc đầu
in amazement: trong sự kinh ngạc
correctly (adv): đúng
stunned (adj): choáng váng, sững sờ
throw oneself: quỳ xuống
whoever (pronoun): bất cứ ai
unwillingly (adv): miễn cưỡng,
không tự nguyện
find out: tìm ra, biết được
(find - found - found)
die at one’s hands: chết dưới tay ai
please (v): làm vui lòng
evil (adj): xấu xa, độc ác
learn (v): biết được
reward (n): phần thưởng
courtyard (n): sân nhỏ, sân trong
complete (adj): hoàn toàn
Key Sentences
1 The wise men standing in the square in that magnificent palace shook their heads in amazement.
2 We promised that whoever answers the questions correctly, will marry you.
3 So, if you can find out my name before dawn tomorrow, I will not force you to marry me and I will die happily at your hands.
4 I rushed in to see some guards dragging my father and Liu into the courtyard.
As soon as Turandot arrived, the guards started beating my father.
Liu cried out, “Please do not hurt him. He is only an old man. Only I can tell you what you want to know.”
I tried to run to Liu to stop her from speaking but some guards stopped me.1
Turandot ordered, “Take her and torture her until she tells you his name.”
“I will never tell you,” Liu screamed. “I will die before I tell you his name.”
I was so stunned by Liu’s devotion to my father and myself, and even Turandot asked her, “Why do you care so much about him?2 Why are you so willing to sacrifice yourself for this man?”
Liu answered, “Love gives me courage. Your heart is made of ice but it will be warmed by the love he can give.”3
Liu jumped forward and grabbed one of the guard’s daggers and stabbed herself in the heart.4 No one could have stopped Liu because it all happened so quickly. She fell to the ground in front of my feet and died.
Check up
Why was Calaf stunned by Liu’s actions?
_________________
Key Words & Sentences
beat (v): đánh đập
(beat - beat - beaten)
hurt (v): làm hại, gây tổn thương
stop A from +V-ing: ngăn không cho A làm gì
torture (v): hành hạ, tra tấn
scream (v): hét lên, kêu lên
devotion (n): sự hết lòng
care about: quan tâm, lo lắng
willing to + V (adj): sẵn lòng làm gì
sacrifice (for) (v): hy sinh (cho)
courage (n): dũng khí, lòng dũng cảm
be made of: được làm bằng
forward (adv): về phía trước
grab (v): giật lấy, chộp lấy
(grab - grabbed - grabbed)
dagger (n): dao găm
stab (v): đâm
(stab - stabbed - stabbed)
1 I tried to run to Liu to stop her from speaking but some guards stopped me.
2 I was so stunned by Liu’s devotion to my father and myself, and even Turandot asked her, “Why do you care so much about him?”
I felt such emotion for poor Liu. She had given her life to save mine.1 I became very angry now. I turned to Turandot and said, “You are the Princess of Death. Wherever you go, death follows you.”
Turandot looked at me and said, “No. I am the Daughter of Heaven and my spirit flies in the heavens, far above yours.”2
“Perhaps your spirit may but you are on this earth with me.3 So you are no better than the rest of us.”
I walked toward her and tore her veil away. I took her in my arms and placed my lips on hers. At first she struggled like a wild animal but the warmth of my kiss finally reached her frozen heart.4 She broke down into tears.
“The love in my kiss has warmed your heart. You will no longer be the Ice Princess,” I told her.
Check up
Choose the common phrasal verb.
• At the funeral she _____________ into tears.
• My car _____________ on the way to work.
a. took place
b. tore out
c. broke down
Key Words
emotion (n): sự thương cảm
save (v): cứu
follow (v): đi theo, theo sau
spirit (n): linh hồn
earth (n): trần gian
no better than: chẳng hơn gì
rest (n): những người khác
tear (v): xé, giật
(tear - tore - torn)
veil (n): mạng che mặt, khăn trùm
place (v): đặt, để
struggle (v): vùng vẫy, phản kháng
warmth (n): sự ấm áp, hơi ấm
frozen (adj): đóng băng
break down into tears: khóc òa
no longer: không còn nữa
Key Sentences
1 She had given her life to save mine.
2 I am the Daughter of Heaven and my spirit flies in the heavens, far above yours.
3 Perhaps your spirit may but you are on this earth with me.
4 At first she struggled like a wild animal but the warmth of my kiss finally reached her frozen heart.
“As soon as I saw you I knew that you would make my life difficult,” the princess said.1“Go. I do not want to know your name. It can stay a mystery.”
I replied, “I am the victor now and I do not care whether I live or die.2 My name is Calaf, Prince of Tartary.”
Later, after the sun had risen, the King sat on his throne. Turandot and I were standing together in front of him.
The Emperor spoke to Turandot first. “Turandot. Have you discovered the name of this man?”
“Yes, I have, Father. His name is Love,” she replied.
Then, she smiled in a way no one had ever seen before.3 The smile was not of hate or evil but of love.
Ping, Pong, and Pang nodded approvingly and the Emperor looked happy. Turandot became my wife and we have lived very happily for many years. It is wonderful to grow old with the person you love.4
Key Words
as soon as: ngay khi
stay (v): giữ lại
mystery (n): bí mật
victor (n): người thắng cuộc
care (v): quan tâm, bận tâm
throne (n): ngai vàng
discover (v): nhận ra
hate (n): sự căm ghét, sự thù hận
nod (v): gật đầu
approvingly (adv): đồng tình
grow old: trở nên già nua
Key Sentences
1 “As soon as I saw you I knew that you would make my life difficult,” the princess said.
2 I am the victor now and I do not care whether I live or die.
3 Then, she smiled in a way no one had ever seen before.
4 It is wonderful to grow old with the person you love.
Comprehension Quiz
A. Choose and write the corresponding name next to each line.
Ping, Pong, Pang
Liu
Calaf
Turandot
1. Please do not hurt him. He is only an old man. __________
2. Why are you so willing to sacrifice yourself for this man? __________
3. You are like ice but my passion for you burns inside me. __________
4. Just please leave in peace before she kills you. __________
B. Find and correct the parts that are grammatically incorrect.
1. I have promised never allow any man to touch me.
_______________________
2. I am thinking of go to Greece for my next vacation.
_______________________
3. I am look forward your birthday party next week.
_______________________