Chapter fourWonderful discovery
Dr. Kemp left the room and heard the invisible man lock the door.
“I must be mad. None of this can be true,” he thought to himself. “No! It is all true.”
He quietly walked downstairs to his office and looked for the day’s newspapers. He started to look for some articles. The first he read was titled, “Strange Story from Iping.”1 Another was named, “Entire Village in Sussex Goes Mad.” He read stories of people being attacked, a doctor and a reverend being stripped of their clothes and buildings being destroyed.2
Dr. Kemp thought to himself, “This man is mad and dangerous. He is capable of murder.”
Dr. Kemp was very worried. He didn’t sleep all night, thinking about what he should do. In the morning, his housekeeper came, and he asked her to serve breakfast for two in his study. In his office, he read the morning newspaper which described the events of the previous night. Dr. Kemp, feeling even more concerned, sat down to write a note.3 He addressed it to “Colonel Adye, Port Burdock Police.” Just as he was giving it to his housekeeper, he heard the sound of smashing furniture.
“Hurry,” he whispered to his housekeeper.
Key Words
discovery (n): sự khám phá,
sự phát hiện
article (n): bài báo
title (n): tựa đề, tít (tên cuốn sách,
bài báo...)
entire (adj): toàn bộ
strip (v): cởi, lột (quần áo)
(strip - stripped - stripped)
capable of + V-ing: có khả năng trở thành
murder (n): kẻ sát nhân
serve (v): chuẩn bị bữa ăn
describe (v): kể, tường thuật
previous (adj): trước
concerned (adj): lo lắng, không yên
address (v): gửi (thư)
colonel (n): đại tá
Key Sentences
1 The first he read was titled, “Strange Story from Iping.”
2 He read stories of people being attacked, a doctor and a reverend being stripped of their clothes and buildings being destroyed.
3 Dr. Kemp, feeling even more concerned, sat down to write a note.
Dr. Kemp rushed upstairs and knocked on the door. “What’s the matter?” he asked the headless robe.
“I lost my temper,” the invisible man explained.
“You seem to do that a lot. The papers are full of you.1 But no one knows that you are here.”
The invisible man seemed very agitated, so Dr. Kemp suggested, “Why don’t we have breakfast in my study?”
This suggestion put Griffin in a better mood, and they went to the study.2 Dr. Kemp nervously looked out the window and sat down across from his invisible companion.
“I’m curious to know how all of this happened to you, Griffin,” said Dr. Kemp.
“It was wonderful at first. But now, with all of the problems I’ve had, I’m not sure. Not unless great things can be done.3 Let me tell you my story,” said Griffin. “As you know, we studied medicine together many years ago. But did you know that later I changed to physics? I studied a lot about light and liquids and how glass becomes almost invisible in water when light goes through it.”4
Check up
Why did the invisible man smash the furniture?
a. Because he got angry.
b. Because his friend turned him in.
c. Because he lost his money and books.
Key Words
lose one’s temper: mất bình tĩnh (temper: tính tình, tính khí)
agitated (adj): căng thẳng, hoang mang
mood (n): tâm trạng
nervously (adv): hồi hộp, lo lắng
companion (n): người bạn
curious to + V (adj): tò mò
medicine (n): thuốc
physics (n): vật lý học
liquid (n): chất lỏng
Key Sentences
1 The papers are full of you.
2 This suggestion put Griffin in a better mood, and they went to the study.
3 Not unless great things can be done
4 I studied a lot about light and liquids and how glass becomes almost invisible in water when light goes through it.
“Yes, but humans aren’t transparent like glass,” interrupted Kemp.
“No, we are except for the red coloring of our blood and other matter.1 Flesh, bone, nails, hair, everything is transparent. I did so much research for six years and wrote everything down in my three books. That’s why I have to get them back from Marvel.2”
“But how did you get the blood and other pigment to become invisible?” Kemp asked.
“It took me three more years to do that. But I never had any money, so I stole it from my father. But then he shot himself because he actually owed the money I stole to someone else.3 Well, with the money, I bought all of the equipment I needed. I started to be able to make things invisible. First, I made a piece of wood invisible. Then, I found a starving cat.
I gave her some food with the drugs in it. Over several hours, the animal slowly started to become invisible. She was unconscious for quite a long time. When she finally came to, all I could see was the green pigment at the back of her eyes.4 The last time I saw her, she was just two green eyes jumping out one of my windows.
Check up
Complete the following sentence.
After __________ years of research, he succeeded in making creatures invisible.
Key Words & Sentences
transparent (adj): trong suốt
interrupt (v): ngắt lời, nói xen vào
except for someone/something:
ngoại trừ ai/cái gì
matter (n): chất
flesh (n): thịt
get + A + to: làm cho A trở thành
pigment (n): chất có màu
actually (adv): thực ra
owe A to B: mắc nợ B của A
come to: đến
1 No, we are except for the red coloring of our blood and other matter.
2 That’s why I have to get them back from Marvel.
3 But then he shot himself because he actually owed the money I stole to someone else.
4 When she finally came to, all I could see was the green pigment at the back of her eyes.
“After successfully making the cat invisible, I knew there was the possibility of making a human invisible. I worked hard, and I had to do it quickly. I owed my landlord a lot of money in rent. I knew it would be perfect for me to become invisible and just disappear.1 I decided to mail my three books to myself to an address on the other side of London.
After coming back from the post office, I mixed some of the drugs for myself and drank it. While I waited for it to take effect, there was a knock at my door. I was feeling very sick at this time and when I opened my door, my landlord looked at me, screamed and ran away. I looked at myself in the mirror and I was as white as a sheet.
I cannot describe the pain I felt over the next ten or twelve hours.2 By morning, I slowly became invisible. I was looking at myself in the mirror, not seeing anything of course when there was a loud bang at my door.3 It was the landlord. He shouted for me to open the door. I was extremely desperate. I didn’t want them to see my chemicals and equipment, so I burned the place down and escaped through the window.
Check up
Based on the story, write down “T” if true or “F” if false.
He wanted to be invisible so that he didn’t have to pay the rent. _____
As soon as the man drank the drug, he became invisible. _____
Key Words
possibility (n): khả năng
landlord (n): chủ quán trọ
rent (n): sự thuê mướn
perfect (adj): hoàn hảo, lý tưởng
disappear (v): biến mất
wait for A to: chờ cho A
take effect: phát huy tác dụng
(effect: tác dụng, hiệu quả)
extremely (adv): cực kỳ, vô cùng
desperate (adj): nguy cấp, nguy kịch
chemical (n): hóa chất
burn down: thiêu trụi, thiêu hủy
Key Sentences
1 I knew it would be perfect for me to become invisible and just disappear.
2 I cannot describe the pain I felt over the next ten or twelve hours.
3 I was looking at myself in the mirror, not seeing anything of course when there was a loud bang at my door.
“I decided to head for the place I had sent my books. It was fun at first being invisible, but it also had plenty of problems. I couldn’t wear any clothes or shoes and it was extremely cold. My feet also became incredibly sore. Dogs and boys were a problem too. Dogs couldn’t see me, but they could certainly smell me. Where there were puddles of water or mud that I walked through, boys would cry out,1 ‘Look! There are footprints but nothing is making them.’ A crowd of people formed behind me which I had to try to escape from by finding some completely dry ground.2 Eventually, I was able to lose my crowd of pursuers.”
On hearing the word “pursuers”, Kemp felt a little uncomfortable.3 He glanced nervously through the window.
The invisible man continued on with his story. “That day, I knew I had to find shelter quickly. It was definitely going to snow and I knew that if the snow fell on me, people could see me easily.”4
Key Words
plenty of: nhiều
incredibly (adv): không thể chịu nổi
sore (adj): đau nhức nhối
puddle (n): vũng nước
footprint (n): dấu chân
form (v): tạo thành
lose (v): thoát khỏi (lose-lost-lost)
pursuer (n): người đuổi theo,
người đi theo sau
uncomfortable (adj): không thoải mái, lo lắng
glance (v): liếc nhìn, nhìn lướt qua
continue on: tiếp tục
definitely (adv): rõ ràng
Key Sentences
1 Where there were puddles of water or mud that I walked through, boys would cry out,
2 A crowd of people formed behind me which I had to try to escape from by finding some completely dry ground.
3 Kemp felt a little uncomfortable.
4 It was definitely going to snow and I knew that if the snow fell on me, people could see me easily.
“I found a department store and waited until the doorman opened the door for customers. I hurried in. I found a corner to rest in and when the store closed, I found some food to eat and some clothes to wear. I planned to sleep there, steal some money from the registers, and finish my disguise.1 The problem was that I slept too well. I didn’t wake up before the store opened and many people saw me.2 I jumped up and ran. But I was a headless man running around the store, so I hid behind a counter and tore all of my clothing off. I managed to escape just as the police arrived.
I was very hungry, but I couldn’t eat. Without any clothes on, people would be able to see the food in my stomach,3” the invisible man continued.
“Hmm, I never thought of that problem,” commented Kemp. “What about the snow outside?”
“In the morning, all of the snow had melted. But it was extremely cold outside, and I had to find something to wear as soon as I could. I could already feel myself getting sick.
Check up
Choose the incorrect one to complete the following sentence.
If he ___________, people would see him.
a. ate something
b. wore some clothes
c. slept on the street
Key Words & Sentences
department store (n): cửa hàng bách hóa
doorman (n): nhân viên trực cửa
register (n): máy tính tiền
disguise (n): sự cải trang,
quần áo cải trang
counter (n): quầy thu tiền
melt (v): tan, ngưng
1 I planned to sleep there, steal some money from the registers, and finish my disguise.
2 I didn’t wake up before the store opened and many people saw me.
3 Without any clothes on, people would be able to see the food in my stomach,
“I hurried through the streets and eventually found a small costume shop. It was hidden away in a small side street, so there were no people around.1 I quietly entered the shop. The owner heard me enter. As he didn’t see anything, he returned to his lunch in the back.2 Or that was what I thought at least. But the man came back again, and he had a gun in his hand. He shouted out, ‘Who’s there? I know someone is there. I heard you come in.’ Then, he fired his gun. But it just missed me. I knew I would have to do something desperate.3”
“What? You killed him, didn’t you?” asked Kemp.
“No! No! I didn’t think so anyway. I picked up a stool and hit him on the back of his head. He fell unconscious, and then I gagged him and tied him up with a sheet. I covered his head so that he wouldn’t be able to see me putting on my disguise if he came to.4 Kemp! I wish you wouldn’t look at me like that. I had to do it. I had no choice. He had a gun! Then I took some glasses, a wig, some whiskers and all of the money from the man’s cash register, and then I left.
Check up
From the text, find the word which the following describes.
The act of wearing something to change your appearance or hide who you are: ____________
Key Words & Sentences
costume (n): quần áo, trang phục
side street (n): con phố ngang, đường phụ
at least: ít ra, ít nhất
stool (n): ghế đẩu
gag (v): bịt miệng
(gag - gagged - gagged)
tie up: trói, buộc
put on disguise: mặc đồ cải trang
wig (n): bộ tóc giả
whiskers (n): râu
cash (n): tiền mặt
1 It was hidden away in a small side street, so there were no people around.
2 As he didn’t see anything, he returned to his lunch in the back.
3 I knew I would have to do something desperate.
4 I covered his head so that he wouldn’t be able to see me putting on my disguise if he came to.
“The next thing I did was to get something to eat. I found a restaurant that had private dining rooms. I explained to the waiter that I didn’t want to eat in public because I was disfigured.”
At this point, the invisible man stopped talking. He seemed to turn and face Kemp who was pacing back and forth in front of the window.1 The doctor didn’t want Griffin to get suspicious, so he tried to keep him talking.
“Is that when you went to Iping?” the doctor asked the invisible man.
“Yes,” he replied. “That is where I had all of my books sent, with my clothes and equipment.2 I wanted to live in a quiet village where no one would bother me. I wanted to work in peace and make a formula to make me visible again. I want to be visible again, but only after I have done everything I want while I am invisible. I need your help for that, Kemp.”
“I won’t help you commit crimes like you have been doing up until now,”3 replied Kemp. “You have attacked several people already.”
“They will be perfectly alright. Except Thomas Marvel. When I catch up with him, he will wish he had never been born.4 And I’ll kill anyone who wants to stop me in my plans.”
Check up
Explain the word “plans” in the last line.
_______________________________________
Key Words & Sentences
in public: công khai, đông người
disfigure (v): làm xấu xí mặt mày, làm biến dạng
at this point: vào lúc này
face (v): quay về phía
pace (v): bước từng bước, đi
back and forth: đi tới đi lui
bother (v): quấy rầy, làm phiền
in peace: trong yên lặng, yên tĩnh
formula (n): công thức
commit (v): phạm tội, gây ra
crime (n): tội ác
catch up with someone: đuổi kịp, bắt kịp ai
1 He seemed to turn and face Kemp who was pacing back and forth in front of the window.
2 That is where I had all of my books sent, with my clothes and equipment.
3 I won’t help you commit crimes like you have been doing up until now.
4 When I catch up with him, he will wish he had never been born.
Comprehension Quiz
A. Choose the word that has no similarity to the others.
1. (a) worried (b) concerned (c) starving
2. (a)transparent(b)desperate(c)invisible
3. (a) extremely (b) definitely (c) certainly
4. (a) agitated (b) nervous (c) unconscious
B. Choose the one which has a different subject with the others.
1. (a) _____________ read stories of people being attacked.
(b) _____________ mixed some of the drugs for himyself and drank it.
(c) _____________ didn’t sleep all night, thinking about what he should do.
2. (a) _____________ had to find shelter quickly.
(b) _____________ came back again and had a gun in his hand.
(c) _____________ owed his landlord a lot of money in rent.
C. Based on the story, mark “T” if true or “F” if false.
1. Dr. Kemp found it difficult to believe the invisible man’s story. T...F
2. Dr. Kemp was not worried about sending for the police. T...F
3. It took Griffin six years to learn how to become invisible. T...F
4. Griffin shot his father to get all of his money. T...F
5. It was a big problem for the invisible man to go outside. T...F
D. Put the sentences in order.
1. Griffin disguised himself with glasses, a wig, and whiskers.
2. Griffin stole money and bought the equipment he needed.
3. Griffin succeeded in making the cat invisible.
4. Griffin found a department store and hurried in.
5. Griffin burned the place down and escaped through the window.
_____⇒_____⇒_____⇒_____⇒_____
Understanding the Story
Being an invisible man can fire up our imaginations. But is it possible scientifically?
Invisible Actually
What would you do if you were invisible for a day? H.G. Wells and other authors who explored this idea all show the incredible power that an invisible person would have. He or she could go anywhere secretly and steal money or valuables.
However, what all of these authors seemed to miss was that if a person was actually invisible, he would not be able to see! The sense of sight only works when the eyes can capture light. If the back of the eye were transparent, light would pass right through it and no image could be sent to the brain. Now imagine an invisible person who was also blind!
Almost one hundred years after Wells’s novel, the closest thing science can match to an invisible man is a ‘stealth suit’. This suit, which is still being developed, is made of tiny pixels, like a computer screen that acts like clothing. The pixels would match the same color of whatever was behind the soldier. This wouldn’t be true invisibility. It would be more like a chameleon, which changes the color of its skin to match its background. However, it is the best way to guarantee invisibility without going blind!
author (n): tác giả
incredible (adj): không thể tin được
valuables (n): đồ quý giá, vật có giá trị
capture (v): thu được, nhận được
transparent (adj): trong suốt
match (v): phù hợp với
stealth (n): sự lén lút, bí mật
pixel (n): điểm ảnh, phần tử ảnh nhỏ nhất
invisibility (n): sư vô hình
background (n): môi trường xung quanh
guarantee (v): bảo đảm