Chapter twoA Christmas present
Della didn’t wait.
She didn’t want to lose her courage.1
She thought about her husband and his present.
She walked up the stairs and saw a large woman.
She looked very cold and unwelcoming.
Della asked her, “Will you buy my hair?”2
The woman looked at her and said,
“I buy hair. Take off your hat. I need to see your hair.”3
So Della took off her hat and pulled down her hair.
It looked like a waterfall of beautiful hair.
“Twenty dollars,” said Madame.
“I’ll give you twenty dollars for it.”4
“Okay,” said Della.
“Cut it off quickly.”
Madame Sofronie cut off Della’s hair and gave her twenty dollars.
Check up
What did Madame Sofronie buy for 20 dollars?
a. Della’s Christmas present
b. Della’s hat
c. Della’s hair
Key Words
lose (v): mất
(lose - lost - lost)
courage (n): dũng khí, sự can đảm
think about: nghĩ đến
(think - thought - thought)
look + adjective (v): trông có vẻ
cold (adj): lạnh lùng
unwelcoming (adj): thiếu thiện chí
take off: cởi, bỏ ra
(take - took - taken)
need + to V (v): cần
look like + Noun: trông giống như
waterfall (n): dòng thác
cut off: cắt
(cut - cut - cut)
Key Sentences
1 She didn’t want to lose her courage.
2 Will you buy my hair?
3 I buy hair. Take off your hat. I need to see your hair.
4 I’ll give you twenty dollars for it.
Della left the store happily.
She went out to buy Jim’s Christmas present.
For two hours, she searched many stores.1
Finally, she found her husband’s present.
There was only one like it.2
It was very simple but elegant.
It was a platinum fob chain
for his watch.3
It was the perfect gift.
She paid twenty-one dollars for it.
She had no regrets.
Jim would love it.4
Jim loved his watch.
But these days, he was a little embarrassed.
He only looked at his watch in private.5
It was because of the old leather strap on the watch.
Now, he could proudly look at his watch.
He won’t have to be embarrassed anymore.6
Key Words
search (v): tìm kiếm
finally (adv): cuối cùng
elegant (adj): sang trọng, thanh lịch
platinum (n): bạch kim
fob chain (n): dây đeo đồng hồ
perfect (adj): lý tưởng, hoàn hảo
gift (= present) (n): món quà
pay for: trả (tiền) cho
(pay - paid - paid)
regret (n): sự hối tiếc
these days: dạo gần đây
embarrassed (adj): bối rối, lúng túng
in private: riêng, một mình
leather (adj): (thuộc) da
strap (n): sợi dây
proudly (adv): một cách hãnh diện, tự hào
won’t = will not (v): sẽ không
Key Sentences
1 For two hours, she searched many stores.
2 There was only one like it.
3 It was a platinum fob chain for his watch.
4 Jim would love it.
5 He only looked at his watch in private.
6 He won’t have to be embarrassed anymore.
Della hurried home with her chain and eighty-seven cents.1
Now, she started to feel a little sad about her hair.2
But she thought, “It will grow quickly.”
She got out her curling irons.
She turned her short hair into many little curls.3
She looked at her hair in the mirror again and again.
“I hope Jim doesn’t hate it,” she thought.4
“I did it for him. I did it for love.
What could I buy with one dollar and eighty-seven cents?5
No! Jim won’t hate it.
He will think I look like a singing girl.”6
So, she forgot about her hair.
She started to prepare dinner.
Tonight, they would have pork chops and coffee.7
Check up
What is Della worried about?
a. Jim may not like the present.
b. Jim may not like her short haircut.
c. Not having prepared dinner.
Key Words & Sentences
hurry (v): đi vội, đi gấp
(hurry - hurried - hurried)
with + Noun (prep): với, cùng với
grow (v): mọc ra
(grow - grew - grown)
get out: lấy ra
(get - got - gotten)
curling iron (n): dụng cụ cuốn nóng
turn into: cuộn thành
curl (n): lọn tóc quăn
hate (v): ghét
buy with: mua được với giá
(buy - bought - bought)
forget (about) (v): quên đi chuyện gì
(forget - forgot - forgotten)
prepare (v): chuẩn bị
dinner (n): bữa ăn tối
pork chop (n): thịt heo nướng
1 Della hurried home with her chain and eighty-seven cents.
2 Now, she started to feel a little sad about her hair.
3 She turned her short hair into many little curls.
4 “I hope Jim doesn’t hate it,” she thought.
5 What could I buy with one dollar and eighty-seven cents?
6 He will think I look like a singing girl.
7 Tonight, they would have pork chops and coffee.
Della heard him walking up the apartment stairs.1
Jim always came home on time.2
She quickly sat down on a chair near the doorway.
She put the chain in her hand and made a little prayer3, “Please, let him think I am still beautiful!”
The door opened and her husband came in.
He looked very tired tonight.
He was only twenty-two, but he looked older.4
He had many things to worry about.
He took off his old coat.
He really needed a new one.
Then, he saw his wife.
His face had no expression.5
Della thought, “What is he thinking?
Does he hate my hair?
Does he think I’m ugly?”
Check up
Mark ‘T’ if true or ‘F’ if false.
a. Jim always comes home on time.
b. Jim looks old for his age.
c. Jim’s coat is new.
Key Words & Sentences
on time: đúng giờ
sit down: ngồi xuống
(sit - sat - sat)
doorway (n): ô cửa
put (v): đặt, để
make a prayer: cầu nguyện
let (v): hãy để cho
come in: bước vào
tired (adj): mệt mỏi
older (adj): già hơn
worry (about) (v): lo lắng về
take off: cởi ra
expression (n): sự biểu lộ, thái độ
1 Della heard him walking up the apartment stairs.
2 Jim always came home on time.
3 She put the chain in her hand and made a little prayer.
4 He was only twenty-two, but he looked older.
5 His face had no expression.
She could not wait for him to speak.1
She jumped up and ran to him.
“Jim, Honey! Why don’t you say something?
Don’t look like that. It’ll grow quickly again.2
Don’t worry! It grows very fast,” she said.
“You cut your hair off?” he asked her.
He seemed almost stupid.
It was easy to see his wife’s short hair.3
“Yes,” she said.
“I cut it off and sold it.
I got you a beautiful gift.
I know you will love it.
It’s perfect for you.
Do you hate my hair?
I’m still the same person.4
Don’t you like me with or without my hair?”5
Key Words
wait for: chờ đợi
jump up: đứng lên
honey (n): anh yêu
fast (adv): nhanh
cut off: cắt
seem (v): có vẻ như
almost (adv): gần như
stupid (adj): ngẩn người ra
sell (v): bán
(sell - sold - sold)
get (v): mua
(get - got - gotten)
same (adj): như nhau, cùng là một
with or without: có hay không
Key Sentences
1 She could not wait for him to speak.
2 Don’t look like that.
3 It was easy to see his wife’s short hair.
4 I’m still the same person.
5 Don’t you like me with or without my hair?
Comprehension Quiz
A. Look at the pictures and complete the sentences.
opened - walked - took - cut
1. She ______ up the stairs.
2. Della ______ off her hat.
3. She ______ off Della’s hair.
4. He ______ the door and came in.
B. Complete the sentences with the verbs in the past tense.
1. Della sees them in a Broadway store window.
⇒Della _______ them in a Broadway store window.
2. She sits on a chair near the doorway.
⇒She _______ on a chair near the doorway.
3. She cannot wait for him to speak.
⇒She _______ for him to speak.
C. Choose the correct answers to the following questions.
1. What did she buy for Jim?
(a) A watch
(b) A coat
(c) A fob chain
(d) Shoes
2. Why did Della cut her hair off?
(a) Because she wanted to buy Jim a good present.
(b) Because short hair looked good on her.
(c) Because she didn’t like her long hair anymore.
(d) Because Jim asked her to.
D. Followings are the description of the present that Della prepared for Jim. Fill in the blanks with the right word.
regrets - perfect - dollars - embarrassed
It was the _________________ gift. She paid twenty one
_________________ for it. She had no _________________. Jim would love it. Jim loved his watch. But these days, he was a little _________________.