Chapter threeThe big surprise
Now, Jim looked at his wife.
He said, “Come here.
I want to hold you.”
Della walked to
her husband and
they held each other
for a few moments.1
“Please don’t misunderstand me,”2 he said.
“Nothing could stop me from loving you.
No haircut will change that.”3
Then, he took something from his pocket and put it on the table.
“Open the package,” he said.
“Then you will know why I looked so strange.4
Go on, open it up.”
She took the package and started to open it.
A moment later, she screamed happily,
“Oh, Honey! It’s beautiful.”
This happiness soon changed to tears.5
Della started to cry.
Key Words
hold (v): ôm
(hold - held - held)
each other (pronoun): nhau, lẫn nhau
for a few moments: một lúc
misunderstand (v): hiểu lầm, hiểu sai
nothing (n): không có gì
haircut (n): sự cắt tóc
change (v): làm thay đổi
take (v): lấy ra
(take - took - taken)
package (n): gói đồ
so (adv): đến như vậy
a moment later: một lát sau
scream (v): thốt lên, kêu lên
happiness (n): niềm sung sướng, hạnh phúc
soon (adv): chẳng mấy chốc,
ngay sau đó
change to: biến thành
Key Sentences
1 Della walked to her husband and they held each other for a few moments.
2 Please don’t misunderstand me.
3 No haircut will change that.
4 Then you will know why I looked so strange.
5 This happiness soon changed to tears.
Her husband rushed to her side.
“Don’t cry,” he said. “Don’t cry.”
But she couldn’t stop.
He comforted her for a few minutes.1
On the table, there was a set of combs.
They were beautiful.
Della saw them in a Broadway store window.2
She wanted them for a long time.
They were very expensive.
They would have looked beautiful in her long, brown hair.3
She picked them up and hugged them.4
She looked at her husband and said happily,
“I will wear them soon.
My hair grows very fast.”
Then, she remembered something.
“Oh! Oh!” she cried.
“I didn’t give you your present yet.”5
She jumped up and opened her hand.6
Her eyes were now sparkling with joy.7
Key Words
rush to: chạy vội tới
(rush (n): sự lao tới)
side (n): bên, phía
comfort (v): an ủi, vỗ về
for a few minutes: một lúc
set (n): món, đồ
comb (n): đồ cài tóc
pick up: cầm lên
hug (v): ghì chặt
(hug - hugged - hugged)
wear (v): mang, cài
grow (v): dài ra
(grow - grew - grown)
then (adv): sau đó
yet (adv): chưa
sparkle (v): long lanh, lấp lánh
with joy: vì vui sướng
Key Sentences
1 He comforted her for a few minutes.
2 Della saw them in a Broadway store window.
3 They would have looked beautiful in her long, brown hair.
4 She picked them up and hugged them.
5 I didn’t give you your present yet.
6 She jumped up and opened her hand.
7 Her eyes were now sparkling with joy.
“Isn’t it beautiful?
It will be perfect for your watch.1
I looked everywhere for it today.
Now you won’t be embarrassed about your watch.
You can look at it one hundred times a day.2
Give me your watch.
I want to put it on your watch,”3 she said.
But Jim did not give her his watch.
Instead, he lay down on the sofa and smiled.4
“Della,” he said.
“I don’t want to think about Christmas and Christmas presents anymore.
Let’s put them away.5
Let’s use them later.”
“I don’t have my watch anymore.
I sold it to buy your combs.
Why don’t you make the dinner now?”
Della just looked at him.6
She couldn’t believe it.
But she didn’t say anything.
She just went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.7
Key Words
everywhere (adv): khắp nơi
won’t = will not (v): sẽ không
time (n): lần
(one hundred times: một trăm lần)
instead (adv): thay vào đó
lie down: nằm nghỉ ngơi, ngả lưng
(lie - lay - lain)
anymore (adv): nữa
put away: cất đi
(put - put - put)
later (adv): sau này
just (adv): chỉ biết
believe (v): tin
Key Sentences
1 It will be perfect for your watch.
2 You can look at it one hundred times a day.
3 I want to put it on your watch.
4 Instead, he lay down on the sofa and smiled.
5 Let’s put them away.
6 Della just looked at him.
7 But she didn’t say anything. She just went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
People love to give gifts at Christmas.
This tradition began with the Magi.1
They were wise men.
They brought gifts to baby Jesus in the manger a long time ago.2
They were wise men and their gifts were wise, too.
This is a story of two foolish people.
They foolishly gave away their most precious things.
But they did it for love.
This is the reason for giving gifts.3
So those two foolish people were the wisest of all.4
They are the Magi.
They were poor, yet they were rich in love.5
They sold their most precious things for each other.6
This is the true meaning of Christmas.
Which are “their most precious things” from the text?
His coat and the presents
The hair and the watch
The watch chain and the combs
Key Words
tradition (n): truyền thống
begin with (v): bắt đầu với
Magi (n): (Kinh Thánh) những nhà thông thái
(= the wise men)
wise (adj): khôn ngoan, thông thái
men (số nhiều của man) (n): những người đàn ông
bring (v): mang, đem
(bring - brought - brought)
baby Jesus (n): Chúa Hài Đồng
manger (n): máng ăn (gia súc)
foolish (adj): dại dột, ngớ ngẩn
give away: trao, cho
precious (adj): quý giá
reason (n): lý do
wisest (adj): khôn ngoan nhất
poor (adj): nghèo khó
yet (conj): tuy nhiên
rich (adj): giàu có
true (adj): thật sự, đích thực
meaning (n): ý nghĩa
Key Sentences
1 This tradition began with the Magi.
2 They brought gifts to baby Jesus in the manger a long time ago.
3 This is the reason for giving gifts.
4 So those two foolish people were the wisest of all.
5 They were poor, yet they were rich in love.
6 They sold their most precious things for each other.
Comprehension Quiz
A. Circle the words related to the Magi.
B. Based on the story, mark ‘T’ if true or ‘F’ if false.
1. Jim gave Della an expensive present.
2. She cried because she didn’t like the present.
3. Jim sold his watch to buy her a present.
4. Jim was angry about Della’s hair.
5. People only want to get a gift at Christmas.
C. Complete the sentences with the verbs in the past progressive tense.
ex. ) Jim looked at his wife. ⇨ Jim was looking at his wife.
1. He took something from his pocket.
⇒He _____________ something from his pocket.
2. My hair grows fast.
⇒My hair _____________ fast.
3. Jim didn’t give her his watch.
⇒Jim _____________ her his watch.
4. She went to the kitchen to prepare for dinner.
⇒She _____________ to the kitchen to prepare for dinner.
D. Put the sentences in order.
1. Jim said, “I sold the watch to buy your combs.”
2. Jim gave Della a package to open.
3. Della went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
4. Della said, “Now you won’t be embarrassed about your watch.”
____⇒____⇒____⇒____⇒____