Chapter oneThe tree in the forest
Just outside a village, there was a beautiful forest.
It was full of so many kinds of trees.1
On the edge of the forest, there was a pretty Fir tree.2
He was still a small tree.
He lived in a very nice place.
There was a lot of sunshine and fresh air.3
Around him, there were many other fir trees.
Some were much bigger and others were the same size.
There were also many pine trees.
They all looked so big.
He wanted to be big too.
His life was very good.
But he did not know that.
He did not care about the warm sunshine or fresh air.4
Key Words
outside (adv): bên ngoài
be full of: đầy, nhiều
many kinds of: rất nhiều loại
edge (n): bìa (rừng)
fir tree (n): cây linh sam
a lot of + Noun: nhiều
pine tree (n): cây thông
want to be + N: muốn trở thành
care about: quan tâm đến
Key Sentences
1 It was full of so many kinds of trees.
2 On the edge of the forest, there was a pretty Fir tree.
3 There was a lot of sunshine and fresh air.
4 He did not care about the warm sunshine or fresh air.
Many children came to pick strawberries in the woods.1
Sometimes, they sat under the little Fir tree.
They often said, “Let’s sit under that little Fir tree.2
It is so pretty.”
But the Fir tree did not like this.
He did not like being ‘little.’3
Every year, the Fir tree grew bigger.4
But he was still not happy.
He looked at other trees around him.
He thought, “I want to be big like those trees.
I want to have big branches with many leaves.
I want to stand tall, and see many things in the sky.
I want birds to build nests in my branches.5
I want to bend elegantly in the wind.”6
He was never happy.
Check up
How does the Fir tree usually feel?
a. angry
b. unhappy
c. funny
Key Words
children (số nhiều của child) (n): những đứa trẻ
pick (v): hái
strawberry (n): quả dâu tây
woods (= forest) (n): rừng
often (adv): thường
Let’s + V: hãy cùng làm gì
grow (v): phát triển, lớn lên
(grow - grew - grown)
those (số nhiều của that) (adj): đó, kia
branch (n): cành cây
leaves (số nhiều của leaf) (n):
những lá cây
build (v): xây (tổ)
(build - built - built)
nest (n): tổ, ổ
bend (v): uốn cong
(bend - bent - bent)
elegantly (adv): phong nhã, uyển chuyển
Key Sentences
1 Many children came to pick strawberries in the woods.
2 Let’s sit under that little Fir tree.
3 He did not like being ‘little.’
4 Every year, the Fir tree grew bigger.
5 I want birds to build nests in my branches.
6 I want to bend elegantly in the wind.
Two more years went by and he grew and grew.1
He was now much bigger.
“I am getting bigger,” he thought.
“Grow! I must grow taller!”
Every autumn, the woodcutters came to cut down the largest trees.2
The Fir tree heard the sounds “Chop! Chop! Chop!”
Then, there was a “Crash!!”
The trees tumbled down.
The Fir tree became very frightened.3
The Fir tree thought,
“Why did the men cut down the trees?
Where did they go? What will happen to them?”4
Key Words
go by: trôi qua
(go - went - gone)
much (adv): nhiều
autumn (= fall) (n): mùa thu
woodcutter (n): tiều phu
cut down: đốn, chặt
(cut - cut - cut)
chop (n): nhát bổ
crash (n): tiếng đổ sầm
tumble down: đổ xuống
frightened (adj): hoảng sợ, khiếp đảm
think (v): nghĩ
(think - thought - thought)
happen (v): xảy ra
Key Sentences
1 Two more years went by and he grew and grew.
2 Every autumn, the woodcutters came to cut down the largest trees.
3 The Fir tree became very frightened.
4 What will happen to them?
He saw some swallows, and asked them.
“Yes, I think I saw them,” they answered.
“I flew to Egypt and I saw many ships.
On the ships, there were gigantic masts.1
They had huge white sails and danced in the wind.2
They were very elegant.
You should be proud.”3
This made the Fir tree happy.
He thought, “I want to sail across the sea.
I want to be a gigantic mast with dancing sails.
I would be so happy.”4
The air and the sunshine heard the tree and said, “Don’t wish for another life.5 Be happy now.6
You have warm sunlight.
You have a healthy trunk.”
But the tree did not understand them.
What happens to the cut wood?
It is used for making furniture.
It is shipped abroad.
It is used for making masts.
Key Words
swallow (n): chim nhạn
fly: bay
(fly - flew - flown)
Egypt (n): Ai Cập
gigantic (adj): khổng lồ
mast (n): cột buồm
huge (adj): to lớn, khổng lồ
sail (n): cánh buồm
elegant (adj): cừ khôi
should (modal verb): nên
proud (adj): tự hào
sail (v): đi thuyền
across (prep): ngang qua
I would be + adj: tôi sẽ
wish (v): ước
healthy (adj): khỏe mạnh
trunk (n): thân cây
Key Sentences
1 On the ships, there were gigantic masts.
2 They had huge white sails, and danced in the wind.
3 You should be proud.
4 I would be so happy.
5 Don’t wish for another life.
6 Be happy now.
This year, the woodcutters came before Christmas.1
They did not cut down big trees.
They cut down young trees.
The Fir tree was very confused.2
“Why are they cutting down such young trees?”3
There were some sparrows sitting in his branches.
So the Fir tree asked them,
“Where are the trees going?
Those are smaller than me.4
Why did the men cut them down?”
Key Words & Sentences
confused (adj): băn khoăn,
không hiểu được
such (adj): như thế
sparrow (n): chim sẻ
cut off: đốn, chặt
smaller (adj): nhỏ hơn
than + noun (prep): hơn (dùng trong so sánh hơn)
1 This year, the woodcutters came before Christmas.
2 The Fir tree was very confused.
3 Why are they cutting down such young trees?
4 Those trees are smaller than me.
This time, the Sparrows said, “We know!
We looked in through some windows in the village.1
The trees will go there. They will be so beautiful.
They will wear so many colors and lights.2
They will be so happy.
They will live in a warm room with many presents under them.”
The Fir tree was very interested in this.
The tree thought, “It sounds wonderful.
It is better than sailing across the sea.
I want to live in such a place.3
I suffer so much in this forest!4
Something better must be waiting for me.”
Again, the sunlight and the air heard the tree.5
They said to him, “Do not be so foolish.
Your life in the forest is the best.
Be happy with that.”
But the tree ignored them.
Key Words
this time: lần này
look in: nhìn vào
through (prep): qua
colors (n): nhiều màu sắc
light (n): ánh sáng
present (= gift) (n): món quà
be interested in + N/V-ing: thích thú với điều gì
sound + adj (v): nghe có vẻ
better than: hay hơn là, tốt hơn là
such a place: một nơi như thế
suffer (v): chịu đựng
must be + V-ing: chắc hẳn đang
the best: điều tốt nhất
ignore (v): lờ đi, không quan tâm
Key Sentences
1 We looked in through some windows in the village.
2 They will wear so many colors and lights.
3 I want to live in such a place.
4 I suffer so much in this forest!
5 Again, the sunlight and the air heard the tree.
Finally, the woodcutters came.
They stood in front of him, and said,
“This one will be perfect.”1
A few moments later, the tree felt a sharp pain.
It was the axe. Whack! Whack! Whack!
He fell to the ground. Crash!!
It was not the happiness he dreamed of.2
He suddenly felt very sad.
He thought, “My home!
I am separated from my home.3
I will never see it again.
I will never feel the fresh air or the warm sunlight.
I will never hear the birds sing again.4
I am so sad.”
Key Words & Sentences
finally (adv): cuối cùng
in front of: trước mặt
perfect (adj): lý tưởng, hoàn hảo
sharp (adj): buốt, nhói
pain (n): sự đau đớn, cơn đau
axe (n): cái rìu
whack (n): tiếng bổ mạnh
fall to: đổ xuống, ngã
(fall - fell - fallen)
ground (n): mặt đất
dream of: mơ về, tưởng tượng ra
be separated from: bị chia cách khỏi
(separate (v): chia cách)
1 This one will be perfect.
2 It was not the happiness he dreamed of.
3 I am separated from my home.
4 I will never hear the birds sing again.
Comprehension Quiz
A. Look at the pictures and complete the sentences.
cuts - pick - flies - sits
1. Children came to ______ strawberries.
2. A man ______ under a tree.
3. He ______ down the tree.
4. A bird ______ to their nest.
B. Based on the story, mark ‘T’ if true or ‘F’ if false. T...F
1. The Fir tree was unhappy living in the forest. T...F
2. The Fir tree always wanted to be big. T...F
3. The air and the sunshine hated him. T...F
4. Men went to the forest to plant new trees. T...F
C. Fill in the blanks with ‘many’ or ‘much.’
(Note: ‘many’ comes in front of countable nouns and ‘much’ in front of uncountable nouns.)
ex. ) There were many students.
I don’t have much homework.
1. There aren’t ________________ books on the table.
2. You don’t need ________________ money?
3. There isn’t ________________ milk.
4. There weren’t ________________ balloons left after the party.
D. Put the sentences in order.
1. Woodcutters cut down the Fir tree.
2. Many children went to the woods to pick strawberries.
3. The Fir tree was sad when he left the forest.
4. The Fir tree wanted to sail across the sea.
5. Woodcutters came to cut down very big trees.
_____⇒_____⇒_____⇒_____⇒_____
The Fir tree was really happy to become a Christmas tree, but lost everything as Christmas came to an end…
