Chapter OneSoapy’s winter plans
Soapy moved uneasily on his bench in Madison Square, New York City. Wild geese were honking overhead on their way south. Wives without fur coats suddenly became kinder to their husbands as they strolled on the streets in front of the shops.1 When you see these things, you know that winter is coming.
A dead leaf fell into Soapy’s lap. That leaf was Jack Frost’s calling card. Jack is kind enough to the inhabitants of Madison Square to warn them that he is coming soon.2 At every corner, he hands these cards to the North Wind, so that all who receive one can make plans for the coming freezing weather.3
Soapy knew that he had to start thinking of ways to deal with the difficulties of colder weather.
How would he stay warm? Where would he sleep? This is why he moved uneasily on his park bench.
Key Words
uneasily (adj): không dễ dàng
goose (n): con ngỗng
honk (v): kêu (ngỗng)
overhead (adv): ở phía trên
fur coat (n ): áo choàng bằng lông thú
stroll (v): tản bộ
lap (n): vạt áo
frost (n): sương muối (Jack Frost:
ý chỉ sương muối dày đặc là chuyện thường vào mùa đông trong năm)
calling card (n): danh thiếp
inhabitant (n): cư dân
warn (v): cảnh báo
hand (v): chuyển giao
make a plan (idiom): lập kế họach
freezing (adj): giá lạnh
deal with (v): giải quyết
difficulty (n): khó khăn
Key Sentences
1 Wives without fur coats suddenly became kinder to their husbands as they strolled on the streets in front of the shops.
2 Jack is kind enough to the inhabitants of Madison Square to warn them that he is coming soon.
3 At every corner, he hands these cards to the North Wind, so that all who receive one can make plans for the coming freezing weather.
Soapy did not have great ambitions for his annual winter hibernation. He did not dream about cruising on a ship in the Mediterranean. Instead, he just wanted three months on Blackwell’s Island. There he would surely have three hot meals a day and a warm bed every night.1 Also, he would have good company with whom to spend the winter days.2 This was as high as Soapy dared to dream.
For the past several winters, the prison on Blackwell’s Island had been Soapy’s home. While his more fortunate neighbors made their winter plans to vacation in sunny southern spots, Soapy made plans to move into Blackwell Prison.3
And now the time had come. The previous night was so cold that even after stuffing three Sunday newspapers under his clothes, Soapy had still been cold.4 He could not sleep on his bench near the spurting fountain in the ancient square.
Check up
Based on the story, write down “T” if true or “F” if false.
1. Soapy badly needed a shelter for the winter. _____
2. Soapy had not been in prison before. _____
Key Words
ambition (n): tham vọng
annual (adj): hàng năm
hibernation (n): ngủ đông
cruise (v): đi chơi biển
the Mediterranean (n):
biển Địa Trung Hải
meal (n): bữa ăn
company (n): bạn bè
spend (v): trải qua
(spend - spent - spent)
dare (v): dám
prison (n): tù nhân
fortunate (adj): may mắn
vacation (v): đi nghỉ
spot (n): điểm đến, địa điểm
previous (adv): liền trước
(trái nghĩa với “Next”)
stuff (v): nhồi, chèn
spurting (adj): phun (nước)
fountain (n): vòi nước
ancient (adj): cổ xưa
Key Sentences
1 There he would surely have three hot meals a day and a warm bed every night.
2 Also, he would have good company with whom to spend the winter days.
3 While his more fortunate neighbors made their winter plans to vacation in sunny southern spots, Soapy made plans to move into Blackwell Prison.
4 The previous night was so cold that even after stuffing three Sunday newspapers under his clothes, Soapy had still been cold.
Today, Soapy could think of nothing else but the Island. He did not consider asking for charity. In Soapy’s mind, the legal system was kinder than charitable institutions. There were many such institutions, both civil and religious, that would give help to Soapy if he asked.1 However, to Soapy’s proud way of thinking, charity came with a price. His pride was hurt every time someone gave him something for free.2 In addition, if he was given a bed, he would be required to take a bath. If he accepted bread, the person giving it would often ask many very personal questions.
“No way,” thought Soapy about going to a charitable institution. “It’s much better to be a guest of the law. The law always follows the same rules, and it does not involve itself with one’s personal affairs.”3
Check up
Choose to complete the following sentence.
Soapy did not want charity because charitable people __________.
a. asked him bothering questions
b. forced him to go to church
c. wanted him to get a public education
Key Words & Sentences
but (pre): ngoại trừ
consider (v): nghĩ về
ask for (phrasal verb): yêu cầu
charity (n): lòng nhân ái
legal (adj): hợp pháp
charitable institution (n): hội từ thiện
civil (adj): dân sự
religious (adj): mang tính tôn giáo
price (n): giá, giá trị
pride (n): sự kiêu hãnh
for free: miễn phí
in addition (idiom): thêm vào đó
be required to: bị đòi hỏi
take a bath (idiom): đi tắm
accept (v): chấp nhận
follow (v): đi theo
rule (n): quy định
involve A with B: kéo A theo B
personal affairs (n): công việc cá nhân
1 There were many such institutions, both civil and religious, that would give help to Soapy if he asked.
2 His pride was hurt every time someone gave him something for free.
3 The law always follows the same rules, and it does not involve itself with one’s personal affairs.
Soapy was determined to go to the Island, but he had to decide how to get there.1 There were many easy ways of doing this. The most pleasant one was to eat a fabulous meal at an expensive restaurant and then announce he could not pay.2 He would go quietly with the police when they were called. Then a judge would give him a ticket to the Island for at least the entire winter.
Having set his mind on this objective, Soapy got up off his bench and walked out of the square.3 He crossed the intersection of Broadway and Fifth Avenue and turned up Broadway. He stopped in front of a glittering cafe where many delicious items were displayed.
Soapy had confidence in his appearance from the lowest button of his vest upward.4 His face was clean-shaven, and his coat was nice. He was wearing a new tie that had been given to him by a lady missionary on Thanksgiving Day, just a few weeks ago.
Key Words
be determined to (idiom): quyết tâm
pleasant (adj): thú vị
fabulous (adj): thần thoại
announce (v): thông báo
judge (n): quan tòa
least: ít nhất, chí ít
set one’s mind on (idiom): tập trung,
quyết tâm làm việc gì đó
objective (n): mục tiêu
out of (prep): ra
cross (v): băng qua
intersection (n): chỗ giao nhau (trên đường)
avenue (n): đại lộ
glittering (adj): lấp lánh, lộng lẫy
item (n): món đồ (được liệt kê trong danh sách)
display (v): trưng bày
confidence (n): sự tự tin
appearance (n): vẻ bề ngoài
vest (n): áo vét
clean-shaven (adj): cạo sạch râu
missionary (adj): mang tính truyền giáo
Key Sentences
1 Soapy was determined to go to the Island, but he had to decide how to get there.
2 The most pleasant one was to eat a fabulous meal at an expensive restaurant and then announce he could not pay.
3 Having set his mind on this objective, Soapy got up off his bench and walked out of the square.
4 Soapy had confidence in his appearance from the lowest button of his vest upward.
If he could make it to a table in the restaurant and sit down, Soapy would succeed in his plan. His lower body would not be visible to the waiter as he ordered the most expensive meal on the menu, along with a bottle of fine wine and an expensive cigar.1
“I’ll have a roasted duck,” thought Soapy. He figured that he would not run up a huge bill so that the restaurant owner would demand revenge. However, the meal would be enough to make him happy at the start of his voyage to his winter home.2
With these happy thoughts, Soapy entered the cafe. However, as soon as he set foot inside the door, the head waiter looked at him suspiciously. The waiter saw Soapy’s old and frayed trousers, as well as his ruined shoes. Suddenly, Soapy felt the strong hands of several waiters on his shoulders and back as he was quietly and quickly turned around and pushed back outside.3
Soapy left Broadway.
It seemed that his route to the Island of his desire would not involve food.4 He had to think of another way to get to his winter haven.
Key Words
make it to: làm được
việc gì đó khó khăn
succeed (v): thành công
visible (adj): có thể nhìn thấy
order (v): gọi món
along with (prep): cùng với
roasted (adj): quay (thịt quay)
figure (v): tính toán
run up (v): ăn hết
owner (n): người sở hữu
demand (v): yêu cầu
revenge (n): sự trả thù, hình phạt
voyage (n): chuyến hành trình
set foot on/in (idiom): đặt chân
suspiciously (adv): một cách đầy nghi ngờ
frayed (adj): bị sờn rách
as well as: cũng như
ruined (adj): bị rách nát
route (n): chuyến đi
desire (n): ao ước
haven (n): nơi trú ngụ
Key Sentences
1 His lower body would not be visible to the waiter as he ordered the most expensive meal on the menu, along with a bottle of fine wine and an expensive cigar.
2 However, the meal would be enough to make him happy at the start of his voyage to his winter home.
3 Suddenly, Soapy felt the strong hands of several waiters on his shoulders and back as he was quietly and quickly turned around and pushed back outside.
4 It seemed that his route to the Island of his desire would not involve food.
At a corner of Sixth Avenue, a large glass window attracted Soapy’s attention. It was a beautiful sight, with Christmas lights and a nice display showing off the store’s products.1 Soapy picked up a stone and threw it through the glass.
People came running around the corner, a policeman in the lead. Soapy stood still, with his hands in his pockets, and smiled at the sight of the policeman’s badge.2
“Where’s the man who did that?” asked the officer excitedly.
“Don’t you think that I might have had something to do with it?” said Soapy in a friendly voice, as he welcomed his good fortune.
The policeman’s mind refused to accept Soapy as a suspect. Men who smash windows do not stick around to talk to policemen.3 Men like that run away. The policeman saw a man halfway down the block running to catch a car. He took out his club and ran after the unfortunate citizen. Soapy, with disgust in his heart, went away, twice unsuccessful.
Check up
How did Soapy probably feel when he wasn’t arrested?
a. Disappointed
b. Relieved
c. Ashamed
Key Words
attract (v): thu hút
attention (n): sự chú ý
sight (n): cảnh tượng
show off (v): chưng ra, cho thấy
product (n): sản phẩm
in the lead: dẫn đầu
stand still: đứng yên
at the sight of (idiom): cảnh tượng
badge (n): huy hiệu
officer (n): viên chức
have something to do with:
có việc để làm với
welcome (v): chào đón
refuse (v): từ chối
suspect (n): nghi phạm
smash (v): đập vỡ
stick around: dán xung quanh
halfway (adj): nửa đường
take out (phrasal verb): lấy ra
club (n): dùi cui
citizen (n): công dân
with disgust: với sự căm phẫn
unsuccessful (adj): không thành công
Key Sentences
1 It was a beautiful sight, with Christmas lights and a nice display showing off the store’s products.
2 Soapy stood still, with his hands in his pockets, and smiled at the sight of the policeman’s badge.
3 Men who smash windows do not stick around to talk to policemen.
On the opposite side of the street was an average-looking restaurant. Its regular customers were people with large appetites who could not pay a lot for a meal.1 The plates and atmosphere were thick; its soup and tablecloths thin. Soapy walked inside with his old shoes and ragged pants, and no one challenged him.2 He sat at a table and ate a large steak, pancakes, doughnuts, and a piece of pie. At the end of his meal, he confessed to the waiter that he had not even a penny in his pockets.
“Now, get busy and call a cop,” said Soapy. “And don’t keep a gentleman waiting.”
“No cop for you,” said the waiter. He had a thick voice and red eyes. He called another waiter, who was larger and stronger. “Hey, Con!”
The two waiters threw Soapy out onto the hard street. He landed on his left ear. Soapy got up slowly, limb by limb, checking for broken bones. Satisfied that he was not seriously injured, he beat the dust from his clothes.3
Arrest seemed like but a faraway dream. The Island seemed a distant paradise. A policeman who stood before a drugstore two doors away laughed and walked down the street.4
Key Words
opposite (adj): đối diện
regular customer (n): khách hàng
thường xuyên, khách quen
appetite (n): sự thèm ăn
atmosphere (n): không khí
thick (adj): năng nề
tablecloth (n): khăn trải bàn
ragged (adj): tả tơi
challenge (v): chặn lại
confess (v): thú nhận
cop (n): cảnh sát
land (v): hạ cánh, tiếp đất
limb (n): chi (chân, tay)
check for (v): kiểm tra
bone (n): xương
satisfy (v): hài lòng
injured (adj): bị thương
dust (n): bụi bẩn
arrest (n): sự bắt giữ
Key Sentences
1 Its regular customers were people with large appetites who could not pay a lot for a meal.
2 Soapy walked inside with his old shoes and ragged pants, and no one challenged him.
3 Satisfied that he was not seriously injured, he beat the dust from his clothes.
4 A policeman who stood before a drugstore two doors away laughed and walked down the street.
Comprehension Quiz
A. Complete the sentences with the words below.
quietly - suspiciously - excitedly - uneasily
1. Soapy moved ______________ on his park bench because winter was coming.
2. The cop ______________ asked Soapy which way the man who broke the window went.
3. The waiter looked at Soapy’s frayed pants ______________.
4. ______________, the waiters pushed Soapy outside before he could sit down.
B. Connect the beginning and the end of the sentences.
1. Soapy wanted to be arrested • • a. because he liked his privacy.
2. The cop didn’t suspect Soapy • • b. so that he would have a warm home.
3. Soapy didn’t want to ask for charity • • c. in the hopes of being arrested.
4. Soapy didn’t want to run up a huge bill • • d. ecause he didn’t run away.
5. Soapy broke a window • • e. so that the owner would not seek revenge.
C. Based on the story, mark “T” if true or “F” if false.
1. Soapy was planning to escape the winter cold by moving south.
2. Soapy usually spent the winter in Blackwell Prison.
3. Soapy ate a nice roasted duck in the glittering cafe.
4. The cop thought the man running after a car broke the window.
D. Put the sentences in order.
1. Soapy was cold at night even though he put newspapers under his clothes.
2. Soapy broke a large window.
3. Soapy entered a fancy cafe.
4. Soapy left his park bench in Madison Square.
5. Soapy decided to get arrested.
____⇒____⇒____⇒____⇒____