Dynamite Legacy - Di Sản từ Thuốc Nổ

In 1888, a man opened the newspaper to the obituary section to read about his beloved brother, who had just passed away. But one headline immediately caught his eye. It read: “The Merchant of Death is Dead.”

Vào năm 1888, một người đàn ông mở tờ báo ra để xem chuyên mục cáo phó về người anh trai thân yêu vừa qua đời của mình. Nhưng một dòng tiêu đề lập tức thu hút sự chú ý của ông, “Nhà buôn cái chết đã chết.”

It was the obituary of Alfred Nobel, an armaments manufacturer and the inventor of dynamite. The article continued, “He became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before. And yesterday, he died.”

Đó là mục cáo phó của chính Alfred Nobel, nhà sản xuất vũ khí và cũng là người phát mình ra thuốc nổ. Bài báo tiếp tục, “Ông ấy trở nên giàu có nhờ tìm ra cách để giết nhiều người hơn và nhanh hơn bao giờ hết. Và ngày hôm qua, ông ấy đã mất.”

While many readers were shocked by the caustic words in that obituary, the man having breakfast in Cannes, France, was probably the most shocked of all. Because “the man” was Alfred Nobel, and he was very much alive. The writer had confused Alfred with his older brother, Ludvig.

Trong khi nhiều người đọc tin thấy sửng sốt trước những ngôn từ châm biếm của mục cáo phó ấy, có lẽ người đàn ông đang dùng bữa sáng tại Cannes, nước Pháp, là người sửng sốt hơn cả. Bởi vì, “người đàn ông” ấy chính là Alfred Nobel, và ông vẫn còn sống sờ ra đó. Người viết đã nhầm lẫn Alfred với người anh trai Ludvig của ông.

Even more distressing to Alfred was how he was portrayed in the article. Is this how people saw him? Alfred invented dynamite for the building and mining industries, as a means of reducing the cost of drilling tunnels, blasting rocks, and building bridges. As an inherently peaceful man, he was saddened that it had later found another use in wars.

Nhưng Alfred còn đau buồn hơn khi ông biết mình được miêu tả như thế nào trong bài báo. Có phải trong mắt người khác ông là như vậy sao? Alfred phát mình ra thuốc nổ phục vụ cho việc xây dựng và khai thác khoáng sản, nhằm giảm thiểu chi phí khoan hầm, phá đá, và xây cầu. Vốn là người có bản tính ôn hòa, ông cảm thấy buồn phiền khi phát minh của mình được dùng trong mục đích chiến tranh.

As Alfred mourned the death of his older brother, he reflected on his own legacy - how he would be remembered after he died - and the impact his invention of dynamite would have on the world. When Alfred died eight years later, his will provided for the establishment of the Nobel Prizes. His fortune funded five “prizes” to be awarded annually. They recognized achievements in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace. Each prize included a cash award that today exceeds one million dollars.

Trong lúc Alfred đau buồn về cái chết của anh trai mình, ông suy ngẫm về di sản của mình - làm cách nào để người đời nhớ đến sau khi lìa đời - và tác động của phát minh thuốc nổ sẽ được biết đến trên toàn thế giới. Khi Alfred qua đời 8 năm sau đó, ông để lại di chúc thành lập Giải Nobel. Tài sản của ông để lại dùng để tài trợ cho 5 “giải thưởng” thường niên. Công nhận cho những thành tựu trong những lĩnh vực như vật lý, hóa học, sinh lý học hoặc y học, văn học, và hòa bình. Mỗi giải thưởng bao gồm một giải hiện kim mà ngày nay con số đó đã vượt hơn 1 triệu đô-la.

Alfred Nobel’s erroneous obituary provided a second chance - the opportunity to create a legacy that would make a positive impact in the world. Instead of buying “things” with his fortune, Nobel invested in people. That investment has made the world a significantly better place.

Bài cáo phó nhầm lẫn về Alfred Nobel mang đên cho ông một cơ hội thứ hai - cơ hội tạo ra một di sản sẽ tác động tích cực trên toàn thế giới. Thay vì mua sắm “của cải vật chất” với của tài sản của mình, Nobel đầu tư vào con người. Cách đầu tư đó đã giúp thế giới này trở nên tốt đẹp hơn rất nhiều.

The following steps can help you effectively manage your life, and achieve a more fulfilling balance between work and your personal life:

Những bước sau đây có thể giúp bạn làm chủ cuộc đời của mình  hiệu quả, và đạt được sự cân bằng giữa công việc và đời sống cá nhân trọn vẹn hơn.

1. Make time for others.

1. Dành thời gian cho người khác.

Structure your schedule so you have time for the most important people in your life. Unless you are intentional about time with your spouse, children, friends, and others, you will look back on your life and realize that much of your time was expended in less important areas.

Hãy lên lịch cho những người quan trọng nhất trong cuộc đời bạn. Nếu không chủ động sắp xếp thời gian cho bạn đời, con cái, bạn bè và người khác, thì sau này khi nhìn lại, bạn sẽ thấy mình dành phần lớn thời gian vào những thứ không quan trọng bằng.

Commit to being involved in your children’s activities. Remember, kids spell love T-I-M-E. If you can’t be a coach or a group leader, at least take time to attend games or other important events. You will soon forget whatever you sacrificed to get to the game, but your children will always remember that you were there.

Nỗ lực hết mình để tham gia vào những hoạt động cùng con. Hãy nhớ, đối với con trẻ, yêu thương được đánh vần bằng T-H-Ờ-I G-I-A-N. Nếu bạn không thể là huấn luyện viên hoặc trưởng nhóm của con, thì ít ra cũng phải tham dự những buổi thi đấu hoặc những sự kiện quan trọng khác của con. Bạn sẽ nhanh chóng quên đi những gì bạn đã phải hy sinh để đến xem trận đấu, nhưng con bạn sẽ nhớ mãi là bạn đã có mặt ở đó.

Make time for your spouse, too. If you’re like me, your spouse seems to get whatever is left over at the end of the day - and sometimes there’s nothing left! My relationship with Heidi has been best when we’ve been intentional about scheduling time alone with each other. Date nights are one way to make sure you’re investing quality time with your spouse.

Dành thời gian cho người bạn đời nữa. Nếu bạn giống như tôi, thì có vẻ vợ/chồng bạn chỉ có được chút ít thì giờ còn sót lại trong ngày - có lúc chẳng còn gì! Mối quan hệ giữa tôi và Heidi đã thăng hoa khi hai vợ chồng ngồi lại lên kế hoạch dành thời gian cho nhau. Những buổi tối hẹn hò là một cách để bạn đầu tư thời gian chất lượng cho vợ/chồng mình.

How about just sitting down at the dinner table together as many nights as possible? Sharing a meal together is a great way to connect and keep in touch with what’s going on in each other’s lives. Commit to being involved in the lives of the people you love. It’s one of the best investments you’ll ever make!

Vậy còn dùng bữa tối với nhau càng nhiều lần càng tốt thì sao? Dùng bữa cùng nhau là một cách rất tuyệt để kết nối và biết được những gì đang diễn ra trong cuộc sống của nhau. Hãy nỗ lực tham gia vào cuộc sống của những người mà bạn thương yêu. Đó là một trong những cách đầu tư khôn ngoan nhất!

2. Make time for yourself.

2. Dành thời gian cho bản thân.

While it’s important to invest in others, it’s just as important to invest in yourself. Exercising, learning about something you are interested in, working on a hobby, or enjoying a great book in your favorite reading chair are all ways that you can invest in yourself. Doing so will renew your mind and body, and provide more energy for the other demands in your life.

Mặc dù việc đầu tư vào người khác rất quan trọng, việc đầu tư vào chính mình cũng quan trọng không kém. Tập thể dục, học cái này cái kia, theo đuổi sở thích cá nhân, hoặc ngồi trên chiếc ghế yêu thích để đọc một quyển sách hay là những cách bạn có thể đầu tư cho chính mình. Những việc này giúp tâm trí và cơ thể bạn tươi mới, đồng thời cung cấp thêm năng lượng cho bạn đáp ứng những nhu cầu khác trong cuộc sống.

When I travel on a plane, the flight attendant always describes the emergency procedures. He or she instructs the passengers to put on their own oxygen mask before helping others. This is important not only when the cabin pressure is lost on a plane, but also in life. Make sure that “self-care” - taking care of yourself - is one of your “big rocks.”

Khi tôi đi máy bay, các tiếp viên hàng không luôn mô tả những việc cần làm trong tình huống khẩn cấp. Họ hướng dẫn hành khách mang mặt nạ dưỡng khí cho mình trước khi giúp đỡ người khác. Việc này là cần thiết không chỉ khi áp suất trong khoang máy bay giảm, mà còn trong cuộc sống.

3. Take time to “get away from it all.”

3. Dành thời gian "thoát khỏi cuộc sống".

Vacations are a great way to re-energize, and they serve as a reminder that there’s more to life than just work. Vacations can take many forms: An overnight stay with your spouse at a hotel in the area, a weekend away with your family, or a dream vacation that you and your family have been planning for months. Occasionally, I’ll even travel with just one of my children, for a special “daddy-daughter” or “daddy-son” trip.

Những kỳ nghỉ là một cách tuyệt vời để tái tạo năng lượng, và nó cũng nhắc nhở ta rằng cuộc sống còn nhiều thứ khác ngoài công việc. Có nhiều dạng nghỉ mát: Ngủ lại một đêm với người bạn đời tại một khách sạn trọng khu vực, cuối tuần đi chơi xa với gia đình, hoặc đi du lịch đến một nơi mà gia đình bạn đã lên kế hoạch từ nhiều tháng trước. Thỉnh thoảng, thậm chí tôi còn đi chơi riêng với từng đứa con trong một chuyến đi đặc biệt của "cha và con gái" hoặc "cha và con trai".

For great ideas on places to go and things to do, read books like 1,000 Places to See Before You Die or 100 Best Vacations to Enrich Your Life. Not only will you get specific ideas for wonderful trips, but these books will also cause you to think of other exciting possibilities for you and your family.

Để có thêm ý tưởng về điểm đến và làm gì, hãy đọc những quyển sách như 1,000 Places to See Before You Die (1.000 nơi cần đến trước khi chết) hoặc 100 Best Vacations to Enrich Your Life (100 kỳ nghỉ tuyệt vời nhất làm giàu cuộc sống của bạn). Không chỉ gợi ý cho bạn về những chuyến đi hấp dẫn mà những quyển sách này còn giúp bạn nghĩ ra nhiều hoạt động thú vị khác cho bạn và gia đình.

Vacations don’t have to be expensive, either. Camping is a great way to get away, and is relatively inexpensive. It’s also fun, and much easier, to plan activities in your community, or even at home. You can have just as much fun playing cards or a board game at home, or visiting

local attractions in the area.

Đi nghỉ cũng không nhất thiết phải tốn kém. Cắm trại cũng là một cách, và tương đối rẻ nữa. Cũng vui, và dễ thực hiện rất nhiều để lên kế hoạch cho những hoạt động trong vùng, hoặc thậm chí tại nhà. Bạn chỉ cần một bộ bài, hoặc một bộ cờ tại nhà, hoặc ghé thăm danh lam thắng cảnh trong vùng, là cũng đủ vui rồi.

4. Finally, treat each day as a gift from God.

4. Cuối cùng, hãy xem mỗi ngày bạn sống là một đặc ân từ Thượng Đế.

Ask yourself how, when you look back on your life, this day will matter. Remember that the best things in life aren’t things, and make a conscious effort to live your life in a way that meaningfully impacts the most important people in your life. In the jar that is your life, be sure to put the “big rocks” in first. When you do that, there will be plenty of room for the gravel, the sand, and the water.

Hãy tự hỏi xem bằng cách nào để ngày hôm nay trở nên ý nghĩa khi bạn nhìn lại cuộc đời mình sau này. Hãy nhớ, điều tuyệt diệu nhất trong cuộc sống không phải là vật chất, và hãy ý thức nỗ lực sống theo cách tạo ảnh hưởng tích cực đến những người quan trọng nhất trong cuộc đời bạn. Trong chiếc hũ chứa cuộc đời của bạn, hãy chắc rằng bạn đặt “những viên đá to” vào trước. Khi bạn thực hiện như vậy, sẽ có nhiều chỗ trống cho sỏi, cát và nước. 

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Đọc thêm bài Big Rocks: http://www.idich.com/2016/10/big-rocks-nhung-vien-to.html

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Big Rocks - Những Viên đá To

I was on vacation with my wife and children in Florida, and as I sat at the edge of the pool watching my children swim, I thought about what a blessing it was to be enjoying our wonderful time together. As I reflected on the importance of “family time,” I was reminded of Dr. Stephen Covey’s story about “big rocks.” Here’s the story, which Covey tells in his book, First Things First:

Trong lúc đi nghỉ mát với vợ con ở Florida, khi ngồi bên mép hồ bơi trông chừng bọn trẻ bơi lội dưới nước, tôi nghĩ thật may mắn làm sao khi cả nhà được tận hưởng thời gian tuyệt vời bên nhau. Đang nghĩ ngợi về tầm quan trọng của “thời gian dành cho gia đinh”, tôi chợt nhớ đến câu chuyện về “những viên đá lớn” của Tiến sĩ Stephen Covey. Và đây là câu chuyện của Covey đã kể trong quyển sách First Things First (Tư Duy Tối Ưu) của ông:

In the middle of a seminar on time management, a lecturer decided to quiz the audience. Reaching under the table, he pulled out a wide-mouthed gallon jar and sat it on the table next to a platter covered with fist-sized rocks. “How many of these rocks do you think we can get in this jar?” he asked.

Giữa một hội thảo về quản lý thời gian, giảng viên quyết định đố khán giả. Từ dưới gầm bàn, ông lấy ra một hũ lớn miệng rộng và đặt nó trên bàn cạnh một đĩa chứa đầy những viên đá cỡ bằng nắm tay. Ông hỏi: “Các em nghĩ cái hũ này chứa được bao nhiêu viên đá như thế này?

After the students made their guesses, the seminar leader said, “Okay, let’s find out.” He put one rock in the jar, then another, then another - until no more rocks would fit. Then he asked, “Is the jar full?”

Sau khi sinh viên đoán, giảng viên đáp, “Được rồi, giờ hãy xem câu trả lời nhé”. Ông đặt một viên đá vào hũ, rồi thêm một viên nữa, rồi một viên nữa - đến khi không thể đặt thêm vào được nữa. Sau đó ông hỏi, “Cái hũ đã đầy chưa?”

Everyone could see that not one more of the rocks would fit, so they said, “Yes.” “Not so fast,” the teacher cautioned. From under the table he lifted out a bucket of gravel, dumped it into the

jar, and shook it. The gravel slid into all the little spaces left by the big rocks. Grinning, he asked once more, “Is the jar full?”

Mọi người đều có thể thấy chẳng thể đặt thêm một viên đá nào vào nữa nên họ nói, “Đầy rồi.” “Không nhanh vậy đâu.” giáo viên nhắc. Từ dưới gầm bàn ông lấy ra một xô sỏi, đổ nó vào hũ và lắc. Những viên sỏi trượt len lỏi vào những chỗ trống mà những viên đá chừa lại. Hé nụ cười tươi, ông hỏi một lại, “Cái hũ đã đầy chưa?”

A little wiser by now, the students responded, “Probably not.” “Good,” the teacher said. Then he reached under the table to bring up a bucket of sand. He started dumping sand in the jar. While the students watched, the sand filled the little spaces left by the rocks and gravel. Once more he looked at the class and asked, “Now is the jar full?”

Bây giờ thì đã sáng suốt hơn một chút, các sinh viên đáp trả, “Có lẽ là chưa.” “Tốt,” giảng viên nói. Rồi ông lại thò tay xuống bàn để lấy ra một xô cát. Ông bắt đầu đổ cát vào hũ. Trong lúc các sinh viên chứng kiến, những hạt cát lấp đầy các khoảng trống nhỏ mà đá và sỏi để lại. Lại một lần nữa ông nhìn cả lớp và hỏi, “Bây giờ thì lọ đã đầy chưa?”

“No!” everyone shouted back. “Good!” said the seminar leader, who then grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in the jar. He got something like a quart of water into that jar before he said, “Ladies and gentlemen, the jar is now full. Can anybody tell me the lesson you can learn from this?”

“Chưa!” mọi người đồng thành. “Tốt lắm!” giảng viên nói,rồi ông lấy một bình nước và bắt đầu đổ vào trong hũ. Ông đổ được khoảng 1 lít nước vào hũ, sau đó ông tuyên bố, “Thưa quý vị, cái hũ giờ đã đầy. Ai có thể nói cho tôi biết bài học rút ra là gì từ việc này không?

An eager participant spoke up: “Well there are gaps in your schedule. And if you really work at it, you can always fit more into your life.” “No,” the leader said. “That’s not the point. The point is this: if I hadn’t put those big rocks in first, I would have never gotten them in.”

Một sinh viên hăng hái phát biểu: “Trong lịch làm việc của ta luôn có những chỗ trống. Nếu thật sự nỗ lực, ta luôn có thể làm được nhiều thứ hơn trong cuộc sống.” “Không,” giảng viên nói,“Đó không phải là điểm mấu chốt. Điểm mấu chốt ở đây là: nếu không đặt những viên đá lớn vào trước, tôi sẽ chẳng bao giờ bỏ đá vào lọ được.”

The lines have blurred

Làn ranh giới bị xóa mờ

Continuing with Dr. Covey’s metaphor, we all have big rocks, gravel, sand, and water in our lives. The natural tendency seems to favor the gravel, sand, and water, leaving little space for the big rocks. In an effort to respond to the “urgent,” the “important” is often set aside.

Tiếp tục với ẩn dụ của Tiến Sĩ Covey, chúng ta đều có những viên đá to, những viên sỏi, cát và nước trong cuộc sống của mình. Theo xu hướng tự nhiên có vẻ ta sẽ ưu tiên bỏ những viên sỏi, cát và nước vào trước, chừa lại một khoảng trống nhỏ cho những viên đá to. Lo xử lý những việc "khẩn cấp" trước mắt nên ta thường gạt những việc "quan trọng" sang một bên.

To be sure, creating a balanced life is more challenging than ever before in human history. There are more demands than ever on our time, and the line between work and personal life has faded. Part of the difficulty can be attributed to the way we use technology. Devices such as cell phones and laptops definitely give us more flexibility. You are now able to leave the office a little earlier

to attend your child’s sporting event, because you can chat with a client on your cell phone en route to the game.

Chắc chắn rằng việc tạo ra một cuộc sống cân bằng mang nhiều thử thách hơn bao giờ hết trong lịch sử nhân loại. Chưa bao giờ con người lại bận rộn đến thế, và ranh giới giữa công việc và cuộc sống cá nhân đã bị phai mờ.  Góp phần vào khó khăn là cách chúng ta sử dụng công nghệ. Những thiết bị như điện thoại di động và máy tính xách tay chắc chắn sẽ mang lại cho ta nhiều sự linh động hơn. Giờ đây bạn có thể rời khỏi văn phòng sớm hơn một chút để đến xem trận thi đấu thể thao của con mình, vì bạn vẫn có thể nói chuyện với khách hàng qua điện thoạidi động trên đường đến nơi thi đấu.

But technology has also tethered us to our work. How many times have you seen a mother working on her laptop at your son’s basketball game, or a dad talking on his cell phone while dining with his family at a local restaurant? How many times have you done something like this?

Technology is not the only culprit, however. For many people, work has become "big rocks", leaving little room for other areas of their lives —their families, friends, health, and happiness.

Nhưng công nghệ cũng trói buộc chúng ta với công việc. Đã bao nhiêu lần bạn bắt gặp một bà mẹ làm việc cặm cụi trên chiếc máy tính trong lúc trận thi đấu bóng rổ của con mình đang diễn ra, hoặc một ông bố vừa nói chuyện trên điện thoại trong lúc đang dùng bữa tối với gia đình trong nhà hàng? Đã bao nhiêu lần bạn hành động như vậy rồi? Tuy vậy, công nghệ không phải là thủ phạm duy nhất. Với nhiều người, công việc đã trở thành “viên đá lớn”, chừa lại khoảng trống nhỏ nhoi cho những khía cạnh khác trong cuộc sống - gia đình, bạn bè, sức khỏe, và hạnh phúc.

This is occurring for a couple of reasons:

Điều này xảy ra vì một số nguyên nhân sau:

• With smaller staffs expected to do the same amount of work, people find themselves working crazy hours simply to keep their heads above water and keep their jobs. Because the traditional 9 to 5 day is a thing of the past, people are having a harder time putting limits on how much they work.

•  Nguồn nhân lực bị cắt giảm nhưng khối lượng công việc không đổi, người ta phải làm việc điên cuồng hàng giờ để theo kịp tiến độ và giữ được việc làm. Thời gian làm việc 8 tiếng một ngày đã là dĩ vãng, con người giờ đây khó mà đặt ra giới hạn cho công việc.

• Work provides the satisfaction of meeting challenges and goals. The structure of work, its clear feedback system, and the ability to “accomplish” often seems lacking at home. For example, if you close a big sale at work, chances are you’ll be lauded, will earn additional money, and may even receive a promotion. Spending an afternoon at the beach with your family, by comparison, might not bring the same recognition. The “accomplishment” is not so obvious, and the rewards are not as evident and concrete.

•  Công việc mang đến cảm giác thỏa mãn khi chinh phục những thử thách và mục tiêu. Cấu trúc của công việc, hệ thống phản hồi rõ ràng, và khả năng “đạt được thành quả” có vẻ không hiện diện trong cuộc sống gia đình. Ví dụ, khi bạn chốt được một đơn hàng lớn trong công việc, rất có thể bạn sẽ được khen ngợi, sẽ kiếm được thêm tiền, hay thậm chỉ còn có thể được thăng tiến. Đem so sánh, nếu dành thời gian cả buổi chiều ở bãi biển với gia đình, lại có thể chẳng mang lại cho bạn sự công nhận tương tự. “Thành quả đạt được” không thật sự rõ ràng, và phần thưởng bạn nhận được cũng chẳng rõ ràng và cụ thể.

• The lines have blurred, and it’s now easier than ever to work at home, and play at work. The problem is, this lack of separation, or “balance,” deteriorates the quality of life in both areas. The unfortunate result is that the issues at home are more difficult to resolve, and you potentially trade work success for quality of life with the most important people in your life.

•  Làn ranh giới bị xóa nhòa, giờ đây ta có thể làm việc ở nhà và giải trí ở công ty dễ dàng hơn bao giờ hết. Vấn đề là sự thiếu rạch ròi, hoặc “thiếu cân bằng”, làm suy giảm chất lượng cuộc sống gia đình lẫn công việc. Hệ quả không may là những vấn đề trong gia đình trở nên khó khăn để giải quyết hơn, và bạn dễ đánh đổi chất lượng cuộc sống với bên cạnh những người quan trọng trong cuộc đời để có được thành công trong công việc.

Someone once observed, “No one on their deathbed wishes they had more time in the office.” Unfortunately, it often takes a deathbed (or similar) experience for this realization to set in.

Một người từng nhận định, “Không một ai trong giờ phút hấp hối lại ước mình có nhiều thời gian để làm việc hơn.” Đáng tiếc là chỉ đến khi hấp hối (hoặc tương tự như thế) người ta mới nhận ra điều đó.

Achieving balance

Đạt được sự cân bằng

Achieving balance requires true effort and commitment. At first you’ll have to consciously schedule time for yourself, your family, and friends. You may have to fight the urge to do something “more important.” For some, “personal time” can seem frivolous. But in reality, spending time with the people you love is the best way to leave your imprint on them—and on the world.

Để đạt sự cân bằng cần thật sự nỗ lực và quyết tâm. Lúc đầu, bạn phải ý thức sắp xếp thời gian cho bản thân, gia đình và bạn bè. Bạn có thể phải chống lại sự thôi thúc làm những việc “quan trọng hơn.” Với một số người, “thời gian cá nhân” có vẻ phù phiếm. Nhưng trên thực tế, dành thời gian với những người bạn yêu thương là cách tốt nhất để lại dấu ấn trong lòng họ - và cả trên thế giới này.

There’s no better way to leave the world a better place than to transfer your values and integrity to your children, friends, co-workers, and other people who are important to you. In the grand scheme of things, this is infinitely more important than anything you could possibly do at work.

Chẳng có cách nào tốt hơn để làm cho thế giới trở nên tốt đẹp hơn là đem giá trị  và sự chính trực của bạn cho con cái, bạn bè, đồng nghiệp, và cả những người quan trọng khác của bạn. Sau khi cân nhắc mọi thứ, việc này rõ ràng quan trọng hơn bất kỳ trách nhiệm nào của bạn ở công ty.

And while you may not receive immediate accolades, when all is said and done your life will be much more satisfying if you cultivate meaningful relationships with those around you.

Mặc dù bạn có thể chẳng nhận được lời tuyên dương gì ngay lập tức, nhưng sau cùng thì cuộc đời của bạn sẽ được thỏa mãn hơn rất nhiểu nếu bạn vung đắp những mối quan hệ ý nghĩa xung quanh mình.

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First Battle Mini-Story [Effortless English DVD1 > LV3 > 04]

The short story in the Mini-Story of the First Battle lesson
Welcome  to the mini story for First Battle. This is AJ. Let’s get started. 

Lassiter is a meticulous person. He loves accounting, he loves money. He gets giddy about counting pennies. Lassiter works with a guy named Gonna. Gonna hates accounting. He thinks it’s drudgery. Gonna is an outlandish guy who loves to party and drink and laugh. Both Lassiter and Gonna work at the same job. They are accountants. One day, Lassiter argued with Gonna.  Lassiter says“ Life doesn’t revolve around parties, Gonna. You need to be more careful with your work”.
Gonna laughs and says, “ you are so boring. Life should be jubilant and fun always”. Then Gonna takes a beer out of his desk and throughs it to Lassiter, “Drink this” - he says, “ then, you’ll have more fun at work”. Lassiter drinks the beer and he feels much happier. Works seem much more fun now. Lassiter says, “we are friends now. We have good camaraderie. Thanks, Gonna. I am going to drink every day at work and enjoy life for its own sake”. Gonna and Lassiter eventually become full-fledged alcoholics. But they enjoy their jobs.

(tên nhân vật có thể bị sai)

Typed by Đồng Lâm and corrected by MT

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Vocabularies and grammar:

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Emotionally Intelligent Husbands Mini-Story [Effortless English DVD1 > LV3 > 03]

The short story in the Mini-Story of the Emotionally Intelligent Husbands lesson

Bob is a newlywed. He and his wife Cathy have been married only two months. Unfortunately, Bob is an authoritarian husband. Every day he tells Cathy “Cook my food. Clean this house. Serve me woman!”.  Bob feels he is entitled to be served like a King by his wife. 

Cathy is very sweet. She is a very sensitive person and she emotes strongly. She always shows her true feelings. Cathy had a strict upbringing. Her mom told her to always obey her husband. Since she has strong moral fiber, Cathy tries to do what her mom taught. But every day she becomes more sad because of Bob. Finally, she is had enough. She yells at Bob with righteous indignation “Shut up, you pig! I wanna divorce. Bob is so shocked. Huhhh! He has a heart attack and dies. Ưaaah! But after he is dead nobody mourns. Cathy takes his life insurance money and now is very happy. The end!

Typed by Đồng Lâm and corrected by MT

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Vocabularies and grammar:

- authoritarian husband: ông chồng vũ phu

- entitle: có quyền

- moral fiber: nhân từ/bản chất tốt/có đạo đức

- "more sad" or "sadder"??

         + Explained by MuttQuad:

The basic progression is sad, sadder, saddest; but some people will say "more sad" and "most sad"; and they are acceptable. The construction is also used with some other adjectives such as hot or cold.

- righteous indignation: tức giận đúng lẽ (feeling very angry and correct; angry because you think you are right)
- you pig: đồ con heo/lợn
- heart attack: đau tim
- life insurance money: tiền bảo hiểm nhân thọ

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Disobedience - Mini-Story [Effortless English DVD1 > LV3 > 02]

The story in the Disobedience Mini story audio file

Once, there was a guy named Luke. Luke was a rebel. The authorities vilified him and said he was an abominable person, but Luke was really an admirable man. He had a good conscience. He always fought  for what was good and just. He refused to obey unjust laws. So, the authorities condemned Luke. And they sent Darth Cheney to kill him. 

Darth Cheney was an unscrupulous man. He tried to kill Luke. He tried to shoot him. He tried to poison him. He tried to stab him. But he always fails. finally, in the end, they fought each other. Luke won and killed Darth Cheney.

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Once = ngày xưa
Obey = tuân thủ
Poison = đầu độc
Stab = đâm (bằng dao)

Typed by Đồng Lâm, corrected by MT, the name "Darth Cheney" is suggested by An Trần

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Cafe Puccini - Mini-Story [Effortless English DVD1 > LV3 > 01]

The short story in the Mini-Story of the Cafe Puccini lesson

Okay, effortless English members. Welcome to the mini story for the article Cafe Puccini. All right, let’s get started. 

Mike is a writer. But he's not a normal writer, he is a very controversial writer. Liberal people love him, conservative people hate him. Mike is famous in the American literary scene. He helped to make history by challenging Steven King to a competition. He said to King "I am the best writer in America. I challenge you to a competition to prove who best writer really is". Steven King accepted. 

They decided to hold the competition in New York City. Both writers sat at the table with the pen, some paper, and a clock. They had only 10 minutes to write. Stephen King wrote calmly and slowly. he seemed very confident. 

Mike was very animated. He shook his head, he moved his feet, he smiled, he frowned, he cried and he laughed, as he wrote. After 10 minutes, they finished. 

A group of writers read their papers. They decided that both papers were so good. They could not pick a winner. Everybody else was shocked.  

Though there was not a clear winner. This competition started a new movement called "fast writing". Suddenly, everywhere in America, writers try to write quickly. Many writers try to copy Mike and Steven King‘s  fast writing style.  But unfortunately, most of them were terrible. No one could beat  Stephen King and Mike.

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Typed by Đồng Lầm & edited by MT

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Lost Custody Vocabulary [Effortless English DVD1 > LV2 > 05]

Welcome to the vocabulary lesson for the dear Abby letter,  “Lost Custody”. Let's get started.

“Young mother is frightened  by threat of lost custody.”

“To be frightened”, it means to be scared.  So “frightened” is the same as “scared”. He said, “I’m frightened”, it means “I'm scared” or it means “I'm afraid”.  Afraid; frightened; scared, all means the same thing.

And the word “custody” is important. “Custody” means "ownership". It means to own a person. It really means you are the person responsible for someone else. Usually we use this with children. For example, if I say, “I have custody of my son”, it means… mm.. I am the person responsible for my son.

 The government, the courts, the law says that I am the owner of my son. Right! I have custody that my son lives with me. So, that's what it means this woman, she's worried that her child; her son… she will lose custody. It means she thinks her… If they get it…  If she gets a divorce, her husband will get custody. Meaning the son will live with him. He will have custody.

Right. He will kind of own the child. The child will live with him.So, she's worried that if she gets a divorce the husband would get custody. She would lose her son.

And then “threat” in the same sentence, “she's frightened by the threat of lost custody.”

So this has not happened yet. "A threat”  is something that seems dangerous. It means ahmm… something that might hurt you but it hasn't hurt you yet. Not yet. But it might hurt you.

For example if I have a gun and I point the gun at you; I have the gun and I'm… I'm saying… yelling at you, saying, “I'm going to kill you!” that is a threat. All right. I have not hurt you yet. I have not killed you yet. But I'm saying I will. So it's a possible danger. It means someone could possibly hurt you. So, her husband could possibly take the child. It’s a threat of lost custody.

Alright and then... In the first paragraph at this letter, we have the word "belittles". "To be little". Ahh.. She says her husband always belittles me. Always belittles her. So "to belittle" means to insult and criticize. But, in a... in a really bad way you try to make someone feel small. (That's where the word come from belittle).

It means you... You always putting them down. Always saying bad things to them. So, for example, you're stupid, you're ugly, you'll never succeed, you're always going to fail. There's something wrong with you.

OKay. I'm belittling you. Alright, I am saying bad things to you. To make you feel very small, make you feel weak. So it's a verb "to belittle", to make someone feel small by insulting them again and again.

On the end in the second paragraph, we have the word "unfit". She says... the man... the husband might tell the judge, might tell the government that she is an unfit mother. "Unfit" means... not good enough, not good enough to be something. So, "unfit mother" means a mother whose not good enough to be a mom. Alright. She should not be a mother, she cannot take care of her children. She's unfit. She's not good enough. She can't do the job.

If you say, "He's an unfit teacher", it means he's not good enough to teach, he should not teach. And it's a very strong word. So, It doesn't mean bad. It's stronger than bad. If you say he is a bad teacher, it means... you know, maybe he's boring or maybe he's not very good, but it doesn't, "unfit" is more than that.

"Unfit" means terrible, terrible, terrible, should not be a teacher at all. Alright, does not have the skills. Maybe he never went to college, maybe he doesn't know the subject at all. That's why we would say he is unfit.So, "unfit mother", it's not just a bad mother. It's a mother who cannot take care of her child at all.

 Alright! And then in the next paragraph, we have the phrase "to be better off".

She says, "I know my son won't be better off with my husband." Won't be better off. "To be better off" to mean.. means to have a better situation or to have a better life.  Alright, it can also have the idea to have an improved their life. Improved.

So, she said, uhm... she doesn't think her son would have a better life with her husband. She thinks he would not be better off with the husband. Not have a better life.

And in the same paragraph, we see the phrase "on disability".

"On disability". Now "disability" means... ahh... Exactly what it says

 "ability" means you can do something, right? Some skill or something you can do. "Disability" means something you cannot do. Usually we use this word for something physical.

For example, if I'm in a wheelchair, it means I cannot walk, right? I don't have the ability to walk. I have a disability. I can't walk. I have a disability. Or If I'm blind, I can't see, then I say I have a disability. But this phrase, "to be on disability", it's a little different. Now she's talking about a government program. Disability, the american government pays money to people who have problems, physical problems. Maybe they can't work.

So the government will give them money every month. And that program, the government program is called "Disability". that's a kind of casual name for it.

So, "to be on disability" means you get a check from the government because you have some kind of problem. Now it might be a big problem, very serious, or it might actually be something fairly small. We don't now, in this letter we don't know if it's serious or not. But anyway she's getting a check from the government because of some physical problem or illness or something like that.

And finally, in the last little paragraph, she asked Abby, "Should I stick it out with my husband?"

"Should I stick it out". "To stick it out" means to stay, it means to continue doing something. For example, I'm going to stick it out at my job, that means I'm going to continue working my job.

Now "stick it out", we use it in situations that are... a difficult or unpleasant, not fine. Alright. So if you stick out a job, you say, "I'm going to stick it out at my job", it has the idea that your job is not fun. Alright, you don't like your job, but you will continue doing it anyway.

So, she doesn't really like her husband, but she's asking, "should I stick it out with my husband" meaning... okay, she doesn't enjoy your husband, she doesn't like him, but maybe she should keep trying anyway.  Maybe she should stay with him and continue with him anyway.

So, "stick it out", to continue with a situation that is not easy or that is unpleasant.

And finally she signs this, "Trapped in New Hampshire."

"New hampshire" is a state, it's a part of the United States, in the northeast, part of the country.

"To be trapped" means you can't leave. Alright! It means you're stucked. You are... For example, if I say "I'm trapped in my room", it means my door is locked and I cannot get out, I cannot leave my room, I'm trapped in the room.

"To be trapped in a job" means you are... you a're in a job but you can't leave the job. Maybe you can't find a new one. So you... But you need money so you can't leave the job, you're trapped in the job.

She feels trapped in her marriage. She doesn't like her husband. He's not a good guy, but she feels she can't leave, because she's afraid to lose her son.

So, she feels like she can't leave the marriage. So that's why she signs it "trapped in New Hampshire".

 Alright! That is all of the vocabulary for this little Dear Aabby letter.  Move on to the mini story next. 

Bye-bye!

This vocabulary is typed by MT.Dang. Please do not use it in business. Nội dung bài Vocabulary được gõ lại bởi MT Dang. Vui lòng không sử dụng lại với mục đích kinh doanh - mua bán.Thank you!

    

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Disobedience Vocabulary [Effortless English DVD1 > LV3 > 02]

Hello and welcome to the Effortless English vocabulary for Disobedience.

Ok, I’m goanna talk about the word “just”. “Just” is an important word. It’s a different meaning than the word “just” when you say, “I just want to go to sleep.” In that case,”just” means “only”, right? I only want to go to sleep. But in this case, in this article, “just” means good or fair. It comes from the word “justice”. Ok, so it means goodness, or to be good, fair, correct. That’s what just means.

All right! Little bit later, I use in that same, the first paragraph, Thoreau, in the Thoreau quote, I use the word “admirable”, or he uses the  word “admirable”.

“Admirable” means should be admired. And “admire” means to think good things about someone, to think someone is good. So if someone is admirable, it means you should think they’re good: “Wow, he’s a good person!”; “He is an admirable person.”

All right, I use the phrase “against their wills”, or “against your will” or “against his will”.

“Against your will” means against your choice. It means you do something but you don’t want to do it. Maybe you must do it, but it’s against your will. You don’t really want to.

All right, these… There’s a word here: conscience.

“Conscience” in this case with a “c”, “s-c-i-e-n-c-e”.Your “conscience” is your feeling for right and wrong. What is right and what is wrong. It’s how you decide. You think, “Oh, no, this is bad. This is good.” That’s your conscience. You say, “He has a strong conscience.” It means he always thinks about what is right and what is wrong. He never wants to hurt people. That’s “conscience”.

All right, in of that first paragraph, you’ll see the word “unscrupulous”. An unscrupulous man in power.

“Unscrupulous”, we use it to describe people usually, maybe a company. And “unscrupulous” means you don’t care about right or wrong. It means you do not have a conscience. You only care about power. That’s all you care about. “Unscrupulous”.

All right, the next paragraph, you’ll see the phrase “the State”. “The” is important here.”The State” means the Country or the Nation.

All right, in the next sentence, you’ll see the phrase “standing army”.

“A standing army” is a permanent army. That means an army that’s always, always ready. So America has a standing army. It’s a professional army. It’s not temporary.

All right, you’ll see the word “manufactured” in that paragraph. “Manufactured” means made. The verb “to manufacture” means to make something.

Right! You’ll see the phrase “lump of dirt”.

“A lump of dirt” is a round piece of dirt, like a ball, ball of dirt. “A lump” is something that’s kind of round, a small round thing. We call that a lump. If I hit you on the head with a rock, your head will get a lump on top of it.

Ok, next, so that’s the end of the quote. Next paragraph, I use the word “abominable”. I see many of the abominable problems in the world. “Abominable” means terrible, horrible, really, really bad. “Abominable”.

“Obedience”, is an important word for this article. “Obedience” is a noun. The verb is “to obey”. “Obedience” means you do what other people tell you to do. All right. You follow other people. You follow your boss, or you follow your parents, or you follow the president. That’s obedience.  That’s a noun. The action is actually called “to obey”. All right, “obey”.

All right, the next sentence I use the word “moan”. “Moan” is this sound. (…urrrrrr… urrr….).It’s a sound you make when you are hurt. You are hurt. (ohrrr…ohrr..). And it also sometimes has the idea of criticizing, criticizing someone. Right. “Oh, he’s terrible. Oh, she’s horrible. She’s bad.” You’re moaning.

Ok, I use the word “solely” in that paragraph. “Solely responsible” that means only, only responsible. Right! “Solely” means only.

At the end of that paragraph, I use the word “abandoned”. “These people have abandoned their conscience”. “To abandon something” means to leave it, leave it forever, or to get rid of it. If a mom, a mother abandons her children, she takes her children; she puts them somewhere, and she goes away; she never sees her children again. She has abandoned her children.

All aright, next page of the learning guide, you see the word “soldiers”. Of course, “the soldier” is someone in the army, an army man or army woman.

Talk about “pulling the trigger”. “A trigger” is part of a gun. It’s a part you pull.You pull the trigger that little piece of metal, and then (….), the gun shoots.

I use the word “torturing”, comes from the verb, verb: to torture.

“To torture” is to hurt someone. You try to hurt someone. But it means to hurt someone who has no power. They’re helpless, maybe a prisoner or a child or something. So you hurt them; you hit them; you beat them; you do terrible things to them, that’s called “torture”. It’s a noun or verb.

All right, and then at the end of that part - at the end of that paragraph, I use the verb “to refuse”, “to refuse an order”. To refuse something means to say no. someone asks you to do something or tells you to do something, but you say no, “I won’t do it.” That means you are refusing. Right, I refuse, I will not do it. So refuse is a little bit like a word in the next paragraph, which is “disobey”. “Disobey”, it has a similar meaning, a close meaning. It means, “disobey” means not obey. Do not do what someone tells you to do. You do not follow orders.

And you see the word “unjust”. “Unjust” is the opposite of just. So, “unjust” means bad. “An unjust law” is a bad law. It’s a law that hurts people. So, Thoreau, and Gandhi and Martin Luther King, they all said “disobey unjust laws. Do not follow bad laws.”

Ok, and these people (are)… were rebels. You see in the same paragraph the word “rebels”. “A rebel” is a person who fights the government. They go against the government. Martin Luther King was a rebel. Gandhi was a rebel. Many famous people were rebels. They fought against the government at some time.

All right, at the end of the same paragraph, you see the phrase, “the Vietnam War resisters”.

“A resister” is a person who resists. Of… of course. (hah hah). And “to resist”, the verbs, means… It’s a little like “refuse”, but it has the idea of going against something, fighting against something or trying to stop something. So Vietnam War resister is a person who tried to stop the Vietnam War. An Iraq war resister is someone who’s trying to stop the Iraq war.

Next paragraph, I say that “these people, Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Thoreau, they were always condemned in the present”, means during their life, people condemn them. “To condemn” means to criticize, to say very bad things about someone, to blame them, to say they are wrong. Right! So, when Gandhi was alive, the British, many British people especially the government, they said “He’s bad. Gandhi is terrible.” The same thing, Martin Luther King. Many people in the 1950s, they said “Martin Luther King is a bad guy. He’s terrible.”

All right, and I say they’re vilified. These people are vilified.

To "vilify someone” is to describe them as being evil. You say they’re evil, terrible people. That’s “vilify”. So Martin Luther King was vilified during his life. Gandhi was vilified by some people, Thoreau also.

All right! But I say “During the 1950s, Martin Luther King was vilified as a radical.”

A "radical” is someone who wants very big changes. They want to change a lot of things, especially the government. Now it has a little bit of negative meaning. It has the idea of someone might be violent. Of course Martin Luther King was not violent. So, you know, was he a radical? I don’t know. He did want big changes, but he was not violent. So “a radical”: someone who wants big changes.

All right. And then I say, next paragraph, “The authorities he resisted are now viewed as scum.”

“The authorities”, you need “the (/ði/)” or “the (/ðə/)” in front. Those two together, means, usually it means the government, it means people with power. The authorities.

And scum is an insult. It’s a bad word. Don’t call someone a scum unless you hate them. A scum is a low class person, a really bad person, maybe a criminal, maybe someone with no education, is very terrible, bad person. “Scum”.

Alright! And finally the word “lifetime” means, of course, the time that someone lived. Martin Luther King’s lifetime, he lived in the 40s, 50s, and 60s. Gandhi lived in, (you know), late 1800s, 1900s through World War II, etc. Thoreau lived in, you know, 1840s and 1850s, etc.

Ok, that’s it for today’s vocabulary. I went fast today. So if you don’t understand the first time, listen again. That’s the magic of Mp3s. you can listen many many times, repeat this many times. The repetition, the repeating will help you a lot. It’s… It’s easier than trying to memorize and study so hard. Alright! Just relax and listen again. No problem. If you don’t remember, so what? Listen again. It’s really easy.

Ok, after you finish this a few times, listen to the mini-stories, that might also help you. Ok see you next time. Bye bye.

  

This vocabulary is typed by MT.Dang. Please do not use it in business. Nội dung bài Vocabulary được gõ lại bởi MT Dang. Vui lòng không sử dụng lại với mục đích kinh doanh - mua bán.Thank you!

    

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