HUE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

TRANSLATION

1-2

NGUYEN VAN TUAN

HUE 2006

INTRODUCTION
An increasing number of universities in Vietnam have added courses in translation to their curricula;
however, the textbooks available for such courses are few. This unit has been written with these courses in
mind. The unit is designed to provide the learners with some basic principles of translation which will be
generally useful to translation courses in universities and colleges, to help the learners avoid some errors they
may encounter when they translate a text, to provide the learners with essential English sentence patterns that
could be very useful for the learners in learning and practicing translating and to provide the learners 20
assignments related to the theory they have learned.
The desire of the author is to make available the principles of translation which have learned through
personal experience in translation and teaching translation, and through interaction with colleagues involved
in translation projects in many universities in Central Vietnam. Since it is assumed that the students will be
speakers of Vietnamese language, many of these exercises involve translating from or into their mother
tongue. The material is presented in a way that it can be used in a self-teaching situation or in a classroom.
An attempt has been made to keep technical terms to a minimum. When technical vocabulary is used, every
effort is made to clarify the meaning of such vocabulary or to provide its meaning in Vietnamese. This has
been done so that the unit can be used by any student translator, even though his exposure to linguistic and
translation theory has been minimal.
This is an introductory unit. The lessons give an overview presenting the fundamental principles of
translation and the rest of the unit illustrates these principles. The overriding principle is that translation is
meaning-based rather than form-based. Once the learner has identified the meaning of the source text, his
goal is to express that same meaning in the receptor/target language. Many examples of cross-language
equivalence are used to illustrate this principle.
Since the coursebook has been written for the students to learn either by themselves in their distant
learning course or in class with a teacher, there will be a coursebook and 20 assignments.
By the end of the course, the students will be able to:

Obtain general knowledge of the principles of translation.

Get familiar with and effectively use the english sentence patterns in their translations.

On the completion of this coursebook, I would like to express my deep gratitude to Dr. Ton Nu Nhu
Huong for her encouragement. I would also like to be grateful to Dr. Tran Van Phuoc and other colleagues
of the College of Foreign Languages and the English Department for their kind help.
Errors are unavoidable in this coursebook. Therefore, I appreciate and welcome anycri-ticism on the
course book.
Hue, June 24th, 2001
Nguyen Van Tuan

CHAPTER I

THEORY OF
TRANSLATION

LESSON 1

FORM AND MEANING

1.1. What is translation?
1.1.1. Translation is the expression in another language (target language) of what has been expressed in
one language (source language), preserving semantic and stylistic equivalencies. (By Roger T.
Bell).
1.1.2. Translation is the replacement of a representation of a text in one language by a representation of
an equivalent text in a second language. (By Roger T. Bell).
The author continues and makes the problems of equivalence very plain:

Texts in different languages can be equivalent in different degrees (fully or partially different), in respect
of different levels of presentation (in respect of context, of semantics, of grammar, of lexis, etc.) and at
different ranks (word-for-word, phrase-for-phrase, sentence-for-sentence).
However, languages are different from each other; they are different in form having different codes and
rules regulating the construction of grammatical stretches of language and these forms have different
meanings. To shift from one language to another is, by definition, to change the forms. Also, the contrasting
forms convey meanings which cannot but fail to coincide totally; there is no absolute synonym between
words in the same language, why should anyone be surprised to discover a lack synonym between
languages. Something is always lost (or might one suggest gain?) in the process and translators can find
themselves being accused of reproducing only part of the original and so betraying the authors intentions.
Hence the traitorous nature ascribed to the translator by the notorious Italian proverb: Traduttore traditore.
Faced by a text in a language, we are able to work out not only the meaning of each word and
sentence but also its communicative value, its place in time and space and information about the participants
involved in its production and reception. We might take, as a light-hearted model of the questions we can ask
of the text, the first verse of a short poem by Kipling.

I keep six honest serving men; (They taught me all I knew); 1976+
Their names were What? And Why? And When? And How? And Where? And Who?
What? is the message contained in the text; the content of the signal.
Why? orients us towards the intention of the sender, the purpose for which the text was is used.
(Informing, persuading, flattering, etc.)
When? is concerned with the time of communication realized in the text and setting in its historical
context; contemporary or set in the recent or remote past or future.
Where? is concerned with the place of communication, the physical location of the speech event
realized in the text.
How? refers to whether the text is written in a formal or informal way.
Who? refers to the participants involved in the communication; the sender and receiver.
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1.1.3. Translation is rendering a written text into another language in a way that the author intended the
text. (By Bui Tien Bao - Hanoi National University)
Translators are concerned with written texts. They render written texts from one language into another

language. Translators are required to translate texts which arrange from simple items including birth
certificates or driving licences to more complex written materials such as articles in journals of various
kinds, business contracts and legal documents. (Bui Tien Bao - Hanoi National University).
1.1.4. Translation, by dictionary definition, consists of changing from one state or form to another, to
turn into ones own or anothers language. (The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 1974). Translation
is basically a change of form. When we speak of the form of a language, we are referring to the
actual words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, etc. The forms are referred to as the surface
structure of a language. It is the structural part of language which is actually seen in print or heard
in speech. In translation the form of the source language is replaced by the form of the
receptor/target language. But how is this change accomplished? What determines the choices of
form in the translation?
The purpose of this lesson is to show that translation consists of transferring the meaning of the source
language into the receptor language. This is done by going from the form of the first language to the form of
the second language by a way of semantic structure. It is meaning that is being transferred and must be held
constant. Only the form changes. The form from which the translation is made will be called the source
language and the form into which it is to be changed will be called the receptor language. Translation, then,
consists of studying the lexicon, grammatical structure, communication situation, and cultural context of the
source language text, analyzing it in order to determine its meaning, and then reconstructing this same
meaning using the lexicon, grammatical structure which are appropriate in the receptor language and its
cultural context.
Let us look at an example. Assume that we are translating the Vietnamese sentence Cm n bn
gip ti tn tnh. into English. This Vietnamese sentence has the verb gip tn tnh, but to convey
the same meaning in English one would use a noun phrase: your kind help. To do effective translation one
must discover the meaning of the source language and use the receptor language forms which express the
meaning in a natural way.
It is the purpose of this unit to familiarize the learners with the basic linguistic and sociolinguistic factors
involved in translating a text from a source language into a receptor language, and to give them enough
practice in the translation process for the development of skills in cross-language transfer.

1.2. Characteristics of language which affect translation

There are certain characteristics of languages which have a very direct bearing on principles of
translation. First, let us look at the characteristics of meaning components. Meaning components are
packaged into lexical items, but they are packaged differently in some language than in another. In most
languages there is a meaning of plurality, for example the English -s. This often occurs in the grammar as a
suffix on the nouns or verbs or both. In Vietnamese, however, plurality is expressed in an isolated word
nhng/cc. Many times a single word in the source language will need to be translated by several words.
For example, a projector was called the thing that shows pictures on the wall by the Chipara Bolivia.
4

Second, it is characteristic of languages that the same meaning component will occur in several surface
structure lexical items. In English, the word sheep occurs. However, the words lamb, ram and ewe
also include the meaning sheep. They include the addition meaning components of young (in lamb,
adult and male in ram and adult and female in ewe. In Peru, lamb would need to be translated by
sheep its child, ram by sheep big and ewe by sheep its woman.
Third, it is further characteristic of language that one form will be used to represent several alternative
meanings. This again is obvious from looking in any good dictionary. For example, the Readers Digest
Great Encyclopedic Dictionary gives 54 meanings for the English word run. Most words have more than
one meaning. There will be a primary meaning - the one which usually comes to mind when the word is said
in isolation and the secondary meaning - the additional meanings, which a word has in context with other
words. In English, we can say the boy runs, using run in its primary meaning. We can also say the motor
runs, the river runs, and his nose runs, using runs in its secondary meanings. This principle is not limited to
lexical items for it is also true that the same grammatical pattern may express several quite different
meanings. For instance, the English possessive phrase my house may mean the house I built, the house I
rent, the house I live in, or the house for which I drew up in my plans. Only the larger context
determines the meaning. Notice the following possessive phrases and the variety of meanings:
my car

ownership

my brother

kinship

my foot

part-whole

my singing

action

my book

ownership or authorship

( the book I own, or, the book I wrote)

my village

residence

( the village where I live)

my train

use

(the train I ride on)

Just as words have primary and secondary meanings, so grammatical markers have their primary
function and often have other secondary functions. The preposition on is used in English to signal a va-riety
of meanings. Compare the following uses of on with the corresponding form used in Vietnamese.
John found the book on the floor.

John tm thy cun sch trn sn nh.

John found the book on Mathematics.

John tm thy cun sch vit v mn Ton.

John found the book on Tuesday.

John tm thy cun sch vo th Ba.

John found the book on sale.

John tm thy cun sch ang by bn.

Compare also the following uses of by

John was stopped by the policeman.
John was stopped by the bookstand.
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In the first, by is used to signal the meaning that the policeman is the agent of the action. In the second,
by is used to signal that the bookstand is the location. We have seen that one form may express many
meanings. On the other hand, another characteristic of languages is that a single meaning may be expressed
in a variety of forms. For example, the meaning the cat is black may be expressed by the following: the cat
is black, the black cat, and, the cat, which is black, depending on how that meaning relates to other
meanings. In addition, the meanings of Is this place taken?, Is there anyone sitting here? and May I sit
here? are essentially the same. Also, the meaning is essentially the same in the following English sentences:
Others blamed John because of the difficulty.
Others blamed John for the difficulty.
Others blamed the difficulty on John.
Others said John was responsible for the difficulty.
Others accused John of being responsible for the difficulty.
We have seen that even within a single language there are a great variety of ways in which form
expresses meaning. Only when a form being used in its primary meaning or function is there a one-to-one
correlation between form and meaning. The other meanings are secondary meanings or figurative meanings.
Words have these extended meanings and in the same way grammatical forms have extended usages
(secondary and figurative function). This characteristic of skewing; that is, the diversity or the lack of one-toone correlation between form and meaning is the basic reason that translation is a complicated task. If there
were no skewing, then all lexical items and all grammatical forms would have only one meaning and a literal
word-for-word and grammatical structure-for-grammatical structure translation would be possible. But the fact
is that a language is a complex set of skewed relationship between meaning (semantics) and form (lexicon
and grammar). Each language has its own distinctive forms for representing the meaning. Therefore, in
translation the same meaning may have to be expressed in another language by a very different form.
To translate the form of one language literally according to the corresponding form in another language
would often change the meaning or at least result in a form which is unnatural in the second language.
Meaning must, therefore, have priority over form in translation. It is meaning that is to be carried over from
the source language to the receptor language, not the linguistic forms. For example, to translate the English
sentence he is cold hearted i.e. His heart is cold (meaning he is unfeeling, has no emotional sympathy.)
literally into Mambila in Nigeria would be understood to mean, he is peaceful, not quick-tempered. And if
translated literally into Cinyanja in Zambia, it would mean, he is frightened. The nature of language is that
each language uses different forms and these forms have secondary and figurative meanings which add
further complications. A word-for-word translation which follows closely the form of the source language is
called a literal translation. A literal translation does not communicate the meaning of the source text. It is
generally no more than a string of words intended to help someone read a text in its original language. It is
unnatural and hard to understand, and may even be quite meaningless, or give a wrong meaning in the
receptor language. It can hardly be called a translation. The goal of a translator should be to produce a
receptor language text (a translation) which is idiomatic; that is one which has the same meaning as the
source language but is expressed in the natural form of the receptor language. The meaning, not form is
retained.
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The following is a literal translation of a story first told in the Quiche language of Guatemala:
It is said that being one man not from here, not known where the his or the he comes where. One day

the things he walks in a plantation or in them the coastlands, he saw his appearance one little necklace, or he
thought that a little necklace the very pretty thrown on the ground in the road. He took the necklace this he
threw in his mouth for its cause that coming the one person another to his behind ness, for his that not he
encounters the one the following this way in his behindness not he knows and that the necklace the he
threw in his mouth this one snake and the man this one died right now because not he knows his
appearance the snake or that the he ate this not this a necklace only probably this snake.
Now compare the above with the following less literal translation of the same story:
It is said that there once was a man not from here, and I do not know his town or where he came

from, who one day was walking in a plantation (or in the coastlands). He saw a little necklace, or rather, what
he thought was a very pretty little necklace, lying on the road. He grabbed this necklace and threw this into
his mouth because there was someone coming along behind him, and he did not want the other person to
see it. He did not know that the necklace he threw into his mouth was really a snake. The man died in short
order because he did not recognize from its appearance that it was a snake. He did not know that what he
had put in his mouth was not a necklace, but rather a snake.
In the first, each quiche word was replaced by the nearest English equivalent. The result was nonsense.
In the second translation, the natural forms of English lexicon and grammar were used to express the
meaning of the Quiche story. Below the story is again rewritten in a more idiomatic English style.
I am told that there once was a stranger from some other town who was walking in a plantation along

the coast. As he walked along he suddenly saw a very pretty little necklace lying on the road. He snatched up
this necklace and threw this into his mouth because there was another person walking behind him and he
did not want him to see the necklace. The stranger did not know that the necklace was really a snake. The
man died immediately. He died because he did not realize that it was a snake. He did not know he put a
snake into his mouth rather than a necklace.
Anything which can be said in one language can be said in another. It is possible to translate. The goal
of the translator is to keep the meaning constant. Wherever necessary, the receptor language form should be
changed in order that the source language meaning should not be distorted. Since a meaning expressed by a
particular form in one language may be expressed by quite a different form in another language, it is often
necessary to change the form when translating.

1.3. Notes
Form-based translation:

dch da vo hnh thc hay cu trc

Meaning-based translation:

dch da vo ngha, da vo ni dung cn chuyn ti

Source language:

ngn ng gc

Receptor language:

ngn ng dch

Context:

vn cnh/ng cnh
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Principle of translation:

nguyn tc dch/k thut dch

Meaning component:

thnh t ngha

Lexical:

thuc v t vng

Surface structure:

cu trc su/cu trc ng ngha

Deep structure:

cu trc b mt

Meaning/ sense:

ngha

Primary meaning:

ngha chnh/ngha gc

Secondary meaning:

ngha phi sinh

Literal translation:

dch tng t mt

One-to-one correlation:

quan h mt i mt

Figurative meaning:

ngha bng

Function:

chc nng

Idiomatic translation:

dch ng, dch st ngha

LESSON 2

KIND OF TRANSLATION
2.1. Literal versus idiomatic
Because a given text has both form and meaning, as discussed in the previous lesson, there are two
main kinds of translation. One is form-based and the other is meaning-based. Form-based translations attempt
to follow the form of the source language and are known as literal translation. Meaning-based translations
make every effort to communicate the meaning of the source language text in the natural forms of the
receptor language. Such translations are called idiomatic translations.
An interlinear translation is a completely literal translation. For some purposes, it is desirable to
reproduce the linguistic features of the source text, as for example, in a linguistic study of that language.
Although these literal translations may be very useful for purposes related to the study of the source
language, they are of little help to speakers of the receptor language who are interested in the meaning of the
source language text. A literal translation sounds like nonsense and has little communication value. For
example:
Vietnamese:

Mi bn v nh ti chi.

Literal translation:

Invite friend about house me play.

This literal translation makes little sense in English. The appropriate translation would be: Would you
like to come to my home?
If the two languages are related, the literal translation can often be understood, since the general
grammatical form may be similar. However, the literal choice of lexical items may the translation sounds
foreign. The following bilingual announcement was overheard at an airport ( Barnwell 1980:18)
Literal English: Madame Odette passenger with destination Domda is demanded on the telephone.
This English version is a literal translation of the French.
French: Madame Odette, passager destination de Domda, est demande au telefon.
An idiomatic translation into English would be: Miss Odette, passenger for Domda. You are wanted on

the phone.
Except for interlinear translation, a truly literal translation is uncommon. Most translators who tend to
translate literally actually make a partially modified literal translation. They modify the order and grammar
enough to use acceptable sentence structure in the receptor language. However, the lexical items are
translated literally. Occasionally, these are also changed to avoid complete nonsense or to improve the
communication. However, the result still does not sound natural. Notice the following example from a
language in Papua New Guinea:
Ro abombo ngusifu pamariboyandi.
I my heart fastened-her. (literal)
I fastened her in my heart.

(modified literal)
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The modified literal translation changes the order into English structure. However, the sentence still
does not communicate in clear English. An idiomatic translation would have used the form: I never forgot
her. or Ive kept her memory in my heart. A person who translates in a modified literal manner will
change the grammatical forms when the constructions are obligatory. However, if he has a choice, he will
follow the form of the source text even though a different form might be more natural in the receptor
language. Literal and modified literal translations consistently err in that they choose literal equivalents for the
words, i.e. lexical items being translated. Literal translations of words, idioms result in unclear, unnatural, and
sometimes nonsensical translations. In a modified literal translation, the translator usually adjusts the
translation enough to avoid the nonsense and wrong meanings, but the unnaturalness still remains.
Idiomatic translations use the natural forms of the receptor language, both in the grammatical
constructions and in the choice of lexical items. A truly idiomatic translation does not sound like a
translation. It sounds like it was written originally in the receptor language. Therefore, a good translator will
try to translate idiomatically. This is his goal. However, translations are often a mixture of a literal transfer of
the grammatical units along with some idiomatic translation of the meaning of the text. It is not easy to
consistently translate. A translator may express some parts of his translation in very natural forms and then in
other parts fall back into a literal form. In one translation, the source text said, Nhiu du khch nc ngoi

gii thiu cho chng ti v khch sn Hng Giang . It was translated, Many foreign tourists have
introduced us about Huong Giang Hotel. It would have been translated idiomatically, Huong Giang Hotel
has been recommended to us by a number of foreign tourists. The translators goal should be to reproduce
in a receptor language a text which communicates the same message as the source language but using the
natural grammatical and lexical choices of the receptor language. The basic overriding principle is that an
idiomatic translation reproduces the meaning of the source language in the natural form of the receptor
language.

2.2. Translating grammatical features

Parts of speech are language specific. Each language has its own division of the lexicon into classes such
as nouns, verbs, adjectives and so on. Different languages will have different classes and subclasses. It will not
always be possible to translate a source language noun with a noun in the receptor language. For example,
English has many nouns which really refer to actions while Vietnamese prefers to express actions as verbs
rather than nouns.
In one translation, the source text said, There is a general agreement that the govern-ment has given

top priority to education. It was translated, C mt s ng chung rng Chnh ph dnh nhiu u
tin cho gio dc. This would have been translated idiomatically, Ai cng ng rng Chnh ph
dnh nhiu u tin cho gio dc. Similarly, a translator in Papua New Guinea was asked to translate the
Eight Point Improvement Plan for Papua New Guinea. One point reads, Decentralization of economic
activity, planning and government spending, with emphasis on agricultural development, village industry,
better internal trade, and more spending channeled through local and area bodies. Such sentences are very
difficult for translators who want to translate into the native language of the country. Words such as
Decentralization, activity, planning, government spending, emphasis development, trade would have to be
rendered by verbs in most languages. When verbs are used, then, the appropriate subject and object of the
verb may need to be made explicit also. The form in the receptor language is very different from the source
10

language form and yet this kind of adjustment, using verbs rather than using nouns, must be made in order
to communicate the message. An idiomatic translation was made which used verbs as in the following.
The government wants to decrease the work it does for businesses and what it plans and the money it

spends in the capital, and wants to increase what people and groups in local area do to help farmers and
small businesses whose owners live in the villages, and help people in this country buy and sell things made
in this country and to help local groups spend the governments money.
Most languages have a class of words which may be called pronouns. Pronominal systems vary greatly
from language to language and the translator is obliged to use the form of the receptor language even though
they may have very different meanings than the pronouns of the source language. For example, if one is
translating into Kiowa (USA), the pronouns will have to indicate a different between singular, dual and plural
person even though the source language does not make this three-way distinction. Or if a translator is
translating into Balinese, he must distinguish degrees of honor even though nothing in the source language
indicates these distinctions. He will need to understand the culture of the Balinese and the cultural context of
the text he is translating in order to choose correctly.
In English, the first plural pronoun we is often used when the real meaning is second person you. The
reason for the use of we is to show empathy and understanding. The nurse say to the sick child, Its time for
us to take our medicine now. Or the teacher says, Were not going to shout, quietly to our well walk
places. Clearly, the pronouns do not refer to the nurse or the teacher but to the children whom she is
addressing you. In translating these pronouns into another language, a literal translation with first person
plural would probably distort the meaning. The translator would need to look for the natural way to
communicate second person and the feeling of empathy carried by the source language. Grammatical
constructions also vary between the source language and the receptor language. The order, for example, may
be completely reserved. The following simple sentences from Vietnamese is given with a literal English
translations:

Ch sng u?
You live where ?
C y thng mc o s mi vi silk mu xanh c nh.
She often wears a shirt silk blue small.
It will readily be seen that understandable translations into English requires a complete reversal of the
order: She often wears a small blue silk shirt. It is not uncommon that passive constructions will need to be
translated with an active construction or vice versa, depending on the natural form of the receptor language.
For example, Vietnamese people tend to use active constructions to express their ideas whereas English
people prefer to use passive constructions.

Example:
1. English: Nguyen Du is considered to be a great poet. ( passive)
Vietnamese: Ngi ta xem Nguyn Du l mt nh th v i. (active)
2. English:
A: What has happened to all your money after the will was settled and the business was sold?
(passive)
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B: The usual thing, false friends, fast-living style and bad investment.
Vietnamese:
A: Chuyn g xy ra vi ton b s tin m bn c c sau khi gii quyt xong chuyn chc

th v bn i c sn nghip. (active)
B: Cng l thng tnh thi, bn b gi di, n chi hoang n v u t sai ch.
The above translated sentences are only examples to show some types of grammatical adjustments
which will result if a translator translates idiomatically in the source language. Certainly, there will be times
by coincidence they match, but a translator should translate the meaning not concern himself with whether
the forms turn out the same or not.

2.3. Translating lexical features

Each language has its own idiomatic way of expressing meaning lexical items. Languages abound in
idioms, secondary meanings, metaphors, and other figurative meanings. For example, notice the following
ways in which a fever is referred to ( literal translations are given to show the source language form):
Greek:

The fever left him.

Aguaruna:

He cooled.

Vietnamese:

He cooled. or The fever was no more in him.

Ilocano:

The fever was no more in him.

The English translations of all six would be: His fever went down, or His temperature returned to
normal. All languages have idioms, i.e. a string of words whose meaning is different than the meaning
conveyed by the individual words. In English to say that someone is bullheaded means that the person is
stubborn. The meaning has little to do with bull or head. Similarly, in Viet-namese to say that someone is

cng u cng c means that the person is stubborn. The meaning has to do with u or c.
Languages abound in such idioms. The following are a few English idioms using in and into: run into debt,
rush into print, step into a practice, jump into a fight, dive into a book, stumble into acquaintance, fall in
love, break into society. In spite of all these combinations, one cannot say the following break into debt, fall
into print, rush into a fight, dive into debt, etc. The combinations are fixed as to form and their meaning
comes from their combination. A literal word-for-word translation of these idioms into another language will
not make sense. The form cannot be kept, but the receptor language word or phrase which has the
equivalent meaning will be the correct one to use in the translation. The following idioms occur in
Vietnamese. In the first column is a literal translation from Vietnamese. In the second is an idiomatic
translation. The literal English is misleading.
LITERAL

IDIOMATIC

I dont have my eye on you.

I dont remember you.

He is as strong as a buffalo.

He is as strong as a horse.

I have buried my head into my business.

I have been busy with my work.

Translators who wants to make a good idiomatic translation often find figures of speech especially
12

challenging. A literal translation of strong as a horse might sound really strange in a language where the
comparison between a strong person and a horse has never been use as a figure of speech. In Vietnamese it
would be more natural to say strong as a buffalo. Similarly, a literal translation of blind as a bat might sound
really strange in a language where the comparison between a blind person and a bat has never been use as a
figure of speech. In Aguaruma it would be more natural to say blind as a fox. There is a legend in which the
sun borrowed the foxs eyes and then returned to heaven taking the foxs good eyes with him and leaving the
fox with the suns inferior eyes. That is why they say, when the fox is trying to see, he stretches back his head
and looks with his throat. Figures of speech are often based on stories or historical incidents. Names of
animals are used metaphorically in most languages. But the comparison is often different and so the figure
will be misunderstood unless some adjustment is made. For example, when someone is called a pig in
English, it usually means he is dirty or a greedy eater. In Vietnamese, it has different meanings. It could
means that the person is stupid or that the person is a greedy. Care would need to be taken if pig were used
metaphorically or a wrong meaning might result in the receptor language.
Some lexical combinations of the source language may be ambiguous. The meaning is not clear. For
example, It is too hot to eat, could mean any of the following: The food is too hot to eat; the weather is too
hot for us to feel like eating; the horse is too hot after running a race and does not want to eat. In the process
of making an idiomatic translation, such ambiguities must often be resolved and only the intended meaning
communicated.

2.4. Conclusion
It is obvious that translation is a complicated process. However, a translator who is concerned with
transferring the meaning will find that the receptor language has a way in which the desired meaning can be
expressed even though it may be very different from the source language form. Considering the complexity
of language structures, how can a translator ever hope to produce an adequate translation? Literal translation
can only be avoided by careful analysis of the source language: by, first of all, understanding clearly the
message to be communicated. A translator who takes the time to study carefully the source language text, to
write analysis of translation. His goal must be to avoid literalisms and to strive for a truly idiomatic receptor
language text. He will know he is successful if the receptor language readers do not recognize his work as a
translation at all, but simply as a text written in the receptor language for their information and enjoyment.

2.5. Notes
Form-based translation:

dch da vo hnh thc

Meaning-based translation:

dch da vo ngha

Literal translation:

dch tng t mt

Idiomatic translation:

dch ng ngha

Interference:

s can thip

Mother-tongue interference:

s can thip ca ting m

13

To make adjustments:

hiu nh/ iu chnh

Translating grammatical features:

c trng ng php dch

Parts of speech:

t loi

Subclass:

nhm nh

Indo-European language:

ngn ng n-u

Pronominal system:

h thng i t

14

LESSON 3

STEPS IN A TRANSLATION PROJECT

Before beginning an actual translation, it is important to have in mind the total translation project and
what is involved in producing a good translation. Each of these steps will be elaborated on in more detail in
the last section of the book.

3.1. Establishing the project

Before one considers beginning a translation project, there are a number of matters which need to be
clearly understood by all who will be involved. These can be summarized under four Ts - the text, the target,
the team, and the tools.
The text refers to the source language document which is to be translated. The desirability of
translating a particular text must be determined. Texts are chosen to be translated for various reasons. Most
often it is to communicate certain information to people speaking another language, or it may be to share the
enjoyment of the source text. The translator should examine his reasons for choosing the text and the
potential for its use by the receptor language audience.
The target refers to the audience. For whom is the translation prepared? The form of translation will be
affected by questions of dialect, educational level, age level, bilingualism, and peoples attitudes towards their
languages. Will it be used in school, in business, or read orally in a meeting or at home?
The team refers to the people who will be involved in the project. If a person is a competent speaker of
both the source language and the receptor language, it may be that the project can be done completely by
one person. But even so there should be other available for evaluation and consultation. Most translation
projects require a team, a number of people who are going to contribute to the translation at some stage in
the project. The working relationship between these people needs to be established before the project gets
underway. It may, however, also change as the project moves along and new factors come into focus. There
are certain essentials to any translation project. Not all these need to be found in one person. There are
various kinds of programs which may be set up depending on the abilities and backgrounds of those who
will be involved. The team may consist of 1. co-translators, where one is a specialist in the source language
and the other a specialist in the receptor language, or 2. a translator with capability to handle both source
language and receptor language matters and an advisor or consultant, or 3. a committee working together
with specific responsibilities delegated to each one. Which kind of program is developed will depend on who
is available and qualified to determine the meaning of the source language, who is most skilled at drafting in
the receptor language, and who has an understanding of translation principles. The team may include the
translators, a consultant, testers, and reviewers.
Tools refer to the written source materials which will be used by the translators as helps. These include,
in addition to the document to be translated, any dictionaries, lexicons, grammars, cultural descriptions. etc
of both the source language and receptor language which are available. The team will want as much in
formation available as possible while translating. All of these tools should be brought to the translation site in
preparation for the project. For some projects, there will be a wealth of materials that can be used to help in
interpreting the source language text and in finding equivalents in the receptor language. For other projects,
15

there may be a scarcity of such material, but whatever is available should be there to make the work easier.

3.2. Exegesis
Exegesis is used to refer to the process of discovering the meaning of the source language text which is
to be translated. It is the step which includes the preparation and analysis which must be done before
anything at all can be written in the receptor language. The text must be understood completely. This is the
process which takes place in moving from the source language form to the meaning of the text. The
translator should begin by reading the text several times, then by reading other materials that may help in
understanding the culture or language of the source text. As he reads the text, he will be looking for the
authors purpose and the theme of the text. He will look for the larger groupings or sections. He may want to
outline the text. The purpose is to understand the text as a whole. Once he has done this, he is ready to work
on the material a section at a time.
The analysis of the source text will include resolving ambiguity, identifying implicit information,
studying key words, interpreting figurative senses, recognizing when words are being used in a secondary
sense, when grammatical structures are being used in a secondary function, etc. It will involve doing the kind
of analysis which this book is all about. The goal of exegesis is to determine the meaning which is to be
communicated in the receptor language text. The translator carefully studies the source language text and
using all the available tools, determines the content of the source language message, the related
communication situation matters, and all other factors which will need to be understood in order to produce
an equivalent translation.

3.3. Transfer and initial draft

After a careful analysis of the source language text, as indicated above, the translator begins drafting
piece by piece, section by section. The transfer results in the initial draft. In preparing this draft, the translator
is transferring from the source language into the receptor language. As he does so, he must always keep his
target audience in mind. Before any extensive drafting can be done, the key terms must be determined.
Every text has a set of words which re crucial to the content and correct communication of the theme. These
need to be decided upon and may need to be checked with other speakers of the receptor language.
There are two ways of approaching the transfer and initial draft. Some translators prefer to do a quick
rough translation so that the material flows naturally. Then they go back and tighten up the details to be sure
that there is no wrong information, and no omissions or additions. In this way, the receptor language text is
more apt to be in the natural style of the receptor language. Others prefer to prepare a proposition like
semantic draft, being sure that all the information all the information is accounted for, and then reword it
for naturalness; that is, reword it in the idiomatic form of the receptor language. Either method will lead to
an idiomatic translation if careful work is done. It may be necessary to rework the initial draft several times
before the team is satisfied that all the adjustments needed have been made, that no information is wrong or
omitted, that the text communicates clearly in the receptor language, and that the form chosen will
communicate to the desired audience. While making and reworking this draft, the audience must always be
kept in mind. Once the translation team has sufficiently reworked the initial draft, they arrange for copies to
be made so that adequate evaluation.

16

3.4. Evaluation
The purpose of evaluation is threefold: accuracy, clearness, and naturalness. The questions to be
answer are: 1. Does the translation communicate the same meaning as the source language?, 2. Does the
audience for whom the translation is intended understand it clearly? and 3. Is the form of the translation easy
to read and natural receptor language grammar and style? Those helping with the evaluation should be
mother-tongue speakers of the receptor language. There are a number of kinds of evaluations which need to
be done. The translator will want to compare the translation with the source text at several points during the
translation process to be sure no additions, deletions or change of in formation have crept in. Others may
help with this work. It is especially advantageous to have a consultant check over the material. The translator
will want to have receptor language speakers read the text and then tell back what the text communicated to
them. As they read, there will be parts that are hard to read or hard to understand. Any time there is an
indication of a problem in reading, this should be noted for further checking . Another way to check is by
asking questions of those who read the text, or to whom it is read. Questions need to be carefully formed so
that they bring out the theme, the authors purpose, and the relevant facts of the text. Any wrong
understanding should be noted and then checked with others as well. It is best to have someone who has not
worked on the translation, but know both the source language and receptor language, translate back from the
receptor language into the source language without the reference to the original source language text. Does
the back translation carry the same information as the original source language text? Any difference will need
to be checked further. It is very important that sufficient time and effort be given to evaluation. If many of the
people who will eventually be using the receptor language text can be involved in the evaluation process, this
will also create interest in the translated material when it is finally published.

3.5. Revised
After evaluation is done carefully, there will need to be a revised draft made on the basis of the
feedback received. Those with whom the translator has checked may have suggested many rewordings, may
have expressed misunderstanding, etc. The translation team now works through this material, honestly
accepting the evaluation, and rewording the material accordingly. If any key words are changed, the text will
need to be checked carefully for consistency in the change made. If some parts were hard for people to read,
they may need to be made easier by more redundancy (or less redundancy in another language), by adding
more information to clarify participants or theme or whatever. How much redrafting will be needed will vary
depending on the results of the evaluation.

3.6. Consultation
In many translation projects, there are advisors or consultants who are willing to help the translator.
The translator(s) will expect that the consultant is interested in three matters: 1.accuracy of content, 2.
naturalness of style, and 3. effect on the receptor language audience. It is important that translators check
their materials with a trained consultant after completing a section or two of a long document. If they
continue, and do large amounts of translation work without this kind of a check, they will miss out on the
training which a consultant can give as they go over the material together. Asking a consultant to work
through the material with him will give the translator insights which will not only help his final draft of the
material being worked on, but will help him do better transfer drafts on the sections of the document
remaining to be done.
17

3.7. Final draft

The translator incorporates into the translated text the suggestions made by the consultant, checks them
again with mother-tongue speakers to be sure they are warranted, and makes any other minor changes which
have come to his attention. However, before he prepares the final draft, decisions about format need to be
discussed with the whole translation team, the consultant, the potential publisher and those who will promote
distribution.
Some matters may need special testing before the final draft is prepared. If the publication is to include
pictures, these will need evaluation. If a special size of print is being recommended, it will need to be tested.
A final editing for spelling and punctuation will need to be made. When all matters are cared for, a number
of copies should be prepared and distributed for proofreading by various people before the actual printing
takes place. Every translator wants his final copy to be as accurate as possible. The time spent in careful
checking and preparation of the final draft will improve quality and will make the translation more
acceptable to the audience for whom it is being prepared.

3.8. Notes
Target:

c gi

Target language audience:

ngi c bn dch

Dialect:

phng ng

Educational level:

trnh hc vn

Bilingualism:

song ng

To come into focus:

ch / tp trung

Co-translator:

ngi cng dch

Specialist:

chuyn gia

Tools:

ti liu tham kho khi dch

Lexicon:

t in t vng

Exegesis:

hiu ngha vn bn trc khi dch

Initial draft:

bn tho u tin

Revised draft:

bn tho c hiu nh

18

LESSON 4

STRATEGIES FOR TRANSLATORS

The following strategies have been suggested by translators, commissioners of translations, and others
involved in translating as ways to approach difficulties in translations from English into Vietnamese.

4.1. STRATEGY 1 : How to deal with non-equivalence at lexical level

It is often the case that no direct equivalents can be found in Vietnamese for English words. It may be
that the concept or idea is new to Vietnamese translators, as in the case of gender, which is, in fact, a
relatively new concept in general, and a very difficult concept to understand and explain in many languages.
It may also be that the concept is known or understood but there is no specific word in Vietnamese used to
express it. Another difficulty is that, in addition to their concrete meaning, some words have special
connotations that are not conveyed by the Vietnamese word for the same thing. The strategies listed below
can be used to handle cases of non-equivalence.
4.1.1. Translating by a more specific word
In some cases, it may be appropriate or necessary to use a more specific word to translate an English
word into Vietnamese. This usually involves choosing among several different words, as there may be many
Vietnamese words that correspond to the general category or meaning expressed by English word. For
instance, Vietnamese has many words that mean to carry with distinction being made depending on the
size and shape of the object; its animate (e.g. a child as opposed to a box); and how it is carried (e.g. in the
hand, or in the arms...). Similarly, the English word for rice can be translated by many different
Vietnamese words, depending on whether one is planting it, harvesting it, cooking it, or eating it. In these
cases, the English word alone is not enough to determine the appropriate Vietnamese translation, and it is
necessary to examine the English context.
4.1.2. Translating by a more general word
In other cases, it may be appropriate to use a more general word to translate an English word with no
specific Vietnamese equivalent. For example, English makes distinctions among mopeds, scooters, and
motorcycles, the latter having larger wheels and engines than both mopeds and scooters. Vietnamese, on the
one hand, refers to all two-wheel, motorized vehicles as xe my. Similarly, the English words paw, foot,
or leg may all be translated by the Vietnamese word chn, which does not suggest any problems of
comprehension in Vietnamese, as it should be clear from the context which of these words is meant. Another
example can be found in a manual on community development, which translates the word matrix by the
Vietnamese word ma trn. However, in Vietnamese, ma trn has a specific use in mathematics only, and
does not have the additional sense of a model or a plan according to which something is developed. In this
example, matrix is better translated bn, which is a more general word used to classify a written plan or
formula.
4.1.3. Translating by cultural substitution
This strategy involves replacing a culture-specific item or expression with one of the different meanings
19

but similar impact in the translated text. Because of their self-described respect for the original text, most
Vietnamese translators object to this strategy and tend to translate directly, even though it is in appropriate.
For example, a farmers manual that has been translated into Vietnamese suggests the planting of different
types of fruit trees which are not even grown in Vietnam. The original manual, which was developed in other
parts in Asia, was not modified at all for the Vietnamese context. Though some translators argue that it is not
the responsibility of the translator to chance the text in this way, the translator is in fact playing an important
role in this task. Translators should be encouraged to consider the appropriateness of the documents they are
translating and suggest changes to make them more culturally appropriate. However, this is not only the
burden of the translator, but also of the commissioners of the translation and the editor.
4.1.4. Translating by using a loan word plus explanation
There is some objection to this strategy in Vietnam, as many translator prefer to coin new words in
Vietnamese rather than borrow English words. However, this strategy is very useful when the translator deal
with concepts or ideas that are new to Vietnamese audience, culture-specific items, and proper names of
diseases or medicines that are widely known in English names. For instance, HIV and AIDS are two loan
words that are frequently used in Vietnamese, as they are referred to by their English names in almost every
part of the world. Because these words have been in common used in Vietnam for a long time, they are often
used without any accompanying explanation. Whenever a loan word is used, it is better to give an
explanation. Another example is the acronym for oral dehydration salts, or ORS, which is printed on every
package and hence easily recognized; this is normally written in English with an explanation in Vietnamese:
ORS (mui b mt nc)
4.1.5. Translating by using a paraphrase
This strategy can be used when we translate an English word or concept that does not exist in
Vietnamese, or when the Vietnamese term for it does not include all the meanings conveyed by the English
term for the same concept. For example, in the sentence: Pregnant women should avoid alcohol., the
English alcohol includes all alcoholic drinks in its meaning. The Vietnamese word ru does not include
beer in its definition, so the Vietnamese translation should add the word beer to reflect the full meaning of
the source language sentence. Another example is that the English words abuse and neglect signify a
whole range of behaviors, some of which are not conveyed by the Vietnamese words alone. As a result, the
English sentence: Children should be protected from abuse and neglect. cannot be translated as simply as
Tr em nn c bo v khi s lm dng v l l. This translation does not account for their full
meaning, which must be unpacked for better understanding. This can be done by paraphrasing as a
translator has attempted in the following translation: Tr em cn bo v chng li mi hnh thc bo lc,

gy tn thng hay xc phm, b mc hoc xao nhng trong vic chm sc. Back translated roughly into
English, this sentence reads: Children must be protected from all forms of violence causing harm or offense,
and from abandonment and negligence in their care.
4.1.6. Translating by omission
Though some translators may reject this strategy as too drastic, it is sometimes appropriate to omit words
or phrases that are not essential to the meaning or impact of the text. This is especially true for words that
20

would require lengthy explanations, awkward paraphrases, or literal and unnatural translations, which would
interrupt the flow of the text and could distract the reader from the overall meaning. For example, the
sentence Much can be done even without being physically present in the meeting. is best translated into
Vietnamese by, nhiu vic c th lm ngy c khi khng c mt ti cuc hp which omit the word
physically in the translation. The difference in meaning between being physically present and being
present is so minimal that it does not justify translation into Vietnamese, which cannot easily express the
slight emphasis implied here by the author, and would not do so by emphasizing the physicality of a persons
presence.

4.2. STRATEGY 2 : How to deal with idioms and set expressions

Idioms and set expressions can be dealt with in the ways similar to those mentioned above. With
idioms, however, there is another difficulty that the translator may not realize that he/she is dealing with an
idiomatic expression, since more idioms may make sense when translated literally.
4.2.1. Using an idiom or a set expression of similar meaning and form
It is sometimes possible to find a Vietnamese idiom or expression with a similar meaning to an English
idiom or expression, and which is expressed in the same way. One example is the idiom to fight like cats
and dogs, which is expressed using the same words in Vietnamese: Ci nhau nh ch vi mo; another is
Better than never., which is translated: Th mun cn hn khng n. It is ideal if such a match can be
found, but this kind of correspondence is not common, and it is usually necessary to use other strategies in
dealing with idioms and set expressions.
4.2.2. Using an idiom or a set expression of similar meaning but different form
It is possible and easy to find a Vietnamese idiom with a similar meaning for an English idiom or set
expression. A good example can be found is the translation for to carry coals to Newcastle: Ch ci v
rng., which is translated as to carry firewood to the forest. The meaning here is clearly the same for both
idioms - to bring something to a place that has an abundance of that thing - but the way in which each
language expresses is bound to be the culture of that language. It is far more cumbersome to translate this
idiom literally into Vietnamese with an explanation that Newcastle is a well-known coal-producing city in
England (as was suggested by some Vietnamese translators), which would unduly interrupt the flow of the
text and greatly diminish the idioms impact. By substituting a similar Vietnamese idiom, then the flow and
the impact of the source text are retained in the translation.
4.2.3. Translating by paraphrasing
When Vietnamese equivalents cannot be found, paraphrasing may be the best way to deal with an
idiom or set expression in English. A good example can be found in an article on maternal mortality, which
includes the sentence, But before the new estimates replace the old as a way of packaging up the problem, it
should be said that a mistake has been made in allowing statistics such as these to slip into easy language.
The expression packaging up the problem caused the problems in translation, as it was misinterpreted to
mean assembling or gathering. However, even if this phrase were clearly understood, it would be difficult
to find a precise equivalent in Vietnamese. In fact, it would be difficult to restate concisely in English. This
21

phrase is best dealt with by paraphrasing, which in English could be understood as something like summing
up the problem by referring to it simply as a number, which does not reflect its true magnitude or impact.
The expression to slip into easy usage is problematic for the same reasons, and is also best dealt with by
paraphrasing, as a literal translation into Vietnamese would be meaningless.
4.2.4. Translating by omission
This strategy could be used when we translate words or phrases that would require lengthy
explanations, awkward paraphrases, or literal and unnatural translation. This strategy has also be used when
we translate phases which has two meanings one of the meanings may be sacrificed for the other. For
instance, a book entitled BEING POSITIVE-LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS causes problems in translate
because of the double meaning of being positive. The meaning of the phrase could be that a person is
suffering from positive HIV and that she should have an optimistic outlook on life. This may be clear to the
translator, who may interpret the phrase to mean that this book is for and about people who are HIV
positive. However, the double meaning should be made clear through collaboration with the commissioner,
after which a choice must be made between the two meanings, for it would not be possible to translate both
meanings by one Vietnamese phrase. As the emphasis is on positive outlook on life but not on the fact of
being HIV positive, one translator has suggested the translation: HY SNG YU I D NHIM HIV. This
translation expresses the notion of being positive about life without mentioning anything about being HIV
positive status.

4.3. STRATEGY 3 : How to deal with voice, number and person

4.3.1. Voice
The passive voice is used very often in English and poses some problems in Vietnamese translation.
Passive voice can be translated from English into Vietnamese in the following ways:
a. English :

A is/was/has been done by B

b. Vietnamese:
(i)

A c+ ng t+(bi B)
A c/do+(B)+ng t

(ii)

A b +ng t + bi B A b +(B) + ng t

Example:
This house was built by Frank in 1930.
Ngi nh ny do Frank xy nm 1930.
Tom is given a present by Mary.
Tom c Mary tng mt mn qu.
Tom was attacked by a stranger last night.
Tom b mt k l mt tn cng ti hm qua.

22

b. English:
Vietnamese:

A is/was/has been done.

A c/b + ng t
Ngi ta/ai + ng t + A

Example:
Tom has been promoted recently.
Tom mi c bt gn y.
The CD has been broken.
Chic a CD b v/ Ai lm v chic a CD.
The positive and negative connotation is not often conveyed in English, so it is difficult to know what
way used to translate into Vietnamese depending on whether the receiving injection is considered a positive
or negative experience.

Example:
English:

The children were given injections.

Vietnamese:

Cc chu c tim. or Cc chu b tim.

On the other hand, when the positive or negative connotation of the sentence is clear it is more
appropriate to retain the passive voice in Vietnamese.

Example:
English:
The HMong people do not like to be called Meo. They prefer to be called HMong.
Vietnamese:
Ngi dn tc H-Mng khng thch b gi l dn tc Mo. H thch c gi l dn tc H-Mng.
In Vietnamese, there are some cases where one can see the words c/b but they are not translated
into English passive sentences at all.

Example:

Anh y b ng.: He fell.

Ch Lan b ho.: Lan has a cough.

Hm nay chng ta c nh chn no n.: We had and enormous meal today.

4.3.2. Number
Though both languages have similar notions of number and countability, each language has its own
way to express these notions. In English, number is expressed as a grammar category; that is, there are
different grammatical forms for singular and plural nouns. In Vietnamese, however, no such distinction is
grammatically made. For example, ph n can mean either woman or women. Some plural markers such as
cc, nhng, tt c, mi, mi can be used in addition to the noun. Cc generally means all of the given
23

category of things, whereas nhng refers only to some of the total number of things being discussed. Mi
emphasizes the identity of the individual member of the category without indicating anything of their totality;
mi expresses both the individuality of the items and the totality of the category. If it is clear from the
English context which of these plural markers should be used in the Vietnamese, then the translator should
choose accordingly.
4.3.3. Person
Participants roles and forms of address are expressed in Vietnamese through a very complicated
system of personal pronouns based largely on kinship terms. Unlike English pronouns, Vietnamese pronouns
bear a number of semantic components depending on the relationship within a family, age, sex, familiarity,
social status, and even ones particular mood or attitude in a given situation. These distinctions are not always
explicitly expressed in English and can usually be determined by the context in which the language operates.
If it is not possible to determine the distinctions of the English pronouns, the attention should be focused on
the tone and the overall purpose of the text to be translated.

Example: A book on healthcare contains many sections written especially for children and adults. In the
sections for children the pronoun you is translated as em or cc em. In the sections for adults, you
should be translated as chng ta.

4.4. STRATEGY 4 : How to deal with non-subject sentences (Vietnamese-English translation)

The following techniques could be used to translate the nonsubject sentences in VNese texts:
Passive voice
It + to be + Adj + to infinitive
There + to be...
Use the subject that is found in the previous sentence(s)

Example:
Cn y mnh cng nghip ha, hin i ha.
Industrialization and modernization should be promoted.

Or It is necessary to promote industrialization and modernization.

Vn cha c cch cha khi bnh AIDS.
There has been no cure for AIDS.

4.5.

STRATEGY 5 : How to deal with newspaper headlines

Some main characteristics of newspaper headlines are as follows.

Present tense = past events

Present participle = event in progress

To infinitive = future events

Past participle = passive voice

24

Nouns, Verb + noun

Example:
1. Chinese Professors Turn To Business
Cc gio s Trung Quc chuyn sang kinh doanh
2. US President Visiting Vietnam
Tng thng Hoa K ang thm Vit Nam
3. Oil Price To Rise?
Gi du s tng
4. Three More Investment Projects Licensed This Year
Thm ba d n u t na c cp giy php trong nm nay
5. Investment Boom
Bng n u t
6. See You In Court
Hn gp ti ta

25

LESSON 5

PATTERNS AND SOURCES OF ERRORS

MADE BY VIETNAMESE TRANSLATORS
What is mother tongue interference in translation?
In the narrow definition, interference in translation takes place when apparently, any feature of the
source language - notably a syntactic structure, a lexical item, and idiom, a metaphor, word order or culture
is carried over or literally translated as the case may be into the target language (TL) text.
In a wider definition, interference includes cases when sentence length, punctuation, proper names,
culture words are evidently transferred in the translation in fact all cases where the language of the translation
is manifestly affected whether appropriately or not by the language of the original.
When the mother tongue interference is an error, a false friend, a sign of the translators ignorance, a
mark of the effect of the source language (SL) or the SL culture, it can be categorized as follows.

5.1. LINGUISTIC ERRORS

The linguistic errors can be divided into the following groups:
5.1.1. Lexical Errors
Lexical interference traps are common enough but more invidious are innocent looking collocations
which appear to make sense until one asks oneself what they mean in particular context. E.g. in English to
cook an account translated as nu s sch is meanigless and it must be translated as gi mo s sch.
Lexical interference is very dangerous because it can distort the meaning of a sentence.

Context

The context itself determines the meaning of words. Therefore, their meaning should be solved in the
context. It is commonly known that a word may have equivalents and accordingly the analysis of its meaning
has to be made carefully in order to pick out the most appropriate word. There are many ways of translating
of some nouns related to professions, classes, fields in society. For example, in a text written about Buddhism
in which there are two words clergy and death. Some translated transferred clergy as gio s and
death as ci cht for Buddha. It sounds strange and funny. In fact, clergy translated as gio s for
Catholicism but gii tng for Buddhism. The word death is normally translated as ci cht but vua
bng h in Kings death and as for Buddhism this word should be translated as vin tch.
When translators are asked to translate these sentences into English:
a. Kha Lun B tm ra Tn th gii vo nm 1842.
b. Ti ang tm cun sch.
c. Michael Faraday tm ra my pht in.
Obviously, there are many equivalents in English for the word tm such as seek, look for, search
for, find, find out. In addition, there are two more words related to this meaning: to invent and to
26

discover. However, in sentence (1) the word tm has an equivalent in English as discover. In sentence (2)
the word tm is understood as look for, search for or seek. In sentence (3) the word tm has an
equivalent as invent.
The three above-mentioned sentences can be translated as follows:
1. The New World was discovered by Christopher.
2. I am looking for my book.
3. Michael Faraday invented the generator.
It is characteristic of word that a single lexical item may have several meanings. For example, the word
head in isolation means something like the upper part of the body. But the same word used in the
context of talking about a company or an organization has nothing to do with the human body though the
idea of the upper position of something still remains.

Example:
1. He is the former head of the Chemistry Section of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission.
(leader)
2. Although he is the head of the company, he has no head. ( leader-intelligence)
The following examples show that the translators do not treat words in context but rely on the meaning
in dictionary:
1. In 1999, some major commodities were stockpiled because of poor quality. It is not accurate at all
when stockpiled was translated lu tr. In fact, due to poor quality, major commodities were not
sold out leading to stockpile. Therefore, the sentence should be translated as Nm 1999 mt s mt
hng ch yu b tn kho do cht lng km.
2.

The Prime Minister has also assigned relevant agencies to formulate a law on industrial zones to
provide a complete legal background/frame for the operation of Izs and EPZs in Vietnam. was
translated Th tng b nhim nhng chnh sch thch hp a ra lut v khu cng nghip
cung cp mt bi cnh hon ton hp php cho cc hot ng ca khu cng nghip, khu ch
xut Vit Nam. This translation is quite vague in Vietnamese. In fact, a word in source language has
many equivalents in target language. The word assign is equivalent with phn cng/ b nhim;
relevant with thch ng, thch hp, c lin quan; agency with i l, c quan, chi nhnh;
foundation nn mng, nn tng, c s. For this reason, in this context it should be chosen the
most appropriate equivalents to create an idiomatic translation: Th tng giao cho cc c quan
c lin quan ban hnh b lut v khu cng nghip nhm cung cp mt s c s php l hon
chnh cho vic hot ng ca khu cng nghip v khu ch xut Vit Nam.

In brief, the translators have a habit of translating literally and depending largely on the meaning in
dictionary due to the mother-tongue interference. In order to avoid committing errors of context, words
should be solved in context and the analysis of their meaning has to be made carefully to pick out the most
appropriate equivalent.
27

Word collocation

Word collocation consists of the associations a word acquires on account of the meanings of words
which tend to occur in its environment. Each of language has its own principle in word collocation. For
example, the word pretty often goes with girls and women, while the word handsome often goes with
boys or men. Some translators do not realize this, which leads to wrong and funny collocation. For instance,
in Vietnamese the word ung (drink) can go with many different kinds of liquid including water, beer,
alcohol, medicine and even poison. However, in English these are clear distinction as follows:
Drink beer/ water/ wine/ coffee.
Take medicine/ poison.
Another example indicates that in Vietnamese the word ni (say) can be collocated with li tm bit
goodbye, li cho hi hello, di a lie, s tht the truth, ting Php French. However, in
English it is quite different.
Say hello/ goodbye/ yes/ no.
Tell a lie/ the truth/ a story.
Speak English/ French/ Chinese.
In Vietnamese, the word n can be collocated with many different nouns such as c (fish), chim
(bird), s t (lion), gia sc (cattle). On the contrary, in English there are many words meaning n as
follows.
A flock of birds/ sheep: n chim/ cu
A herd of cattle/ buffaloes: n gia sc/ tru
A pack of dogs/ calves: n ch/ b
A school of fish/ chickens: n c/ g
A pride of lions/ deer : n s t/ nai
Similarly, the word decision can be collocated with many word such as to make/ to reach/ to arrive
at/ to come to... a decision. The following examples show the wrong collocations of some translators:
1. Chnh ph tin thc hin nhiu bin php nhm ngn chn vic bun lu ma ty.
(The government has made many measures to stop the drug smuggling.)
2. Chng ti phi hon thnh nhim v trc khi t kim tra cht lng sn phm.
(We have to complete our duty before the investigators control the product quality.)
3. Sau khi nghin cu th trng, chng ti quyt nh a ra th trng mt sn phm gy n
tng c sc cnh tranh vi hng ngoi nhp.
(After making a market research, we decided to launch an impressive product which can compete
against the imported ones.)
4. T khi M b lnh cm vn Vit Nam, nhiu nc trn th gii u t vo cc lnh vc khc
28

nhau.
(Since the USA abolished the embargo against Vietnam many foreign countries have been investing in
many different fields.)
It is the mother tongue interference that leads to the mechanic collocation which is unacceptable in
target language. In fact, each language has its own principles of word collocation. Neither English nor
Vietnamese is an exception. As a result, the above-mentioned examples should be translated more accurately
and idiomatically as follows.
1. The government has made many measures to stop the drug smuggling. should be corrected as
The government has taken many measures to stop the drug smuggling.
2. We have to complete our duty before the investigators control the product quality. should be
corrected We have to fulfill our duty before the investigators control the product quality.
3. After making a market research, we decided to launch an impressive product which can compete
against the imported ones. should be corrected After doing a market research, we decided to
launch an impressive product which can compete against the imported ones.
4. Since the USA abolished the embargo against Vietnam many foreign countries have been investing
in many different fields. should be corrected Since the USA lifted the embargo against Vietnam
many foreign countries have been investing in many different fields.
In a word, it is inevitable for the translators to obey the principles of English and Vietnamese word
collocations. In order to avoid this type of errors, the translator should read as many English books and
magazines to take notes of collocated words under the English standard.

Misuse of personal pronouns and prepositions

In Vietnamese, there are many ways to express the thoughts and feelings or attitude which differ from
those in English. The social status, age, sex, and the family order are distinguished clearly and systematically.
This is reflected in a distinguished clearly and systematically. This is reflected in a number of words for
addressing such as c, ng, b, bc, c, ch, thm, d, dng, cu, anh, ch, ngi, qu v, my, em, such
words are generally expressed by English people in one word you. The following examples show clearly
that the translator sometimes do not master the relationship between the speaker and the hearer leading to a
funny translation. A mother was taking care of her child in hospital. She said: I love you very much, dear.
Which was translated as Em yu anh lm, cng . instead of M yu con lm, cng .
In Vietnamese, each preposition has a fixed meaning which does not change regardless of the noun,
adjective or verb proceeding it. On the contrary, the meaning of a preposition in English depends on its
preceding word. This difference leads to errors in using prepositions of TL. For example, the Vietnamese
preposition v can be expressed by different prepositions in English:
a talk on history:

mt cuc ni chuyn v lch s

be disappointed in:

tht vng v

be interested in:

quan tm v
29

lay emphasis/ stress on:

nhn mnh v

be worried about:

lo lng v

be proud of/ take pride in:

t ho v

be famous for:

ni ting v

Instead of disappointed about, proud about, famous about as the translator may use. These are
the typical errors made by the translators:
1. According to Mr Thien, his plant currently produces lubricants under the API (American Petro-leum
Institute) standards
(Theo ng Thin th hin nay nh my ca ng ang sn xut du nhn di tiu chun ca Vin
xng du M.)
2. It is so easy to be misunderstood when talking on the phone.
(Ni chuyn trn in thoi th d b hiu nhm.)
3. Ta n Nhn Dn quyt nh kt n chng 15 nm v ti bun lu ma ty.
(The Peoples Court decided to condemn them to 15 years imprisonment about the drug smuggling.)
4. L gio vin u t trong nhiu nm, ng Nam c nhiu kinh nghim v vic ging dy hc sinh.
(As a qualified teacher for many years, Mr.Nam is experienced about educating and teaching the
pupils.)
5. Chng ti thnh tht chia bun v vic ra i ca b bn.
(We really condole with you about the loss of your father.)
As can be seen from the above-mentioned examples, the translators tended to choose the English
prepositions basing on Vietnamese meanings without paying attention to their variations. These errors could
be corrected as follows.
1.

According to Mr Thien, his plant currently produces lubricants under the API (American
Petroleum Institute) standards should be translated:
Theo ng Thin th hin nay nh my ca ng ang sn xut du nhn theo tiu chun ca Vin
xng du M.

2.

It is so easy to be misunderstood when talking on the phone. is equivalent with:

Ni chuyn qua in thoi th d b hiu nhm.

3. Ta n Nhn Dn quyt nh kt n chng 15 nm v ti bun lu ma ty. should be translated

The Peoples Court decided to condemn them to 15 years imprisonment for the drug smuggling.
4. L gio vin u t trong nhiu nm, ng Nam c nhiu kinh nghim v vic ging dy hc sinh.
should be translated: As a qualified teacher for many years, Mr Nam is experienced in educating
and teaching the pupils.
30

5. Chng ti thnh tht chia bun v vic ra i ca b bn. should be translated: We really condole
with you for the loss of your father.
Due to the mother tongue interference, the translators found themselves in a confusing situation when
they use prepositions in English. In order to avoid this type of errors the translators should learn the
prepositions going with nouns, adjectives or verbs by heart. If they do not know how to use prepositions
exactly, they tend to the Vietnamese ones into English or vice versa. As a result, the translators should be
provided with as many structures with prepositions systematically as possible to help them take notes and
draw out the formation and rules.

Misuse of synonyms

Some translators depend largely on the meaning in dictionary picking out the synonyms without paying
much to the context. In fact, the pairs of synonyms share at least one sense in common but do not share all
their senses. To some extent, they can hardly substitute for each other. The misuse of synonyms makes the
meaning of one of the following sentences unacceptable.
You have my deep/ profound sympathy.(acceptable)
The river is deep. (acceptable)
The river is very profound. (unacceptable)
Another example shows that some translators do not realize the connotational meaning, which leads to
the distorting of the meaning of the sentence. Take famous (ni ting) and notorious (kht ting) as an
example. While famous means well-known/ celebrated, and therefore contains some features of positive
meaning, notorious means well-known especially for unfavorable reason & negative meaning. The
following can be seen as the misuse of the synonyms by some of the inexperienced translators.
1. Cu b ny rt bng bnh.
(This boy is very stubborn/unyielding.) (right)
2. Ngi Vit Nam c tinh thn bt khut.
(The Vietnamese people are really stubborn.) (wrong)
3. Chnh ph c k hoch xy hng ngn ngi nh cho ngi v gia c.
(The government plans to build thousands of homes for homeless people.) (wrong)
In Example 1, stubborn synonymous to unyielding means cng u/bng bnh in Vietnamese.
In Example 2, stubborn fails to evoke the features of positive meaning which praises the Vietnamese
people on their heroism expressing the speakers admiration. In contrast, it expresses the speakers anger and
discontent. In Example 3, home and house are places where one lives, meaning nh in Vietnamese.
However, in terms of the connotational meaning they are quite different. House refers to the building or
structure while home refers to the atmosphere or feeling found in the house.

Example:
There is no place like home.
31

Chng c ni u nh nh.
Home is where the heart is.
Nh l ni con tim tr ng.
Most of the synonyms have the same meaning in certain context. If a translator use synonyms without
referring to the context, (s)he can make wrong & funny for his readers. In order to avoid the misuse, the
translator should carefully take the synonyms into consideration before using them. In addition, it would be
better for the translator to consider the differences of the pairs of synonyms when translating.

Idioms & terminologies

The meanings of idioms are not definitely related to grammatical rules or the lexical meaning of each
word because they feature the metaphor and figures of speech. For example, wet blanket should be
translated ngi ru r instead of ci chn t or to read ones palm translated as xem ch tay instead of
c ci g lng bn tay.
In fact, idioms can be translated satisfactorily by considering the context, if not, it is difficult to find the
exact meaning. An English idiom must be translated into Vietnamese by an equivalent one. It is very
important to be aware that we must not choose the equivalents of every word forming the idiom but we do
find the equivalent ways of expression which exist in both languages. If we stick to each word, the meaning
becomes strange, unnatural and funny. For instance, to sell like a hot cake is usually translated as bn t
nh tm ti. instead of bn nh bnh nng. There is no time like present. is usually translated as Vic
hm nay ch ngy mai instead of Khng c thi gian nh by gi. Live and learn is usually
translated as Cn sng cn hc instead of Sng v hc. The following errors were found in some of the
translated texts and should be corrected.
1.

Every time, we have our childrens birth certificates signed at the local Peoples committee, we have
to go though a lot of red tape. was translated as Mi khi nh h k giy khai sinh ti y ban Nhn
dn phng, chng ti phi i qua nhiu bng .

2.

At first we intended to stay at home. On the second thought, we decided to go out. was translated
as Thot u chng ti c nh nh. Trong ln suy ngh th hai chng ti quyt nh i ra
ngoi.

3. She rarely saves her time to do her homework. She often lets the grass grow under her feet. was
translated as C y him khi tit kim thi gian lm bi tp nh. C thng c mc di
chn.
The above-mentioned translations could be improved as follows.
1. Every time, we have our childrens birth certificates signed at the local Peoples committee, we have
to go though a lot of red tape. should be translated as Mi khi nh h k giy khai sinh ti y ban
nhn dn phng, chng ti phi lm nhiu th tc giy t rm r.
2. At first we intended to stay at home. On the second thought, we decided to go out. should be
translated as Thot u chng ti c nh nh. Sau khi suy i tnh li, chng ti quyt nh i
32

ra ngoi.
3.

She rarely saves her time to do her homework. She often lets the grass grow under her feet. should
be translated as C y him khi tit kim thi gian lm bi tp nh. C thng nc n
chn mi nhy.

In addition to this, due to the limited knowledge of social background and some special fields, some
translators mistranslated the terminologies causing vagueness, inaccuracy to readers. It is not very easy for
some translators to translate the following terminologies if they are not familiar with business texts.

cash flow:

lu lng tin mt

insurance policy:

hp ng bo him

acknowledgement:

giy bo cho bit nhn c

credit terms:

nhng iu khon tn dng

hard currency:

ng tin mnh

marginal:

bin t chnh lch gia gi mua v gi bn

total working capital:

tng s vn lu ng

sales promotion campaign:

chin dch khuyn mi

In conclusion, some inexperienced translators committed the lexical errors mentioned above including
those of context, word collocation, prepositions, synonyms and idioms & terminologies. They are committed
by those who have little knowledge of both source language (SL) and target language (TG). At the same
time, they thought that although English is different from Vietnamese, both languages have a one-to-one
correlation of lexical items. In practice, in terms of translation, it can be chosen the only one appropriate
equivalent from this into that language. Even more, that equivalent hardly keeps the meaning of the word
itself but that of context.
In some dictionaries, the authors present series of synonyms of SL in comparison with TL. However,
the synonyms are those of the context in which the are operating. Another problem is that some translators
did not realize the linking meaning of word units. It is obvious that these units link together to create a larger
unit of meaning in a given text to be translated. The linking meaning itself does not exist in separate word
units but in the link of the units constituting the whole text.
5.1.2. Structural errors
Each language has its own division of lexicon into classes such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc.
It is not always possible to translate a SL noun with a noun in TL. In English, there is a tendency of using
more nominal structures while verbal structures are used more in Vietnamese. Some translators keep the
same structures when translating, leading to vagueness in TL texts. For example, Thank you for your pretty
present. was translated as Cm n anh v mn qu ng yu. instead of Cm n anh tng em mn
qu ng yu. In addition, there is also a tendency of using more passive constructions in English than in
Vietnamese. For instance, The USA is said to be a powerful country. was translated as M c ni l
mt cng quc. instead of Ngi ta ni rng M l mt cng quc. The following examples of
structural errors were made by some of translators.
33

1. The Vietnamese Airlines has coped with difficulties due to the regional financial crisis.
(Hng khng Vit Nam gp phi nhng kh khn do cuc khng hong ti chnh vng trm
trng.)
2. Schools teach mathematics because of its very important roles.
(Trng hc dy ton v tm quan trng ca n.)
3. Thank you for your letter.
(Cm n l th ca em.)
4. Hue was recognized as the worlds cultural heritage by UNESCO in 1994.
(Hu c xem l Di sn Vn ha th gii bi UNESCO vo nm 1994.)
5. I was rewarded with a trip to Nha Trang by my parents after a year of hard work.
(Ti c thng mt chuyn i n Nha Trang bi b m ti sau mt nm lm vic vt v.)
The abovementioned translations do not sound Vietnamese, lacking the coherence and smoothness,
not conveying the desired meaning of the SL sentences. It would be more idiomatic to translate as follows.
1. Do nh hng ca cuc khng hong ti chnh trm trng trong khu vc, nn Hng Hng khng
VN phi ng u vi nhng kh khn.
2. Trng hc dy Ton v Ton hc ng vai tr rt quan trng.
3. Cm n em vit th cho em.
4. UNESCO cng nhn Hu l Di sn Vn ha th gii vo nm 1994.
5. Sau mt nm hc hnh chm ch, b m thng cho ti mt chuyn du lch n thnh ph
Nha Trang.
As can be seen from the examples mentioned above, some translators focused on the structures of SL
so much that they fail to convey all the implicit meaning of TL. In fact, it is not necessary to keep the form at
all. The most important thing is that the translations must be done on the basis of the TL grammar that is
familiar to the readers. This principle suggests that the translator should not depend largely on the structures
of the SL but break them, conveying the meaning as much as possible in an appropriate structures in the TL.
Another problem is that some translators was not aware of the relationship between form and function
of language. It is commonly known that in some languages, on function is expressed by many forms and vice
versa. For example, in English the way of giving an advice could be expressed by a number of structures :
Why dont you..?, You should/ ought to.., If I were you, Id.., Youd better or I advise you to.. In
addition, some translators did not realize the conversational implicature understood implicitly as follows.
1. Whats the time? (Why are you so late?)
2. Are you my teacher? (You want to teach me.)
3. Why dont we go to the cinema? (a suggestion)
34

4. Why did you say so? (You should not have said so)
5. Unless he has done the work to my satisfaction, I will not pay him for this.
(If he has not done.)
Those sentences should be translated as follows.
1. C bit my gi ri khng?
2. My i lm thy ca tao ?
3. Chng ta i xem phim h?
4. L ra anh khng nn ni nh vy!
5. Nu hn khng lm vic va ti, th ng hng ti tr lng cho hn.
As mentioned in the previous part, the structural difference between the SL and the TL is likely to
make it difficult for the translators. The translators were not aware of dividing or combining the sentences
within a text to be translated. If they try to keep the same punctuation of the SL text, the correspondent TL
text will have clumsy, run-together, long and complex sentences. It is much better to divide long sentences
into short ones aiming at creating coherence, attraction for readers in the translations. These are the
translated sentences with their structural errors made by some of inexperienced translators.
1.

The dividing gap between the rich and the poor as well as corruption and social unrest caused by
the relocation of people in industrialized areas, have made many people hesitate in further changes.
(Khong cch ln gia ngi giu v ngi ngho cng nh s tham nhng v tnh trng bt an
ca x hi gy ra do s phn b li dn c cc khu cng nghip lm cho nhiu ngi phi
do d khi chp nhn nhng thay i ln.)

2.

It is also necessary to invest in increasing capability of battery production establishments to meet the
demand for automobile and motorbike manufacturing and assembling in accordance with the
localization program.
(N cng rt cn thit u t vo vic tng nng sut ca nhng c s sn xut c qui
p ng nhu cu dy chuyn sn xut vo vic ch to t v xe my ph hp vi chng trnh
trong nc.)

3.

It takes much time to deliver goods to remote areas by backward means of transport.
(N ly nhiu thi gian phn phi hng ha n cc vng xa xi bng cc phng tin giao
thng lc hu.)
All above translated sentences should be corrected as follows.

1.

The dividing gap between the rich and the poor as well as corruption and social unrest caused by
the relocation of people in industrialized areas, have made many people hesitate in further changes.
(S thay i ch ti cc vng cng nghip ha lm cho khong cch gia ngi giu v
ngi ngho cng nh s tham nhng v tnh trng bt an ca x hi ngy cng ln. Chnh iu
ny lm cho nhiu ngi phi min cng nhng thay i ln hn na.)
35

2.

It is also necessary to invest in increasing capability of battery production establishments to meet the
demand for automobile and motorbike manufacturing and assembling in accordance with the
localization program.
(u t vo vic tng nng sut ca nhng c s sn xut c qui p ng nhu cu dy chuyn
sn xut vo vic ch to t v xe my ph hp vi chng trnh trong nc l rt cn thit.)

3.

It takes much time to deliver goods to remote areas by backward means of transport.
(Phi mt nhiu thi gian phn phi hng ha n cc vng xa xi bng cc phng tin giao
thng lc hu.)

In order to overcome this type of structural errors, the most effective way for translators is to master the
structures of bot languages. It is clear that a translator who is proficient in English cannot help being good at
Vietnamese and vice versa.

5.2. Style errors

Styles play an important role informal translation and strongly affect the second language meaning. Due
to the context, text-type and audience, the levels of language in translation can be different - the informal
language used in informal situations; colloquials used in spoken language; familiar language used among
friends, relatives, members in a family; formal language used in formal texts such as speeches in conference,
legal documents, business letter & documents, research papers. The examples given below clearly indicate
that the same massage could be expressed in different styles.

Drop me a line.

(informal language)

Remember to write me a letter.

(neutral)

I look forward to your letter.

(informal language)

They can escape from family suprvision.

(formal)

Their parents cant keep an eye on them.

(colloquial)

They are completely armed.

(formal)

They are armed to teeth.

(colloquial)

Style error is an acute problem to the translators. There are translators did not master the difference
when using various styles such as conversational, academic, scientific, literary styles. Many translators failed
when coming across the unfamiliar styles due to being unaware of degrees of formality (informal or formal
style), usage of vocabulary (informal, colloquial, formal). These are some style errors taken out from some
Vietnamese-English translations.
1. Nu chng ti t hng vi s lng ln, liu doanh nghip anh c bn vi gi r khng?
(If we place substantial orders, can your enterprise get us with soft price?)
It is impossible to use informal style in a business letter. Instead of using soft price, the translator
should use cheaper price.
2. Thi tit Hu khng thch hp cho ngi gi. Ma h tri nng nh thiu t, trong khi ma
36

ng lnh n xng ty.

(The weather in Hue is favorable for the old. It is burning hot in summer while it chills to the bones
in winter.)
It is impossible to use informal style to tanslate a formal text. Instead of using burning hot, the
translator should use exceedingly hot.

5.3. Cultural errors

Culture could be understood as the total set of beliefs, attitude, customs, behaviour, social habits etc. of
the member of a particular society. In the broad sense, it includes mode of production, production activities,
community organization, spiritural life, knowledge of nature and society, emotions, and moral conceptions.
Language is regarded as both a component of a culture and network through which other elements of culture
operate. Language, therefore uses almost all other cultural elements so as to perfect its universal and selfsufficient nature. It could be said that we will not translate from this to that language perfectly unless we know
its relation to its culture. It is common ly known that ao dai is a traditional costume of the Vietnamese
women and we never find an equivalent word in English to translate ao dai. However, some translators
translated mechanically ao dai into a dress. How funny it is! It would be preferred to writing down ao
dai to express the cultural feature to making foreign people misunderstand ao dai as a dress. Trang
phc truyn thng ca ngi ph n Vit Nam l chic o di tng trng cho s duyn dng. should
be translated as The traditional costume of the Vietnamese women is ao dai which symbolises the grace.
Translation is a kind of activity which inevitably involves at least two languages and two cultural
traditions. As this statement implies, translators are permanently faced with the problem of how to treat the
cultural aspects implicit in a source text (ST) and of finding the most appropriate technique of successfully
conveying these aspects in the target language (TL). These problems may vary in scope depending on the
cultural and linguistic gap between the two (or more) languages concerned. The cultural implications for
translation may take several forms ranging from lexical content and syntax to ideologies and ways of life in a
given culture. The translator also has to decide on the importance given to certain cultural aspects and to
what extent it is necessary or desirable to translate them into the TL. The aims of the ST will also have
implications for translation as well as the intended readership for both the ST and the target text (TT).
Considering the cultural implications for a translated text implies recognising all of these problems and
taking into account several possibilities before deciding on the solution which appears the most appropriate
in each specific case. Before applying these methods to the chosen text, this essay will examine the
importance of culture in translation through a literature review. The different general procedures of treating
the cultural implications for translation will be examined as well as analysing the ST and the aims of the
author. The translation process will also be treated using specific examples found in the ST before discussing
the success of aforementioned theoretical methods applied to the TT. Although corresponding to cultural
categories examined, the title will be considered separately in order to determine the pertinence of
conserving, highlighting, or excluding certain aspects. Due to these considerations, the title will be considered
after the other aspects as all other cultural implications need to be examined before reaching relevant
conclusions.
37

CHAPTER II

ASSIGNMENTS

38

ASSIGNMENT 1
A1. THEORY
1. What is translation? What definition do you think is the most appropriate? Can you give your own
definition of translation?
2. What is a literal translation? Can you give some examples of literal translations?
3. What is an idiomatic translation? Give some examples of idiomatic translations.
4. What characteristics of language affect translation?
5. What are the secondary meanings? Give ten sentences, each of which contains a word used in a
secondary sense.
6. What is the primary meaning? Give ten sentences, each of which contains a word used in a primary
sense.

B1. EXERCISES
B1.1. Identify change of meaning versus change of form. Some of the following pairs of sentences differ
in their form. Some differ in meaning. Indicate if the primary change is in the form or in the meaning.

Example:

They robbed the old man.

The old man was dropped by them. (Answer: Change of form.)

1. The students like to study translation.

The students like studying translation.
2. I bought a pair of horseshoes.
I bought a pair of leather shoes.
3. He saw the bird.
He heard the cat.
4. Phillip went walking.
Phillip took a walk.
5. Go to bed.
I want you to go to bed.
6. I came; I saw; I conquered.
I came, saw, and conquered.
7. Two weeks later he came.
After two weeks he came.
8. There is a table in the book.
There is a book on the table.
9. The young man had an English grammar book stolen.
An English grammar book was stolen from the young man.
39

10. He was awaken by a thunderclap.

A thunderclap awakened him.
B1.2. List as many grammatical forms as you can which realize the same meaning as the one given
below. Then put the same meaning into a language other than English in as many forms as you can.

Example:

the cat is black

the black cat
the cat, which is black

1. the jug water

2. John bought a car
3. a hot day
4. mothers long blue dress
5. Peters house
B1.3. All of the following have the same grammatical form. With the change of lexical items, there is a
change of meaning which is signaled by that lexical item, apart from the referential meaning of the word
itself. What meaning is signaled in each of the following possessive phrases? Answer by restating. How
can that meaning best be expressed in another language which you speak?

Example:

The mans car - the man owns the car

The mans eye - the eye is part of the man

1. the doctors office

2. the doctors patient
3. the doctors book
4. the doctors brother
5. the doctors hand
6. the doctors house
B1.4. For each pair of sentences, state whether the two sentences are the same in meaning or different in
meaning.

Example:

(a) It rained all night.

(b) Rain fell all night.
(a) There is a book on the table.
(b) There is a table on the book.

1. (a) John was very surprised when he heard the news.

(b) The news very much amazed John when he heard it.
2. (a) It was a hot day.
40

(b) The day was hot.

3. (a) Peters house
(b) The house that belongs to Peter
4. (a) He remained silent.
(b) He did not say anything.
5. (a) I bought cloth to make Mary a new dress.
(b) I bought a new dress for Mary.
6. (a) I bought vegetables in the market.
(b) I bought tomatoes and onions in the market.
7. (a) My parents are well.
(b) My mother and father are well.
8. (a) John is ill: he has a bad case of malaria.
(b) John is very ill indeed.
9. (a) There are four rooms in the house.
(b) The house has four rooms and a kitchen at the back.
10. (a) In my opinion, the government is doing well and making many improvements in the country. But
there are many people who do not agree that this is so.
(b) Opinions are divided concerning the government. Some say they are doing well and making
many improvements in the country. Others do not agree.

41

ASSIGNMENT 2
A2. THEORY
1. What are the differences between a literal translation and an idiomatic translation?
2. What should you do to translate a text idiomatically?
3. What grammatical features should be considered when you translate a text? Give some examples to
support your ideas.
4. What lexical features should be considered when you translate a text? Give some examples to
support your ideas.
5. Why do you have to take the time to read the source language text carefully before translating it?

B2. EXERCISES
B2.1. In each of the following pairs of sentences, which is more idiomatic English, a or b? How would
the meaning be expressed idiomatically in the language you speak?
1. (a) The storekeeper said that we will refund your money.
(b) The storekeeper promised to refund our money.
2. (a) A certain boy told me this little story at a party.
(b) He is one boy. He told the one little story. This is a game he said.
3. (a) An International Alphabet would inevitably bring about a spelling reform as well. How many
children have shed hot tears about spelling?
(b) An International Alphabet would inevitably bring about a spelling reform,too. And how many hot
childrens tears have not been shed on spelling?
4. (a) He then reported his misfortune to the police, who are searching diligently for the thief.
(b) He then his mishap reported to the police, who are the thief searching intensively.
B2.2. Look for literalisms in the following translations into English and underline the words or phrases
that do not sound natural in English. Suggest a more idiomatic way of saying it. All of these examples are
from published translated material.
1. Foreign tourists usually at Kinh Do Hotel for their friends have introduced to them very much about
this hotel.
2. Since the USA abolished the embargo against Vietnam, many foreign countries have been investing
in Vietnam.
3. Hue is famous about its delicious dishes and beautiful landscapes.
4. The participants discussed about the causes of pollution environment.
5. A robbery took place of a motorcycle rider at Kampung early yesterday morning.
42

B2.3. Each of the following are sentences written by some Vietnamese who are not yet fluent English
speakers. The forms used shows examples of how their mother-tongue language structures have been
carried over into English. The same information is then given in parenthesis in idiomatic English. What
changes were made in correcting the English? These changes point out some of the differences between
Vietnamese and English.
1. Sir, the problems of before dont forget.
(Sir, please don't forget the problems we discussed before.)
2. If there is any means, send me a letter to Saigon.
(If there is any way to do so, send a letter to me in Saigon.)
3. I will think you time to time day and day.
(I will be thinking about you often every day.)
4. I am very grateful to inform you with this letter.
(I am very happy to be able to send/write you this letter.)
5. I am a man who has been to Hanoi for 12 years.
(I have now lived in Hanoi for 12 years.)
B2.4. Translate the following Vietnamese sentences as idiomatically as possible.
1. Ch may o s mi ny u vy?
2. Lt chim c mt vng t rng trn cao nguyn Lm Vin, xung quanh ton l ni i hng
v.
chim c:

take up/ to be situated/ to occupy

cao nguyn:

plateau

xung quanh:

to be surrounded by/ with

3. Mc d a v ca ph n c nhng bc tin k diu, nhng ngi ta phi thc hin nhiu

chuyn khc ci thin tnh trng sc kho, dinh dng v gio dc cho ph n.
a v:

status

c nhng bc tin k diu:

to be dramatically improved

dinh dng:

nutrition

4. Ngy nay th gii ang ng u vi nhiu vn nghim trng cho d c nhiu bc tin
ng k trong lnh vc khoa hc, cng ngh v tri thc. Mt trong nhng vn l s bng
n dn s, c bit cc nc ang pht trin. Dn s ang tng theo cp s nhn trong
lc sn xut hng ho li tng theo cp s cng.
ng u:

to face

vn nghim trng:

serious problem
43

 c nhiu bc tin ng k:

to take great strikes

s bng n dn s:

population explosion/ population boom

tng theo cp s nhn:

to grow in geometric progression

tng theo cp s cng:

to grow in arithmetic progression

sn xut hng ho:

the production of goods

5. Charles Dickens l mt trong nhng nh vit tiu thuyt ln nht th gii, thuc trng phi hin
thc ph phn th k 19. iu m chng ta nh gi cao v nhng tc phm ca Dickens l s
ph phn v ti c v s tng phn gia giu v ngho ca x hi t sn Anh lc by gi. Th
gii m ng ta miu t l th gii ca giai cp trung lu v h lu Lun n.
nh vit tiu thuyt:

novelist

trng phi hin thc ph phn:the school of critical realism

nh gi cao:

to value/ highly appreciate

s ph phn:

criticism

ti c:

evil

s tng phn:

contrast

giu v ngho:

wealth and poverty

x hi t sn Anh:

the English boutgeois society

giai cp trung lu v h lu:

the middle and lower classes

6. S pht trin kinh t ca Vit Nam phi c xt trong hon cnh chin tranh ko di. Hon cnh
chin tranh y gy ra nhiu thit hi v sinh mng v ti sn cng nh cc cng trnh cng
cng v ti nguyn.
s pht trin kinh t:

the economic development

c xt:

to be viewed/ to be considered/to be taken into account

hon cnh chin tranh ko di: in the context of the long period of war
gy ra thit hi:

to cause damage to

ti sn:

property

cng trnh cng cng:

public facilities

ti nguyn:

resources

7. Mng li truyn hnh ang xy dng rng khp c nc. Ngoi nhng i truyn hnh tng i
hin i, c t lu i nh i truyn hnh H Ni v Thnh Ph H Ch Minh, cn c 25 i
thuc cc tnh c thnh lp vo nm 1988. Nhng i truyn hnh ny s truyn nhng chng
trnh quan trng ca i truyn hnh trung ng v pht chng trnh ca i mnh .
mng li:

network

i truyn hnh:

television station

lu i:

long-standing
44

 thnh lp:

to establish/ set up

truyn nhng chng trnh:

to relay the transmissions

pht:

to broadcast

8. Hi Lin Hip Ph N Vit Nam c c i din Quc Hi v ch tch hi c quyn tham

d cc cuc hp thng k ca Hi ng B Trng by t quan im ca Hi v ngh
nhng iu l lin quan n ph n.
Hi Lin Hip Ph N Vit Nam: The Vietnams Women Union
c i din:

to be represented

Quc Hi:

the National Assembly

c quyn lm g:

to have the right to do something

cuc hp thng k:

regular meeting

Hi ng B Trng:

the Council of Ministers

by t quan im:

express ones points of view

iu l:

regulations

9. Gia nh Vit Nam chu nh hng r rt ca nn vn minh nng nghip. Do chnh sch m
ca, nn vn minh cng nghip ang tc ng tng ngy, tng gi vo cuc sng gia nh
Vit Nam.
chu nh hng:

to be affected by

nn vn minh nng nghip:

agricultural civilization

chnh sch m ca:

the open-door policy

tc ng tng ngy tng gi:

to have daily and hourly impact/ influence on

B2.5. Translate the following sentences into English.

1. Thc M l cng trnh thu in c cng sut thit k 150.000 KW, sn lng in trung bnh
hng nm 600 triu KW gi.
2. xy dng cng trnh ny cn phi o p gn 15 triu m3 t , p hn 350.000 m3 tng
lc, khong 220.000 m3 b tng ct thp v lp t gn 7.000 tn thit b v kt cu kim loi.
3. Vi khi lng cng vic ln nh vy nhng Chnh ph quyt nh phi hon thnh vic thi cng
trong hai nm do nhu cu cung cp in cho cc a phng pha Nam tr nn ht sc cp
bch.
4. T ngy khi cng n nay, cc n v thi cng thc hin c khong 90% khi lng o
t, khong 40% khi lng b cng ct thp.
5. Theo ng Nguyn B Mn, Trng ban Qun l cng trnh th hu ht cc hng mc cn bn
u t ng yu cn v tin thi cng.
45

6. Trung tun thng 11/1993, Th tng V Vn Kit n kim tra tnh hnh thi cng cng trnh
thu in thc M.
7. Nhng ngi lnh o cng trnh khng nh vi Th tng rng c y c s m
bo khi ng t my s 1 vo thng 6 nm 1994.
8. Vic chn dng sng B tin hnh vo thng 12 ny.
9. Nh vy s c mt s trng hp c ngha l cng mt thi im vi vic khi ng t my s 1
thu in thc M, h thng ti in 500 KW Bc Nam cng c hon thnh.
10. Vi cc cng trnh ny, nm 1994, min Nam thot khi tnh trng i in.
B2.6. Translate the following sentences into Vietnamese
1. Although the state budget for teaching aids at schools of all levels has been icreased since 1990, it is
still far below the demand to fully equip schools and improve training quality.
2. President Putin affirmed that Russia has always attacted importance to its relations with Vietnam, its
traditional friend and stragic partner in Southeast Asia.
3. It is projected to extend integration opportunities to 3000 disabled children in three provinces, one in
mountainous areas, one in the central coast and one in remote areas.
4. They discussed a series of measures intended to ensure comprehensive cooperation in economy,
trade, science and technology.
5. Efforts are being made to raise womens awareness of their rights to have labour safety or hygiene
conditions at work through an expanded communication network.
6. It is more likely that schools in the southern provinces have more computer labs used in teaching
foreign languages than schools in the northern provinces.
7. There have been four foreign invested projects in education, with investment capital from the World
Bank and the Asian Development Bank.
8. Of 50 foreign language students surveyed recently by the Vietnam Courier, 38 said they are not
interested in working for foreign invested companies.
9. Vietnam and China agreed to set up negotiations for the signing of a land border agreement
delineating the sea boundary in the Bac Bo (Tonkin) Gulf no later than 2000.
10. Most recently the government has offered incentives like tax reduction or preferential loans to
employers who have employed a large number of women.

46

ASSIGNMENT 3
A3. THEORY
1. What lexical features should be considered when you translate a text? Give some examples to
support your ideas.
2. Why do you have to take the time to read the source language text carefully before translating it?

B3. EXERCISES
B3.1. Translate the following sentences into English.
1. Ngay t nhng ngy u thng Chp (m lch) Tt lng vng vng ngoi thnh H Ni.
2. C l b con nng dn ngoi thnh l ngi cm nhn thy Tt hn ai ht bi t vic vun xi rau
qu, c hoa cho vic v bo ln, g u nhm phc v Tt.
3. Nu i t pha Kinh Bc xung, ta s nhn thy bt ngn hoa xun, nht l layn khoe sc
mu.
4. St vi vng Ni Thnh l vng hoa Nht Tn, Nghi Tm, Qung B vi nhiu loi: o hng
thm, qut vng mng, tim tm vilt v rc hoa ng tin.
5. Vi ba nm tr v trc, ni y l rng hoa p ng nhu cu ca ngi H Ni v hoa cnh.
6. B con vng ny l nhng ngh nhn c truyn thng trng hoa lu i.
7. Tic thay, t trng hoa hin nay b thu hp dn do s chuyn hng lm n ca khng t ngh
nhn.
8. Ngi th bn t b ngh, ngi th t b vn hoc l lin kt vi ngi b vn hn hp xy
dng cc bit th sang trng dng lm khch sn mi ni phc v khch nc ngoi.
9. Ca hng, ca hiu mc ln nh nm loi hng ho t bnh dn n cao cp.
10. Chng cn nghi ng g na, H Ni thi m ca ang i thay, ang pht trin. Mong sao H
Ni v ngi H Ni mi mi xng danh vi mnh t ngn nm vn hin.
B3.2. Translate the following sentences into Vietnamese.
1. The centerpiece of the festivities was a show entitled A Flock of Birds to Good Land staged
simultaneously on the three different grand stages in the downtown area.
2. The whole area around the temple was virtually packed with people, leaving only a small opening for
the rituals to proceed.
3. To reduce the costs while increasing accessibility of education for disabled children, the government
has launched a program of community-based education and inte-gration.
4. In recent years, to restore public order, Hanoi removed a number of unofficial marketplaces into
designated areas. But out of the four marketplaces targeted, only Dong Tam market was moved from
47

the Dong Da residential quarter to the Dai La area.

5. Besides the investment from the State budget, all the schools had to look for other financial sources to
buy teaching equipment. However, these sources made up only 13% and 21% of the state budget for
general education schools and universities respectively.
6. State budget revenues have approximately achieved the level originally set. Regular expenditure has
been ensured, while irregular spending in support of area hit by storms, floods and droughts have
been made. The budget deficit has been kept at a permissible level of 3.6% of GDP in 1998, down
from 4.2% in 1997.
7. The economic development of Vietnam has to be viewed in the context of long periods of wars. It is
the context of long periods of wars that has caused loss of peoples lives and damage to property,
public facilities and resources.
8. The television network is being established throughout the country. Apart from the relatively modern
and long-standing television stations in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, 25 provincial stations were set
up in 1988. These relay the important transmissions of the central TV stations and broadcast their
own program.
9. The Vietnams Women Union is represented in the National Assembly and its president is entitled to
attend the regular meeting of The Council of Ministers where she can express the Women Unions
viewpoints and propose the regulations related to the Union.
10. The Vietnamese families have been affected by the agricultural civilization. Due to the open-door
policy, the industrial civilization has exerted a daily and hourly effect on the life of Vietnamese
families.

ASSIGNMENT 4
A4. THEORY
1. Name and discuss the four Ts of a translation project.
2. Explain what is meant by exegesis.
3. What are the goals of the translator as he prepares the initial draft?
4. What is the purpose of the evaluation?
5. What kinds of evaluation checks can be made?
48

6. What is the consultant concerned about when he checks a translation?

7. How will the final draft be different from the revision draft done earlier?
8. How is the revision draft different from the initial draft?

B4. EXERCISES
B4.1. Read the English text and answer the questions.

DEFORESTATION
Population growth is one factor in rainforest destruction. However, it is a myth to assume that the
expansion of subsistence agriculture to feed more mouths is the main factor. The majority of deforestation in
Latin America, Southeast Asia and the Pacific is caused by clearing land to grow cash crops for export and
by commercial logging operations, and not by shifting cultivators or landless peasants. Each year
commercial logging eliminates 45000 square kilometers of forest, much of the timber being exported to the
United States and Japan.
No clearer connection between deforestation and the demands of affluent societies can be found than
in Central America and Brazil, where tropical forest has been converted to grazing land because cattle raising
offers export earnings that help with external debt payments. These heavy payments, which affect the poor
the most, have arisen largely from external loans taken out to finance the purchase of luxury items and arms
by military and governing elite. The establishment of large ranch-style cattle grazing properties is the
principal reason for the elimination of 20000 square kilometers of rainforest each year in Central or South
America. The cleared land is mainly devoted to the export of beef for the fast-food industries in North
America, Europe and Japan - the aptly named hamburger connection.
1. What is the authors purpose of writing this text?
2. What is the text about?
3. How many times have you read the text to understand it completely?
4. Do you have any difficulty in finding the Vietnamese meaning of the English words: subsistence

agriculture, cash crops, commercial logging operations, shifting cultivators, landless peasants, affluent
society, external debt payment, military and governing elites, ranch-style cattle grazing property,
hamburger connection?
5. Do you have any difficulty in finding the equivalent Vietnamese structures of the following English
sentences?

a. However, it is a myth to assume that the expansion of subsistence agriculture to feed more
mouths is the main factor.
b. No clearer connection between deforestation and the demands of affluent societies can be found
than in Central America and Brazil, where tropical forest has been converted to grazing land
because cattle raising offers export earnings that help with external debt payments.
6. Translate the text into Vietnamese.
49

B4.2. Read the Vietnamese text and answer the questions.

NON NC
Cha ng ta ung nc sng Hng, Sng , Sng Cu Long v tng sng cht vi sng nc
ny. Cc bn th ngh xem rt t ngn ng trn th gii li c s thng nht nh ting m ca chng
ta. Vit Nam th nc ( trong sng, h, bin,) li ng ngha, ng m vi nc trong ngha t
quc qu hng. Sng nc v con ngi y kt hp vi thin nhin v lch s nh mt khi bt t
bt dit bi mt th xi mng trng tn. l lng yu nc thng ni ca dn tc Vit Nam. Trn
th gii, c nhiu quc gia t tnh n sang tnh kia ni l khng hiu nhau ri. Nhng Vit Nam, d bt
k u, ngi Nam k Bc, h gp nhau ln u ni l hiu nhau ngay.
1. What is the authors purpose of writing this text?
2. What is the text about?
3. How many times have you read the text to understand it completely?
4. Do you have any difficulty in finding the English meaning of the Vietnamese words: cha ng, sng
cht, s thng nht, kt hp cht ch, xi mng trng tn, lng yu nc thng ni, hiu nhau?
5. Do you have any difficulty in finding the equivalent English structures of the following Vietnamese
sentences?
c. Cc bn th ngh xem rt t ngn ng trn th gii li c s thng nht nh ting m ca chng ta.
d. Nhng Vit Nam, d bt k u, ngi Nam k Bc, h gp nhau ln u ni l hiu nhau ngay.
6. Translate the text into English.

50

ASSIGNMENT 5
A5. THEORY
1. What are the goals of the translator as he prepares the initial draft?
2. What is the purpose of the evaluation?
3. What kinds of evaluation checks can be made?

B5. EXERSISES
B5.1. Translate the following sentences into Vietnamese.
1. In the human history, science has been seen as having a mission to liberate people from ignorance
and superstition, to lessen human misery, and to increase human understanding of the world.
2. The News Atlantic hailed the scientists of the time as merchants of light who would penetrate the
darkness and open the way to mans control over nature. At that time, utopian invetions such as
aircrafts, submarines, and telephones were foreseen.
3. People involved in the computer industry believe we are experiencing a computer revolution. Why is
this revolution occuring? What will be its social consequences? To answer these questions, it is
necessary to consider briefly the history of computers.
4. The forerunner of modern computer goes back some 5000 years to the first calculating machine
invented by the Chinese - the abacus. Until the 17th century, Europe had nothing to rival the abacus
for speed and accuracy of calculation.
5. Computers were developed simultaneously in Germany, England and the USA to aid the speedy and
accurate calculations necessary to decode the enemys messages during the Second World War.
6. Many of the jobs now being performed by people in the manufacturing and service sectors of our
economy can be done faster and more cheaply by modern computers or electronic devices controlled
by computers.
7. Robot machines are replacing assembly line workers in manufacturing. They have already done so in
the Fiat car factory in Italy and the Nissan car plant in Japan. By 1980, 50 robots were in use in
Australia by companies such as General Motors, Ford, Nissan and Simpson Pope.
8. Firms that do not adopt the new computer technology are enable to compete with their cheaper
electronic rivals. Such has been the fate of the US $200 million a year Swiss watch industry, which was
wiped out by electronic watches in a couple of years.
9. With the mechanization of some work processes, the new factories initially resulted in large-scale
structural unemployment. Previously, much sought-after, skilled, cottage industry artisans suddenly
found themselves redundant and de-skilled by the new technology.
10. The heroic image of science grew through the 18th and 19th centuries. The Industrial Revolution,
which started in England in the late 18th century, strongly reinforced faith in a technological society,

51

although the social costs and benefits were far from equal share.
B5.2. Translate the following sentences into English.
1. Vnh Dung Qut nm pha ng bc huyn Bnh Sn tnh Qung Ngi. Vnh c chiu di 18 km
v c che ch kn o bi cc dy ni t nhin.
2. B pha nam vnh l mt vng t bng phng, c kt cu a l n nh vi din tch hng chc
cy s vung.
3. Ni y s hnh thnh cc khu cng nghip nng v ho cht, nh my lc du, khu ch bin hi
sn, khu ch bin nng sn, khu cng nghip nh v mt khu dn c th hin i vi khong
60 vn dn.
4. Mt iu kin thun li na l Dung Qut nm cch ng b, ng st, ng ti in v cp
quang xuyn Vit khong 12 km. Vic cung cp nc ngt cho khu ny l ht sc thun li vi tr
lng l 3 t mt khi/nm, vi ngun nc t sng Tr Bng.
5. Ngy nay chng ta ang tri qua mt cuc bin i x hi rt su sc nh s thay i trong cuc
cch mng cng nghip ln th nht. Do vy, vic nh ngha li khi nim vic lm c l l cn
thit.

ASSIGNMENT 6
A6. THEORY
1. Name some kinds of errors that a translator could make when he/she translates a text.
2. Why does a translator often make structural and lexical errors when he/she translates a text?
3. Give some examples of errors in word collocation that a translator could make when he/she translate
a text.

B6. EXERCISES
B6.1. Translate the following sentences into English.
1. Do ph sa bi p ca dng sng Cu Long lm phong ph va la y p ny, tng trng
cho ngun lng thc ca c nc cng nh phong cch sinh hot k cn sng nc ca c dn
trong vng.

52

2. T nhng dng sng rng ln n nhng mng rch mnh mai ch tin cho nhng chic
thuyn nh b ra v, sng Cu Long cho ta mt cnh quan honh trng khi n chy vo Vit
Nam, trm cui cng ca hnh trnh 4500km ni ca ng bin ng.
3. iu ng qu l kiu bo lun hng v T quc, gn b vi gia nh qu hng, t nc, yu
qu v gi gn bn sc vn ho v hun c nn tnh cch con ngi Vit Nam.
4. Ngoi vic gip ngi thn nc nh, nhiu kiu bo cn ng gp xy dng qu hng,
hng ng vic cu tr nhng ni trong nc b thin tai v tham gia cc vic ngha vi truyn
thng nhiu iu ph ly gi gng.
5. Trc nm 1988, nh hng ca h thng ngn hng i vi s pht trin v qun l kinh t v
m l khng ng k.
6. khuyn khch h thng ngn hng hot ng c mc ch hn, Chnh ph ra cc bin
php mi bao gm t chc li h thng ngn hng, a vo cc chnh sch tn dng hn nh,
chnh sch mi v li sut v cho php t do bun bn vng trn th trng.
7. Chnh ph xc tin mt cuc ti thit ton din v lng bng ca cng nhn vin nh nc
bng cch chnh n li nhng khon bao cp cho ngi tiu dng trn danh ngha hoch nh
li ch lng.
8. Mc d mc lng ti thiu hng thng tng, nhng lng thc t vn gim xung ng k do
lm pht.
9. Cuc iu tra do Hi Ph n Vit Nam tin hnh cho thy rng nhng phng php trnh thai
truyn thng ang c p dng rng ri.
10. Cuc iu tra cho thy rng 39% ph n c gia nh dng phng php hin i, phng php
thng dng nht l t vng trnh thai.
B6.2. Translate the following sentences into Vietnamese
1. The nuclear energy proponents also pressed the theme that it was inevitable that the world would
increasingly go nuclear. It is suggested that the opponents were standing against the tide of history
and were akin to the Luddites at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, who broke machines.
2. Doctors have shown for the first time they can rebuild the immune systems of people infected with
the AIDS virus, dramatically increasing the blood cells that HIV destroys.
3. In the field of medicine training, what was done in the past years has been remarked by distinguished
fact that many specialists and medical colleges in different countries set forth the necessity for
reconsidering training subjects for health workers.
4. Today, the physicians should be considered as men of health. Hence, the responsibility of the
physicians is to know how to discover, cure, and rehabilitate the health of the individuals and the
community.

53

5. It is obvious that a healthy body helps a sound mind because it is the sound minds that direct the
orientation of the values systems. A healthy man should be healthy not only physically but also
mentally.
6. Nowadays people are inclined to worry too much about their physical health. However, I would like
to lay stress on the importance of psychological health. Being mentally healthy is very important, and
a truly healthy man is one who can enjoy the proper equilibrium between his body and mind.

ASSIGNMENT 7
Translate the following texts into English
1. Nhng thnh tu ca qu trnh i mi trong thp nin va qua to ra nhng c hi cho ph
n t c mc ch ca mnh. Cuc sng ca ph n c ci thin v ph n bt nhc
nhn hn. Cc dch v x hi gip ph n bt nhc nhn trong cng vic nh v to iu kin
cho ph n tham gia vo cc hot ng x hi.
2. Hi Ph n Vit Nam i din cho ph n Vit Nam trong c nc i mi t chc v cch
lm vic v vy thu ht ngy cng nhiu ph n tham gia vo cng tc x hi. Hi Ph n gip
cho ph n gii quyt nhng kh khn trong cuc sng hng ngy. Hi cng trnh ln Nh
nc nhng iu lut v chnh sch nhm pht huy mi tim nng ca ph n trong tin trnh
i mi.
3. Nhn ra nhng nhn t to nn vic hc ngoi ng nhanh v hiu qu ngy cng tr nn quan
trng v a s ngi hc l ngi ln rt lo lng khi hc mt ngoi ng chuyn ngnh s dng
trong thng mi, nghin cu v ngoi giao. Nhu cu hc mt ngai ng c hiu qu cn
c xem xt theo kha cnh ngi hc, ngi dy v chng trnh ging dy.
4. Sc hp dn ln nht i vi du khch l bn sc vn ha ca dn tc Vit Nam. Hng nghn di
tch lch s, di tch cch mng c Nh nc xp hng, trong hng trm di tch c gi tr
lch s v ngh thut cao. Vit Nam l mt cng ng ca 54 dn tc vi nhiu phong tc, tp
qun, vn ha ngh thut dn gian c sc. S hin din ca hng trm lng ngh truyn thng
sn xut ra hng nghn loi sn phm th cng m ngh ni ting.
5. Nu du khch n vi cc vng dn tc thiu s th cn c th tham d vo nhng sinh hot vn

54

ha k th ca vng ni rng nhit i. Mt l hi m tru chng hn. S phi c mt trc l

hi hng tun cng ngi dn i tm tre sa nh rng, lm cy nu xua ui ma qu.
Trong nhng ngy du khch cn c quan st cch chn cc v ru cn v nht l vic
chn tru m.
6. Phc li x hi l chnh sch x hi ln ca Vit Nam da trn truyn thng tng thn tng i
gip ln nhau c t ngn xa. Nguyn tc c bn ca chnh sch ny l kt hp trch nhim
ca Nh nc, ca cng ng v mi c nhn t vn ln ha nhp vi x hi. Chnh sch ny
ang tng bc m ra cho mi i tng vi nhiu hnh thc khc nhau.
7. S lc hu v nguy c tt hu hn v kinh t ang l ni trn tr canh cnh trong lng mi ngi
Vit Nam trong nc cng nh ang sinh sng nc ngoi. Nu tt hu xa hn c ngha l
ri vo s phn ca mt nc cung cp nguyn liu v nhn cng trong s phn cng lao ng
quc t, chu lp v, thua thit trong hp tc cnh tranh. thc l mt thch thc ln i vi
dn tc Vit Nam trong bi cnh quc t ngy nay.
8. Bn cht nhn vn ca trng phi ngoi giao Vit Nam l mt nt c th. Mc d l nn nhn
ca bit bao nhiu cuc xm lc, nhng ngi Vit Nam khng bao gi mt i lng nhn i.
Hn th na, chnh lng nhn i l nhn t to nn sc mnh ca dn tc v nn ngoi giao Vit
Nam. Nguyn Tri, ngi anh hng dn tc ca th k 15 li phng chm lu truyn cho
mi n hm nay:
Ly i ngha thng hung tn
Ly ch nhn thay cng bo.

ASSIGNMENT 8
Translate the following text into English
C l Bc Kinh l ni tp trung quyn lc chnh tr nhng Thng Hi cng c quyn t ho l mt
th thng mi. Bc Kinh c l l ni tp trung quyn lc chnh tr nhng danh hiu mt th
thng mi li thuc v Thng Hi. Nhng a im lch s ch mi c t gn 80 nm trc Thng
Hi, tuy th hu ht du khch u b chinh phc trc v quyn r ca thnh ph c bit ny, ni m

55

mi trng l tt c. Ch ring ci tn Thng Hi cng dy nn mt ln sng nh nim thch th v

tn.
Thng Hi vn l mt thnh ph nh chuyn ngh nh c v dt. Mi cho n na th k 19 khi
n bt u pht trin nh mt trung tm cng nghip v thng mi. Nhng ngi ch hng bun v
cc ng c vin chnh tr t khp ni trn th gii v y v pht trin n thnh mt trong nhng
thnh ph quc t snh iu nht th gii. T nhng nm 1920 tr i, n tr nn ngy cng tai ting
nh l mt ni m bt c vic g cng c th xy ra.
Cc ngn hng v cc cng ty thng mi loi t xy dng cho h nhng tr s chnh sang
trng trng ra ni m sau l nhng cnh ng la mnh mng tri di hai b sng Hong Ph. Ton
b di t ny vn cn tn ti sau nhng thi k san bng t v ngy nay n lm nn mt bo tng
m c o v kin trc ca nhng nm 1930. Mt cuc tn b dc b l khng th thiu i vi
nhng ai n thm ni y. Du khch khng th b qua mt cuc tn b dc b khi n thm ni
y, ni m vn c nhiu ngi cng nhn l thnh ph trng im ca Trung Quc. Nhng to nh
chc tri, bao gm mt vi to nh cao nht th gii mc ln chnh ni m xa kia la tng
mc. im ni bt nht l thp truyn hnh Hn Ngc Vin ng - nu thi gian cho php, mt ci nhn
ton cnh t nhng tng cao ca thp s l mt k nim kh qun.
Di s nhng b ca ngi Php trc y, tng on qu kh nh vn cn hin hu u
trong nhng bit th tao nh v nhng con ng rp bng cy. Vng qua gc , khch sn Ho Bnh
v ban nhc Jazz ng knh ca n l nhng chng tch ni ting ca mt thi k ho hip. Nhng
Thng Hi cng cn c nhiu khch sn tuyt vi khc t nhng nm 1930, phn ln ang c phc
hi nhng nt ng yu t thi hong kim trc y ca chng.
Thng Hi s hu mt trong nhng bo tng tht s ln ca th gii, c m ca vo nm
1996. Trong mt thi gian ngn khng th tham quan ht to nh gi tr ny c, nhng thm ch ch
cn mt gi trong nhng phng trng by ng, iu khc v gm cng em li nhng
k nim kh phai.

56

ASSIGNMENT 9
Translate the following text into Vietnamese
In a keynote speech at Hanoi National University (HNU) yesterday, leader Jiang urged the youth of
Vietnam and China to work for strengthening the friendship between the two coun-tries and contribute to
peace and development in Asia and the world.
A bright future will be created by you, the young people, and the future belongs to you, the Chinese
General Secretary and State President told the students. Jiang stressed that a better future awaited ChinaVietnam relations in the 21st century, and joint efforts by the youth of both countries cannot be separated
from this. The younger generation in both our countries must stick to their ideals and work tirelessly for
socialism, he said.
The youth of China and Vietnam need to inherit and bring into full play the revolutionary spirit of their
elders, to be persistent in ideology, study hard, to strive for the cause of developing socialism, and for the
wealth and prosperity of their respective motherlands, he said. He expressed his hope that the Chinese and
Vietnamese young people will cherish, maintain and promote China-Vietnam relations, have more
exchanges and learn from each other to enhance mutual understanding. He pledged that the Chinese party
and Government would fully back such exchanges.
In history, both Vietnam and China have suffered invasion by the imperialists but we both successfully
fought off the imperialists, liberated our peoples and unified our countries, said Jiang. He said that the
friendship between Vietnam and China derives not only from history but also the fact, as noted by Ho Chi
Minh, that the two peoples are comrades and brothers. The foundation of China-Vietnam ties was mutual
trust, long-term stability, the precondition, and friendly neighborliness, the guarantee, he said. Comprehensive co-operation is the bridge and the target a prosperous future, he added.
Jiang left Hanoi yesterday Central Vietnam where he toured the ancient imperial capital of Hue,
recognized by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, and met with leaders of the port city of Nng. He
is scheduled to visit the ancient port town of Hoi An and the Hoa Tho Textile Company before concluding
his three-day visit to Vietnam.

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ASSIGNMENT 10
Translate the following text into English
i vi mt t nc cn nhiu kh khn nh chng ta, th vn tit kim chng lng ph phi
lun c coi l quc sch. Nhng trong thc t, nhng nm qua khp ni, vn cn trn lan nhng hin
tng lng ph. No l lng ph trong qun l, s dng ngn sch, lng ph trong u t xy dng c
bn, lng ph trong qun l t ai, tr s lm vic, lng ph trong lnh vc doanh nghip Nh nc v
ri lng ph cn len li trong dn chng vi nhng th tc ci xin y tn km,
Lng ph thc s v ang l vn bc xc ca x hi, l mt trong nhng nguyn nhn gy
nh hng ln ti nn kinh t ca t nc. Bi v trong nm u (1998) sau khi c php lnh thc hnh
tit kim, chng lng ph c U Ban Thng V Quc Hi kha X thng qua ngy 26-02-1998 v c
hiu lc thi hnh t ngy 1-5-1998, qua s liu bo co ca 12 B, c quan ngang B, s chi thc nm
1998 gim so vi quyt ton nm 1997, c th nh: Hi ngh ph: 12,8 t ng; cng tc ph: 12,43 t ng,
chi ph in thoi, fax: 9,57 t ng; chi ph sa cha ln TSC: 80,94 t ng; chi mua sm ti sn c
nh phc v chuyn mn nghip v: 153,7 t ng. D ton NSNN nm 1999 tip tc thc hin tit kim
10% d ton chi thng xuyn. Mt s khon chi thng xuyn gim mnh t 30% n 70% nh chi
mua sm thit b lm vic, chi hi ngh l tn
Nhng s liu gim chi trong khi thc hin Php lnh thc hnh tit kim chng lng ph thi
gian qua, thc s l nhng con s bit ni, cho thy tn hiu ng mng v s chuyn bin trong cng
tc ny, song iu cng chng t by lu nay vic chi tiu cn qu bung lng, nn tht cht li cc
khon chi tiu l vic cn lm.
Qua thanh tra ti chnh, bo co quyt ton hng nm pht hin nhiu c quan n v hnh
chnh s nghip, doanh nghip vi phm cc nguyn tc qun l hnh chnh. Mt trong nhng vn chi
tiu c coi l bc xc v c th ni l ht sc tn km hin nay l: Chi tiu i vi cc l n nhn
hun huy chng, ngy thnh lp ngnh, hi tho Mi cuc nh m nh vy tn khng bit bao l
tin ca, no tin thu hi trng, tin n ung, qu biu Vo dp cui nm ny, ngi ta cn thy cc
nh hng cht kn bi cc thng hu ht l cc cn b ch ngi dn thng th ly u ra
ngn qu m vui v nh vy! Trong khi cuc sng ca nhng ngi dn t do cn ang vt v bn
chi tng ngy vi nhng chi tiu hn hp th vic tit kim chng lng ph trong c ch chi bao cp l
vic nht thit cn phi lm.

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ASSIGNMENT 11
A11. Translate the following texts into Vietnamese

Text 1
GAZA CITY - Israel and Palestinians negotiated through the night in what US envoy Dennis Ross
termed "a good evening of work" aimed at breaking an impasse over Israel's delayed pullout from the West
Bank town of Hebron. Ross left Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's office early yesterday - three hours after he
arrived but negotiators stayed behind to corntinue talks.
"The meeting was positive (and) constructive," Arafat said. He added that he and Ross "solved some of
the obstacles which were between me and him," apparently referring to his own suggestion last week that
Ross was biased toward Israel.
Ross, who was to leave later yesterday, agreed that "We had a good set of discussions." Referring to the
negotiations, he said : "This has been a good evening of work, but there are still issues to be overcome."
Inside Arafat's headquarters, the Palestinian team led by chief negotiator Saeb Erekat continued deliberations
with Israel's delegation, led by Maj. Gen Shaul Muhfaz and Yitzhak Molcho, a top advisor to Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu. The talks began on Sunday afternoon in Jerusalem and moved to Gaza. Israeli media
speculated that if the meeting was successful, Ross might delay his departure and Netanyahu and Arafat
might hold a summit either yesterday or today. Israel was to have pulled out of Hebron - the last West Bank
city under occupation in March, but delayed it after a series of terrorist attacks in Israel. Netanyahu, a
hardliner elected in May, has delayed the pullout further, trying to tighten security for the 500 settlers who
live in the town of 130,000 Arabs. The Palestiians have refused to reopen the existing agreement, and also
seek to link the Israeli redeployment to a further pullout elsewhere in the West Bank that was also promised
in the signed autonomy accords.
In Hebron on Sunday, the army rounded up about 100 Palestinians after two fire bombs were thrown
at a Jewish enclave without causing injuries. They were questioned and held at gunpoint for about an hour,
but most were released. The army spokesman said several Palestinians were arrested. A Palestinian walking
past the Beit Hadassah enclave was hit and injured by a metal ladder that fell or was thrown from the roof,
and he was taken to the city hospital.

Text 2
HCM CITY - The number of foreign tourists arriving in Vietnam has been increasing year after year.
On average, it grows by 30 per cent a year, according to recent statisties released from Vietnam Tourism
Administration. Though the number of tourists is on the rise, occupancy rates of hotels have dropped
significantly as compared to previous years. Over the past six years, joint venture hotels and guest houses
operated at an average capacity rate of 85 to 90 per cent. They are now operating at a capacity rate of only
60 per cent. A rate which is much worse than that of state-owned hotels and private guesthouses.
One of the main reasons for the decline in hotel capacity rates is the muchrooming of joint venture

59

hotels which has caused severe competition among hotels for roomrates and hotel services. Several hotels
have become burdens to their owners, with low gross earnings and high taxes, many are about to be forced
to close down. Most foreign visitors have come here eager to experience something new and to travel to
places of wild and natural beauty during their stay. For this reason, Vietnam's tourist industry needs to
reorganise its management and set goals in order to satisfy the current demands of tourists.
Though there has been growth in the number of tourists over the past several years, the number of
visitors that come for a second visit is low. It is evident that the attraction of Vietnam's tourist industry is still
inadequate and tourist sites, transport and accommodation facilities have not yet reached international
standards.The country now has some 22 provinces and cities which have completed detailed master plans for
tourist resorts. However, these projects are yet to be developed and are still under discussion. Even though
each year the government has spent tens of billion of dongs on upgrading national historical relics and tourist
resorts, due to a lack of management expertise and investment knowledge, these sites have failed to help
boost the development of the tourist industry. To improve quality of tourist resorts and to boost hotel
operations, Vietnam's tourism industry now requires more investment from the government.
B11. Translate the following text into English
Cng ngy cng c nhiu ngi Vit Nam tm cch i hc nc ngoi bng chi ph ring ca mnh.
T gia nm 1992 n thng 5 nm nay, s ngi t b tin ra hc cn t, nhng hy vng s lng s
tng trong vng 5 nm ti v nn kinh t Vit Nam tt hn v Chnh ph hp l ha cc th tc lm cho
vic hc t tc d dng hn. Nhng cuc qung co ln nht nhm thc y nhng ngi Vit Nam
mnh dn u t tin bc cho bn thn hoc con ci ca mnh c hc trong mt nn gio dc t
chun quc t l nh vo vic m mt cuc trin lm c bit v gio dc nc ngoi t chc ti
thnh ph H Ch Minh v H Ni trong hai thng va qua. c gi l Educasia, cuc trin lm
cao cc trng i hc, cc trng hng nghip v cc nh cung cp thit b trng hc ca cc nc
Anh, Php, c, Hoa K v Thy S. Cuc trin lm cp n chng trnh o to v nn gio dc m
cc sinh vin t tc Vit Nam ang tm kim v li gii p ca nhng c s o to ny nc ngoi
i vi nhng thc mc ca sinh vin. Cc kha hc v vin thng,xy dng bng c gii, ngnh khch
sn du lch v nu n c c bit cao. Cho n by gi hu ht nhng sinh vin Vit Nam i
ra nc ngoi hc thm theo hc bng quc t hay ca mt Chnh ph nc ngoi cp. Hng nm Vit
Nam gi i khong 77 sinh vin v 100 chuyn vin bc cao ra nc ngoi thng qua nhng chng
trnh hc bng c chnh thc bo tr. Phn ln nhng sinh vin i hc t tc i hc Nga, mt s
i cc nc ng u v mt s rt t i hc H Lan, B, Hoa K, an Mch v Thi Lan. Nhng vo
thng t nm nay, cc sut hc bng ring dnh cho cc sinh vin nc ngoi Nga v ng u
tm ngng.
Hin nay c nhng iu kin dnh cho sinh vin Vit Nam mun hc nc ngoi l phi tt
nghip ph thng v phi theo hc cc kha hc ngoi ng ph hp v phi c kin thc v vi tnh. Tuy
nhin vn cn thiu nhng thng tin v cc rc ri m sinh vin t tc nc ngoi thng gp phi,
c bit l vn v thi gian v trnh m cc kha hc i hi. c nhng lng ph v thi gian
cng nh tin bc khng th trnh khi.

60

ASSIGNMENT 12
A12. Translate the following text into Vietnamese
The United States is a country of immigrants. These immigrants come from all over the world. They
speak many different languages. In the past, new immigrants had a hard time in American schools. They
could not understand their school work in English, so they often became discouraged and dropped out of
school. They were not able to get good jobs without a good education.
Now, many schools in the United States have bilingual programs. ("Bi" means "two" and "lingual"
means "language".) For example, a school with many Spanish-speaking students might have a bilingual
program. The Spanish-speaking students study their subjects in both English and Spanish. A school with a
large Chinese population might have an English Chinese bilingual program. Students in bilingual programs
continue their general education and learn English at the same time. After a period of time, they can take all
of their classes in English with English speaking students.
Bilingual education is "controversial." This means some people like it, and other people do not like it.
The people in favor of bilingual education say, "It helps students to understand their school work in history,
mathematics, science, etc., at the same time, they are learning English." These people say bilingual education
helps students succeed in school. They can get better jobs and be better citizens after graduation. The people
against bilingual education say, "It's a waste of time and government money. English is the national language
of the United States." Everyone living in the United States, they say, should learn to speak English as quickly
as possible. They say, "Bilingual education is too expensive." In other words, the government spends too
much money on bilingual education. They want to put the money for bilingual programs into English
programs. In such programs, everyone will learn English a lot faster. At least, those against bilingual
education think so.
B12. Translate the following text into English
Ngi ngho thng c nhiu con hn nhng ngi thuc gii trung lu v thng lu. V dn
cc nc km pht trin th c nhiu con hn dn ca cc nc pht trin. Ngy cng c nhiu chuyn
gia v dn s thy c mi quan h khng kht gia s con trong gia nh v s pht trin kinh t.
Ti mt vi vng, dch v k hoch ha gia nh ca Chnh ph c l khng c i vi dn ngho
do iu kin a l. Chng hn nh ngi dn nng thn sng qu xa trung tm k hoch ha gia
nh. Do vy h khng nhn c thng tin v cch thc hn ch sinh . Nhn chung th dn thnh th
c nhiu thng tin hn dn nng thn. Dn thnh th c h tr dch v k hoch ha gia nh v h
c gia nh t con hn. V th chng ta c th ni rng v tr a l ni m ngi dn sng ng mt vai
tr quan trng trong vic quyt nh mt gia nh nn sinh bao nhiu con: Gia nh sng thnh th th
c t con hn gia nh sng nng thn.
Nhng l do khc l g? S pht trin kinh t gia nh, hay mt phm vi ln hn l ca mt nc,
l mt nhn t quan trng trong vic quyt nh s con trong gia nh. Ngi c nhiu tin th c t con.
Ngc li, ngi ngho nc km pht trin mun c nhiu con. Ti sao? Do h phi l thuc vo s

61

chm sc ca con ci khi v gi. H khng c bo him, tin hu, hay s gip ca Chnh ph. Khi h
gi c th ai s gip h. Cu tr li rt n gin. H c th v s quay sang nh con ci gip . Con ci
ca h by gi tr thnh ngi ln v ang i lm vic. Tt c con ci ca h u phi chia s v
gnh vc trch nhim chm sc cha m. i vi nhiu ngi ngho, mt gia nh ng con l mt cch
thc hoch nh cho tng lai. Chng ta c th ni rng gia nh ng con l ngun bo him cho
tui gi.

ASSIGNMENT 13
Translate the following text into English
Cc nh xut khu c uy th ca Trung Quc ang cha tm ngm ca mnh vo Vit Nam. Nhn
ra nc lng ging phng nam nh chn mui cho mt k hoch qung co trong vic mua sm
hng ha tiu dng v my mc, cc nh qun l iu hnh Trung Quc pht biu nh th vo hm
th nm. H ni trong bui l khai mc hi ch t chc ti H Ni: Nhng Vit Nam c mt kinh
nghim lu di trc khi nhn ra hng xut khu ca mnh vo Trung Quc tng ln khi mt vi sn
phm l c th xm nhp vo th trng Trung quc m rng hn. Khong 60 cng ty Bc Kinh
trng by nhng mt hng ca h t chi bng nha r tin v cc trang tr cho n cc loi xe
c ti hi ch H Ni, mt hi ch u tin trin lm cc mt hng Trung Quc k t khi hai nc c
quan h tr li vi nhau.
Jeep-Bc Kinh, mt lin doanh sn xut t Trung-M, hi vng s chen chn vo th trng xe hi
ang ln mnh ti Vit Nam, nhng ang i mt vi mt s cnh tranh khc nghit vi th trng xe
hi Nht Bn xy phng tuyn xung quanh y, ng Guo Fengli, ph ch tch cng ty Xut nhp
khu t Bc Kinh pht biu nh vy. Theo li ca ng Guo th Th trng y ang m ra kh
nhanh cho cc sn phm ca chng ti, c bit l khi gi c ca chng ti thc s cnh tranh c vi
cc i th ca chng ti. BAIEC ang mong mun thit lp quan h mu dch vi Vit Nam nhng
cng ang phi i u vi vic tm kim cc mt hng thch hp bun bn, mc d l ng Guo ngh
l c th tm ra li gii p cho mt vn bnh thng.
Cng ty Trung Quc d kin trao i xe hi ly lng thc v s lng thc ny s em bn
Nam Trung Quc. Tuy nhin h vn thch trao i nhng mt hng c gi tr cao hn. Chng ti khng
bit nhiu v nhng g m Vit Nam mi cho. ng Guo ni n iu ny, mt quan im c cc

62

nh doanh thng khc nhc li nhiu ln. Nhng ngi nn nng bn hng hn l mua hng. Vic
bun bn qua bin gii tng vt k t ngy hai nc m li bin gii vo nm 1991. Ni mt cch
chnh thc th, vic bun bn hai chiu c gi tr khong 500 triu la d cho vic bun bn bt hp
php c th cao hn nhiu. Trung Quc c hng mt gi tr thng d to ln. Trong chuyn ving
thm Trung Quc tun trc, Ph th tng Phan Vn Khi ku gi hai bn thay th vic bun bn qua
bin gii bng nhng tha hip chnh thc gia cc cng ty thng mi v cc nh ch to m cch lm
ny s lm tng gi ca cc sn phm Vit Nam. Vit Nam mun y mnh hn na vic xut khu than
v du kh cho cc trung tm sn xut ang bng pht Nam Trung Quc, ni xa ngun nng lng
ca Trung Quc c hng ngn cy s. ng Phan Vn Khi cn nhn mnh thm v gi go v cc mt
hng thc phm khc v pha Vit Nam nhp nhiu hn na cc my mc ch to v cc cng ngh
khc ca Trung Quc.

ASSIGNMENT 14
Translate the following text into English
Dn s ca Rp Saudi l 8.853.000 ngi. a s l nhng ngi Rp Hi gio. Hay ni cch
khc, h l nhng tn Hi gio. Rp l mt quc o, v vua ca nc ny va l mt ngi lnh
o chnh tr va l mt nh lnh o tn gio ca t nc. o lut ca Chnh ph a ra l lut ca
Hi gio, v ngn ng ca nc ny l ting Rp. o Hi rt quan trng i vi nn gio dc ca
Rp. Trc nm 1950, hu nh ton b nn gio dc ca Rp l nn gio dc tn gio. Hc sinh hc
Kinh Koran, sch kinh thnh ca o Hi. Chng phi c gng nh nhng iu trong cun sch ny
cng nhiu cng tt. Trc nm 1949, khng c bt k mt trng cao ng hay i hc no m ch c
mt vi trng tiu hc v trung hc nc ny.
Vo nm 1953, Chnh ph Rp thnh lp B Gio Dc. y thc s l bc m u cho mt nn
gio dc hin i cho nc ny. Khi nhng k s pht hin ra du Rp th t nc ny tr nn giu
c. Cc nh lnh o ca nc ny bt u nhn thy rng cng ngh phng Ty l cn thit gip
t nc pht trin. Cc nh lnh o vn tin rng nn gio dc tn gio l rt quan trng, nhng mt
nc hin i khng th pht trin cng ngh m ch da vo mt h thng gio dc tn gio truyn
thng. H quyt nh b sung cc mn hc khc vo h thng gio dc. H mun kt hp nn gio
dc tn gio truyn thng vi nn gio dc cng ngh hin i ca Phng Ty.

63

Tn gio vn l mt yu t quan trng trong nn gio dc ca Rp. Tuy nhin hin nay hc sinh,
sinh vin Rp cng hc tt c cc mn hc khc nh: ngn ng (c bit l ting Anh), lch s, khoa
hc, ton hc, vi tnh v.v.. Trc nm 1950 ch c 20.000 hc sinh, sinh vin Rp. Nm 1982 con s
ny ln ti 1.780.000. H thng gio dc ca Rp pht trin nhanh hn bt k mt nc no trn th
gii. Tt c cc trng hc Rp l min ph, Chnh ph cng cho sinh vin cao ng v i hc thm
tin nhm ng vin h. Tuy nhin cc nh lnh o tn gio khng thch cho ph n i hc. H cho
rng ph n c hc c th gy nhng nh hng xu cho gia nh v x hi. Do vy, lm cho cc
nh lnh o tn gio chp nhn cho ph n i hc th Chnh ph phi t vic gio dc ph n theo
cc tn ch ca cc nh lnh o tn gio.
Ph n theo hc cc trng Cao ng v c bit l theo hc cc khoa v ph n cc trng
i hc dnh ring cho ph n. Gio vin y l n, v khng c gio vin n nn Chnh ph cho
php gio vin nam ging dy ph n Rp thng qua phng tin truyn hnh. Trc ht, ph n
theo di cc bi ging trn v tuyn v sau h c th ni chuyn vi thy gio qua in thoi hi
v nhng thc mc. Thy gio v sinh vin n khng c php gp nhau. Sau khi tt nghip, ph n
Rp c nhiu c hi xin vic ging nh nam gii. H tr thnh cc gio vin, bc s, cc nh hot ng
x hi, cc nh khoa hc v nhiu vic khc na. Ni lm vic hu nh cng tch ri ph n vi nam
gii. iu c ngha l ph n v nam gii khng c php lm vic cng mt ch ch tr bnh
vin. Ph n Rp mun c nhiu c hi tm vic lm hn nhng mt vi ph n khng mun cng
lm vic vi nam gii. Trong mt bi bo gn y ng trong mt tp ch c tn gi Tp Ch Trung
ng, mt vi sinh vin n ni rng h thc s khng mun lm vic cng nam gii.

ASSIGNMENT 15
A15. Translate the following text into Vietnamese
After getting high on the hopes of striking black gold off the shores of Vietnam, the world's oil giants
have now glumly awoken to the hazards - the immense coot of investment and, so far, the meagre rewards.
The mood was subdued among foreign companies exhibiting their technological wares this week at the
second International Oil and Gas Fair in Hanoi.
"The results aren't bad, but they, are not as great as some had hoped," said Melchior de Matharel, head
of Southeast Asia operations with the French firm Total. If caution is now the watchword, disappointed

64

foreign petroleum companies may draw comfort from the recent. "encouraging" discoveries of oil made by
Mitsubishi Oil and the Malaysian firm Petronas Carigali, and of gas made by British Petroleum (BP), off the
coast of southern Vietnam.
"Oil exploration is plainly hazardous. But the good news is that the Vietnamese basin is oilbearing",
Matharel said. Prospectors enthusiasm was abruptly dampened last May, when BHP Petroleum of Australia
announced the reserves at the Dai Hung (Great Bear) site, 375 kilometers (235 miles) southeast of Ho Chi
Minh City, were far smaller than projected. BHP initially estimated the site to contain 700 million to 800
million barrels of oil, but has now downgraded it to 100 million to 200 million. Production is scheduled to
begin neat month, at a modest level of 25,000 barrels per day. That was a tough-blow for BHP. It has already
invested 240 million dollars in Vietnam - and half of it went into the first phase of the Dai Hung project.
BHP headed an international consortium, selected in April 1993, to develop the field at a total cost
estimated at 1.5 billion dollars. BHP holds 43.75 percent of the consortium, with Petronas holding 20 percent,
and state-owned PetroVietnam 15 percent. The remaining 21.25 percent share is equally split between Total
and the Japanese firm Sumitomo. For the moment, it is the Japanese - the main buyers of Vietnam's crude oil
- who appear to have had the best luck. The Japan Vietnam Petroleum Co. (JVPC), a branch of the
Mitsubishi Oil group, announced in June a "very promising" discovery at the Rang Dong (:Dawn) site.
According to the results of an exploratory well, the field may be "of the same caliber" as neighbouring Bach
Ho (White Tiger) the only site now being commercially exploited in Vietnam. Bach Ho's reserves are
estimated at a maximum of :300 million barrels.But et will take at least another year and other drillings to
precisely determine the scope of the Japanese discovery, industry experts in Honoi cautioned.
Pessimists say it will take four to five years in all to gauge Vietnam's oil potentially. Gas exploration and
exploitation have also proven to be a risk business, although fortune has so far smiled on British Petroleum,
which announced in September the discovery of two gas pockets, estimated to be 57 billion cubic metres
(1,995 billion cubic feet), in Nam Con Son, south of Ho Chi Minh City. BHP and the Norwegian national
company, Statoil, bought shares in the offshore concession, held by the Indian state firm Oil and Natural Gas
Co. (ONGC), in 1992. The consortium, with ONGC holding 55 percent, BP 30 percent. and Statoil five
percent, has conducted exploration and tests under a sharedproduction contract with PetroVietnam, which in
turn has taken a five percent stake on the interests of each of the European partners.
B15. Translate the following text into English
Vic hng hc ca mt b phn tu v tr con thoi iu khin bng phn lc vo hm th t buc
c quan NASA phi hon mt cuc kho st tri t bng radar khi chuyn bay nghin cu mi sinh 10
ngy ca tu Endeavour bay qua mc na phi trnh.
C quan Qun tr Hng khng v Khng gian Quc gia cho bit vn ny l mt tr lc i vi
phng th nghim Radar tr gi 384 triu la, nhng khng gy ra mt nguy him no i vi cc nh
du hnh v tr. Cc vin chc ni rng b phn chm in t kim tra nhin liu b hng, khng pht
hin c mt h thng r r trong b phn y b nghi l nguyn nhn lm ngng hot ng nm b
phn khc gi l vcn (verniers) cn thit chnh li cho ng ng i ca tu con thoi trong qu

65

o v ch dn chnh xc kh c trong khoang hng n mc tiu trn hnh tinh. Kelly Humphries, ngi
thuyt minh chuyn bay, vo chiu hm th t gi s gin on mang tnh khoa hc ny l s ngh
tm thi trong lc cc k s trn mt t vi ngh ra mt cch cc my tnh ca con thoi khng
n b phn kim tra nhin liu b hng.
Theo ng Rich Jackson, Gim c iu khin chuyn bay th con tu Endeavour vi 38 b phn y
ln hn s tiu th qu nhiu nhin liu v loi tr iu mong i con tu s lm lan ra tai ha thin
nhin quanh a cu. Vo chiu hm th t, tu con thoi bay theo phng thc t li (hoa tiu t ng)
v phi hnh on lm vic theo hai ca sut 24 gi lin k t lc ct cnh khi Florida vo hm th
su, hng mt gi ngh gii lao bt ng. ng Jackson d on rng khong phn mm s sn sng
lm vic vo chiu th ba, khong 24 gi sau khi trc trc k thut xy ra. Ni vi cc phng vin ti
trm kim sot chuyn bay ti Houston, ng Jackson cho bit: B phn cht hng v nhm kim sot
chuyn bay ang l vic rt tch cc phc hi vic kim sot cc vecn v gim thiu nh hng
trong thi gian c s c.
Cc nh khoa hc ni rng s trc trc ny khng lm h hng cc hnh nh, nhng s phi mt
mt thi gian lu n gp nm ln x l cc d liu ra a v my tnh ca chng.

ASSIGNMENT 16
Translate the following text into Vietnamese
Britain is divided into 651 constituencies and people in each constituency select one person to represent
them in the House of Commons. The simple majority system of voting is used in parliamentary elections in
Britain and voting is by secret ballot. There are moves to have this changed to a preferential system.
Voting is voluntary. All British people who are 18 years of age or over and not legally barred from
voting can vote. Members of the Royal Family peers and peeresses who are members of the House of Lords
and foreign nationals are not allowed to vote. People who are disqualified include those who are kept in
hospital for mental health reasons people serving prison sentences and people convicted within the previous
five years of corruption.
CANDIDATES
Anyone aged 21 or over holding British citizenship, or a citizen of another commonwealth country or

66

the Irish Republic, who is qualified. May stand for election to Parliament. People who are not qualified are
members of the House of Lords, elegy of the Church of England, Church of Ireland, Church of Scotland and
the Roman Catholic Church. Neither are bankrupts, public servants and officials and those who have been
sentenced to more than one years imprisonment. Candidates in a constituency have to pay a sum of money,
about 1,000, as a deposit and if they get at least 5% of the votes they will get the money back.
GENERAL ELECTIONS
In theory, the election for or seats in the House of Commons takes place every five years. But, elections
are usually held before the end of the five-year term. The Prime Minister has the right to decide when to hold
a general election. Then the queen formally dissolves parliament and calls for the election of the new one.
Britain is divided into areas called constituencies of roughly equal population. General elections often
happen on a Thursday and people still go to work as usual. Therefore, the hours of voting are flexible, from
07:00 to 22:00; to give voters are given a ballot paper with the names of the candidates for that constituency,
usually in alphabetical order, and sometimes with a brief description of the candidates backgrounds or their
parties. After that, spoiled ballots are eliminated. The legal ballot papers are counted and the candidate with
the most support is the winner and becomes the Member of Parliament for the constituency.
THE CAMPAIGN
Three weeks before a general election is the time for the campaign. The campaign takes place in every
constituency all over Britain. Candidates resort to different means to attract their supporters.
CANVASSING
Canvassing means local party workers go from door to door and ask people how they intend to vote. In
this way, candidates can know peoples voting intentions and attitudes so that they can adapt their campaign
tactics. Party workers also revisit those who have promised to support their party and urge them to do so on
polling day.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
Candidates have the right to hold public meetings whenever and wherever available during an election
campaign. They invite guests including influential members of their parties, and well-know people such as
writers, actors and actresses, who support them, to the meetings and try to influence voters. Such meetings
are often covered in detail by the media.
THE MASS MEDIA
Because newspapers and magazines in Britain are privately owned and financially independent of the
political parties, the owners and the editors can decide to support any party they like, but radio and television
are required to be impartial. News programs cover all aspects of the major parties campaigns. On these
occasions, candidates appear on television and radio day and night. They are televised in factories, school,
youth centers, and the farms, giving speeches about their party policies. Talkback radio allows people to pose
questions to political leaders, and reports and commentaries from journalists holding interviews with leading
figures from all the parties are broadcast.
MANIFESTOS

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The main parties publish manifestos during the election campaign. Manifesto are often launched by
each party at a press conference and inform people of their policies and what they will do if they win the
election. Manifestos might include the past achievements of the party and can attack the policies of the their
opponents.

ASSIGNMENT 17
Translate the following text into Vietnamese
Hanoi is trying to nearly double its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to US $1,100 per capita over the
next five years. The ambitious projection has been based on the current annual GDP growth rate of 11.9%.
Participants at yesterdays Hanoi Communist Party Con-ference were told if the current growth rate continues
as expected, it should reach 15 per cent by the turn of the century. This should translate into a doubling of
the GDP. The conference was also told the traditional rural and small industry base of the capital citys
economy had rapidly been replaced by industrial endeavor and the trading and services industries, and that
about 19% of Hanoi families could now be classified as well-off. Last years average GDP was estimated at US
$650 per capita compared with US $470 in 1991. The sharp rise was due to massive investments from both
foreign and domestic sources estimated as VND32,570 (about US $3.257 billion), according to a senior Hanoi
party official. Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Le Xuan Tung told participants at the
conference yesterday that part of the investment was spent on transfer of new technology and renovating
equipment in existing industrial plants. The major part of the investment, however, was for setting up new
joint ventures with foreign partners.
By the end of 1995, up to 210 foreign investment projects had been licensed to operate in Hanoi
involving US $3.3 billion of prescribed capital. Of this amount US $1.3 billion has been con-sumed, Tung
said. This has helped Hanoi along its chosen path to restructure its economic base towards industries and
services rather than rely on its traditional agricultural and small industry underpinning. The proportion of
industries and that of trade and services in Hanoi GDP in the 1991-1995 period rose sharply to 33.1% and
61.6% respectively. Meanwhile the agricultural share fell to just 5.3 per cent of the total GDP share, Tung
said. Tung said the change in the economic face of Hanoi was because of the sharp increase in the annual
growth rate for the past five years. He said that a growth rate of 11.9% was ensured year after year, which is
almost double the figure set for the same period by the Hanoi Party Committee back in 1991. Tung told
participants that by the year 2000 the growth rate would reach 15% per year and GDP per capita would be
estimated at US $1,100. By that stage the industrial share in Hanoi GDP should reach 40%, up 7% on the
current rate. Five industries have been targeted as the key industries for the city, Tung said. They include
mechanical engineering and electrical equipment production; textiles, garments and leather goods; the food

68

processing industry electronics; and construction materials.

In the next five years Hanoi would need up to US $9 billion in investment to develop new industrial
zones, renovate existing industrial zones and build more high rise buildings in the inner city for office space,
trade centers and entertainment centers. Hanoi has about 10 established and five new industrial zones. Many
of the existing industrial areas need intensive-investment to replace old technology, and expand their
premises for more plants. However the deputy party secretary for Hanoi reminded participants to the
conference that more effort was needed to keep development in line with what he termed as a socialistoriented market economy. Hanoi authorities had failed to pay due attention to the consolidation of socialist
production relationships while the administration at all levels remained weak and the role of the Party in
different economic and social organizations remained limited, he said.
Tungs comments were supported by Party General Secretary Do Muoi, who also addressed the
conference. The party leader told the Hanoi conference that despite its initial success, Hanoi should be more
aware of economic development and human resource development. About 6% of Hanois population
remained unemployed which, Do Muoi said, was a challenge Hanoi had to tackle. Part of the solution was to
set up production groups, which could be engaged in small industries and the services industry. Deputy
Secretary Tung said that in the 1991-1995 period the number of well-to-do families increased to nearly 19%
while those families classified as financially needy dropped to about two per cent.

ASSIGNMENT 18
Translate the following text into Vietnamese
Gardening is a traditional occupation in Vietnam and appeared at the same time or earlier than water
rice cultivation. But VAC (abbreviation for vuon (garden), ao (pond for keeping fish) and chuong
(husbandary) is an economic model that was introduced only 10 years ago. Foreigners who have come to
Vietnam to learn about VAC in Vietnam say it is not very efficient in production scale and performance, but
is a uniform cultivation model bringing both economic benefit and environmental advantages. From its first
days of operation VAC has continually cemented its role in the national economic development.
VAC now operates in 53 provinces, with over 10 million farmer households using the model. In recent
years, VAC has been expanded in most localities throughout the country. Tens of thousands of hectares (on
average) farms were set up in 13 midland and mountainous provinces) and orchards were expanded to
350,000-400,000 ha. This application of VAC became the main fruit suppliers for the country, simultaneously
meeting export demand. According to the FAO, Vietnam's fruit output is at nearly four million tones per
year, world's fruit output per capital at 65kgs, Asia Pacific 31kgs and Vietnam 61kgs. VAC has now become

69

significant for the country's poverty alleviation and hunger eradication campaign providing on-the-spot jobs,
prevention of malnutrition, permanent agriculture and settlement and for plantations for bare hills and barren
land.
Living standards of VAC households have improved greatly with revenue from VAC operations
usually providing 60% of household's total income. VAC output value accounts for one of third of agricultural
output value and will probably increase further. VAC has made rapid growth in the last 10 years, but has not
penetrated all rural areas. If intensive cultivation and crop specialization was carried out through out the
country, Vietnam's fruit output could reach 8 million tones per year in the 21st century. VAC should be
considered as a national agricultural program. If VAC is encouraged to reach its full potential, it will certainty
obtain further effective growth contributing to the national economy and the environmental protection.

ASSIGNMENT 19
Translate the following text into English
Hm th hai va ri, cc nh nghin cu cho rng h c bng chng kt lun rng phng
php iu tr thc nghim bng cch truyn huyt tng lm cho bnh pht trin chm lai cho bnh
nhn nhim HIV dng tnh v ko di thm thi gian sng cho cc bnh nhn AIDS. Tuy nhin, ng
Abraham khoa huyt hc ca H Cambridge, ni rng mc d cch cha bnh min nhim th ng
l s t ph trong vic iu tr bnh AIDS v khng gy phn ng ph no, th cng khng nn m t
n nh mt phng php cha tr. Trong phn trnh by ca mnh ti mt hi ngh Lun n ng ni:
Dt khot khng phi l mt phng php cha tr. Chng thy g l cha tr c, nhng hnh nh n
l hnh thc cha tr tt nht.
ng Karpas ni vic nghin cu ca Php v M v cch cha bnh min nhim th ng c
thng bo ti hi ngh lm cho nghin cu ban u ca ng vng chc hn. ng tuyn b trong
mt cuc phng vn qua in thoi rng: Vic nghin cu c tnh cht m mm v hn ch bng thuc
trn an chng t rng vic cha tr ny c li cho bnh nhn mc bnh AIDS v ko di thm thi gian
sng ca h. ng ni rng nhng nghin cu do cng ty Hemacare Califonia v hai bnh vin Pari
tin hnh cng cho thy rng cch cha tr min nhim th ng gip lm chm li s tn cng d di
ca bnh AIDS cc bnh nhn khi xt nghim they c HIV dng tnh - loi virt gy ra bnh cht
ngi ny. Qua cch cha tr min nhim th ng, hng thng cc bnh nhn c truyn na lt
huyt tng ly t ngi khe mnh c nhim HIV dng tnh. Mu c ly ht cc hng cu v bch

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hang cu v khng c vi rt HIV, nhng c scws khng trung ha cao dit c vi rt. ng Karpras
ni l ln u tin vo nm 1985 ng pht hin nhng ngi khe mnh nhng b nhim HIV c sc
khng ny mc cao trong mu trong khi cc bnh nhn AID S mt cc khng th trung ha ny c
kh nng chng li bnh truyn nhim. Bn bnh nhn Cambridge l nhng ngi u tin c cha
tr theo cch ny v sau cc th nghim trn qui m nh c tin hnh Lun n vo nm 1988
v 1989. Tuy nhin ng Karpras ni rng ng khng nhn c qu dnh cho cc nghin cu ny
nc Anh do vic nghin cu phi c tin hnh M v Php.
Th nghim ca Hemancare nghin cu tnh hiu qu ca cch cha tr min nhim th ng c
tin hnh trn 220 bnh nhn AIDS hn 3 nm. Trong 12 thng u cuc thc nghim cho thy mc t
vong gim rt nhiu trong khi bnh nhn c truyn huyt tng, trong khi bnh nhn trong nhm
kim ch bng thuc trn an khng c cha tr th t l t vong cao gp 5 ln. Nhm c iu tr c
1 ngi b cht trong s 21 ngi, trong nhm ngi c iu tr bng thuc trn an th c 6 trong
tng s 30 b t vong. Hn na, s bnh ly nhim do bnh AIDS gy ra thp hn nhiu trong nhm
c iu tr v chnh bn thn nhng ngi hin mu hnh nhh cng they c li. Cc nh nghin cu
cho rng vic hin mu c v nh kch thch vic sn sinh cc khng th trung ha trong mu ca cc
bnh nhn nhim HIV dng tnh. ng Karpras ni rng cc nghin cu ca Php cng em li nhng
kt qu tng t. ng ni l cc nghin cu tiu biu ca M v Php cho bng chng kt lun u tin
l cch cha tr min nhim th ng l mt phng php iu tr bnh AIDS hu hiu.

ASSIGNMENT 20
Translate the following text into English
Hm khc, b li k v mt gio s b bit. Vo mt m, ng ta thc gic v thy mt ngi l
mt ang da vo cui ging ng. Mt cht lo s, v gio s bnh tnh hi xem ngi mun g.
Tha, con mun xng ti, vi mt ging khn khn, ngi n ng p. V gio s bo ngi rng
hy i n sng mai v lc ny khng tin xng ti. Ngi n ng li tha: Ln trc con n
xng ti, nhng v xu h, con khng nhc n mt ti li con gy ra, v iu ny lun m nh
trong tm tr con cho n gi. V gio s bit y l mt trng hp rt ti t. Ngi n ng
thiu thnh tht khi xng ti v c l ng ta s phi nhn lnh ti cht. V gio s chong dy v chun b

71

o qun. n lc ting g bt u gy ngoi sn, ng nhn quanh nhng khng thy ngi u c, ch
ngi thy mi g chy. ng nhn li ging nhng cng khng thy du i bn tay ang b chy. L do
l v ngi n ng thiu chn thnh lc xng ti. Cu chuyn li trong ti mt ni kinh
hong. iu ti t nht l lc b Ryan by cho chng ti cch phn xt lng tm. Chng ta ku tn
c Cha Tri c v c khng? Chng ta c phi tho knh vi cha m khng? (Ti hi b ta l c
phi knh trng ng b khng v b bo l c!) C yu thng hng xm nh chnh cho bn thn mnh
khng? (Ti li ngh n s tin m Nora c c vo th su hng tun.) Tnh li th ti cng vi
phm 10 iu rn, tt c ch v b ni ti. V n by gi ti c th nhn ra rng chng no ni ti cn
trong nh ti, chng ti vn cn tip tc phm ti.
Ti s xng ti n mt hn va. Ngy c lp i, ti gi v au rng, hy vng s vng mt ca ti
s khng gy s ch . Nhng vo lc 3 gi, khi ti ang cm thy yn n th mt anh chng chy n,
cng vi li nhn ca b Ryan bo rng ti phi xng ti vo ngy th by ti nh nguyn cng vi
nhng ngi cn li. Ti t hn na, m ti khng i cng ti m li l Nora. Gi y, Nora c cch
lm ti au n m m khng h bit. Nora nm ly tay ti khi chng ti xung chn i, mm ci
bun b. Ch y t v thng hi ti nh th ch ang a ti n bnh vin cho mt ca m.
i Cha i! Xin hy gip chng con! Nora rn r. M cng chng c g ng tic v em u phi
l mt a b ngoan phi khng Jackie? i, Jackie, tim ch ang nhi au v em y! Em s ngh nh th
no v ti li ca mnh nh? Ny, ng qun xng ci ti em phm vi b y nh!
em i!, va ni ti c git tay mnh ra khi tay Nora. Em khng mun i xng ti u.
Sao li khng, em phi i Jackie ! Nora cng p li vi ging iu y v thng hi . Em
phi i, nu khng cha x s n nh tm em y. C Cha mi bit, ch khng cm thy ti cho em
cht no c. Em c nh ci ln em c git ch bng con dao ct bnh m khng? V c nhng li l
em ni na? Ch khng bit ri Cha s lm g vi em. C th Cha s gi em cho c Gim Mc.
Mi tn by gi ti vn cn nh l ti suy ngh mt cch cay ng n th no. Ti ngh nu ti
c i xng ti th ch y s khng bit n mt na nhng g ti s phi ni v lc y ti bng hiu ti
sao ci anh chng trong cu chuyn ca b Ryan xng ti mt cch khng thnh tht. Dng nh ti
cng cm thy rt xu h v mi ngi khng ngng ch trch anh chng y. Ti vn cn nh nh in
ci i c con dc dn xung nh th. Ti cn nh c nhng nh t dng tri di hai bn ngn i
nm xa xa ci thung lng bn b sng. Trong cnh tng y, khi quay nhn li nhng khong khng ca
nhng ngi nh nm cch nhau, ti bng lin tng n ci nhn cui cng ca Adam v vn a
ng.
Khi Nora ko ti xung ht nhng bc tam cp n sn nh th, ch y bng i ging. Nora
tr nn hung d v c c nh chnh con ngi tht ca ch y. n ri , Nora ct cao ging rt t

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mn ri quay mnh ngi i nhanh vo ca nh th. Khi sp bc i, ch khng qun nm mt cu na:

V tau hi vng Cha s cho my c tht nhiu kinh hi li. ng l h n. Ri th ti bit mnh
b lc lng tht s. Ti ang ng trc Ta phn xt. Khi ti bc vo, cch ca vi nhng knh y
mu sc bng ng sm sau lng ti, nh mt tri vt tt nhng ch cho bng ti thm su. Gi c
xo xc bn ngoi lm cho s im lng bn trong dng nh v ra lnh gi di chn ti. Nora ngi ,
i din vi cu b Jackie bn cch ta xng ti. Trc Nora c thm hai c gi na. Ri bng nhin,
mt bng en trng rt thm hi ang i n ng sau lng ti c nh th kp ti vo gia ti
khng th no thot c du ti c can m n u. Ci bng en mi n - mt ngi n ng ng , vng tay li, mt di ln cao cu nguyn vi mt ging rt i thng hi. Lc y ti t hi
mnh liu ng y c phi l ngi cng ging ni ti khng. Bi v ch c b mi khin cho mt chng
trai phi c x mt cch thm thng nh vy. Nhng d sao anh y vn tt hn ti, t ra anh ta n
y xng ti. Cn ti, c th ti s khng xng ti mt cch thnh tht, ri ti s b cht i trong
bng m v lin tc tr v ph phch c.

ASSIGNMENT 21
Translate the following texts into Vietnamese

Text 1
Generally, after a time of stagnation, HCMC' s private textile embroidery industry has recovered and
develop somewhat since 1991. Yet development is not stable because most private units work according to
foreign orders. Consequently, they can't control their production plan, and labour price for making garments
is limited by foreign partners (the labour cost of 1995 is equal to 65-70% of that in 1991-1992). Due to the
very nature of the industry, the average wage of those working in this branch is only about VND 400,000 per
month. Under the current fierce competition, the amount of 15% of total wages for social insurance and 2% for
medical insurance that enterprises must contribute, if the proposed social insurance scheme comes into effect,
will push up production costs to very high levels, making it difficult for Vietnamese ventures to compete
effectively and occupy the market.
To help private textile embroidery businesses survive, Mr. Nam has suggested, the State should amend

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the contribution rate of non-state ventures to Social Insurance schemes, as follows:

Social Insurance: 10% by enterprise, 3% by employee.

Medical Insurance: 1 % by enterprises, 1% by employee

The State should also issue a regulation concerning employees who are trained and recruited by an
enterprise, and are obligated to work for at least two years. It is necessary that employees working at nonstate
ventures should be given a work card. Employer agreement may be required if an employee want to leave
his or her job. All members of HCMC's Textile-Embroidery Association agree on the implementation of
contributing a part of total wages to Social and Medical Insurance, in compliance with the Labour Code.

Text 2
Business leaders of big companies in HCMC have voiced difficulties they are facing with in the fierce
competition against foreign companies, especially world giants. At a meeting on "How to encourage foreign
investment and protect domestic produc-tion" held in HCMC last week, producers of Tico and Lux
Detergent, P/S Cosmetics, Tribeco Soft Drink, Viet Thang Textiles, Saigon Beer and HCMC Poultry
Company, had the same opinion that local enterprises are not in an equal footing in competing with foreign
counterparts as they do not enjoy tax incentives as foreign-invested enterprises.
Only a year after the US embargo was lifted, soft drink giants such as Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola, which
have enjoyed superior advantages in capital, marketing policies and prefe-rences under the Foreign
Investment Law, have gradually eaten into the market shares of local producers. Other products are also in
the same situation. Saigon Beer has to compete fiercely with breweries of foreign joint ventures. Local
detergent producers, although capable of meeting domestic demand to the year 2000, have driven into the
corner by giants such as Procter & Gamble and Unilever.
To protect domestic production, local producers have proposed several measures to the Government.
First, the State should devise specific development plans for foreign investment in terms of business field and
geographical area and should not encourage foreign investment in products, which local enterprises can
produce such as soft drink, detergent, paper and cigarettes. Second, licenses should be granted only to JVs or
100% foreign-owned enterprises, which involve in projects requiring large capital, advanced technology or
producing goods for export. Third, a law should be enacted against unfair competition that can lead to
monopoly, dumping or price inflation that does not benefit consumers. Fourth, there should be a policy to
encourage domestic investment and to grant domestic enterprises the same tax incentives as foreign investors
enjoy. Fifth, a campaign to motivate local consumers to use domestic goods should be launched, creating
conditions for domestic enterprises to develop.

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ASSIGNMENT 22
Translate the following text into English
Ngi ngho thng c nhiu con hn nhng ngi thuc gii trung lu v thng lu. V dn
cc nc km pht trin th c nhiu con hn dn ca cc nc pht trin. Ngy cng c nhiu chuyn
gia v dn s thy c mi quan h khng kht gia s con trong gia nh v s pht trin kinh t.
Ti mt vi vng, dch v k hoch ha gia nh ca Chnh ph c l khng c i vi dn ngho
do iu kin a l. Chng hn nh ngi dn nng thn sng qu xa trung tm k hoch ha gia
nh. Do vy h khng nhn c thng tin v cch thc hn ch sinh . Nhn chung th dn thnh th
c nhiu thng tin hn dn nng thn. Dn thnh th c h tr dch v k hoch ha gia nh, v
h c gia nh t con hn. V th chng ta c th ni rng v tr a l ni m ngi dn sng ng mt
vai tr quan trng trong vic quyt nh mt gia nh nn sinh bao nhiu con: Gia nh sng thnh th
th c t con hn gia nh sng nng thn.
Nhng l do khc l g? S pht trin kinh t gia nh, hay mt phm vi ln hn l ca mt nc,
l mt nhn t quan trng trong vic quyt nh s con trong gia nh. Ngi c nhiu tin th c t con.
Ngc li, ngi ngho nc km pht trin mun c nhiu con. Ti sao? Do h phi l thuc vo s
chm sc ca con ci khi v gi. H khng c bo him, tin hu, hay s gip ca Chnh ph. Khi h
gi c th ai s gip h, cu tr li rt n gin. H c th v s quay sang nh con ci gip . Con ci
ca h by gi tr thnh ngi ln v cha m. i vi nhiu ngi ngho, mt gia nh ng con l
mt cch thc hoch nh cho tng lai. Chng ta c th ni rng gia nh ng con l ngun bo
him cho tui gi ang i lm vic. Tt c con ci ca h u phi chia s v gnh vc trch nhim chm
sc.

ASSIGNMENT 23
Translate the following text into Vietnamese
Indonesia will face a record food deficit this year as a result of lower harvests and a financial crisis that
has raised the cost of imports, two UN food agencies said yesterday. In a joint report, the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the world Food program (WFP) said large-scale international assistance

75

would be needed to meet a short fall in rice, the country's main staple food.
"FAO - WFP urge donor countries to assist Indonesia in managing its drought-and financial crisisrelated food problems " the report by the two Rome-based organizations said. Steep food price increases and
rapidly growing unemployment were adding large numbers of people to those already living below the
poverty line, the report added. "Approximately 7,5 million poor Indonesians in 15 provinces may experience
acute food short ages during the upcoming dry season". said the report on the world's fourth - most populous
country whose economy has been shattered. The report was based on findings of an 11 members mission
from the two agencies, which visited the country from March 9 to April 1 in 1998. This years yield would be
about 47.5 million tones, 3.6 percent below last year's production.
The shortfall was due to one of Indonesia's worst droughts this century. The report said the Indonesian
government planned to import about 1.5 million tones of rice between April and September but this would
still leave a deficit of two million tones. The shortfall would have to be made up by the international
community in order to help the country to revive its battered economy. The major challenge facing the
country was to ensure the food supply for some 7.5 million poor people since rice and overall food prices
have increased by about 60 percent in the last 12 months, the report said.

ASSIGNMENT 24
Translate the following text into Vietnamese
Vietnam on Wednesday said it would join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) next
year, dispelling speculation that Hanoi might put off membership until it was better prepared.
"Vietnam is now actively preparing all necessary conditions to become a full member of ASEAN next
year," Deputy Prime Minister Phan Van Khai told business people over lunch organised by the Switzerland based World Economic Forum (WEF), which is hosting a three day meeting here. Khai said that Hanoi
would also participate in other regional organisations and would join the 17 - member Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) forum "When it is possible". In Jakarta, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Vu Khoan
was quoted as saying that his country would file an application for ASEAN membership by the end of this
month or early in November. Khoan, who was speaking after meeting Jakarta-based ASEAN Secretarygeneral Ajil, Singh, said he did not expect any difficulties in joining, as quoted by the Antara news agency.
APEC's members include the ASEAN countries - Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,

76

Singapore and Thailand - as well as the United States, Canada, Japan and China. An informal APEC leaders
meeting will be held in Indonesia next month. Vietnam, which gained observer status in ASEAN in 1992,
has said it is keen to become a full member of the group, which has ambitious programs for cooperation,
including the launch of an ASEAN Free Trade Area within 10 years. ASEAN officials had hoped that
Vietnam might join ASEAN before leaders of the group's six current members hold their next summit in
Thailand in December 1995.
"There are already regulations for cooperation in ASEAN. Once we are a member we will follow all
regulations," Khai told reporters later, adding that Hanoi would work with others in Southeast Asia to ensure
regional peace. Khai said his government would push ahead with reforms to improve conditions for foreign
investment by putting a new legal frame-work and better administrative procedures in place. "We deeply
understand that Vietnam is facing great challenges of global economic competition and so must try hard to
do away with the danger of being left far behind by neighbouring countries, "he said.

ASSIGNMENT 25
Translate the following texts into Vietnamese
1. Ngnh sn xut pht trin ng k trong thi k ti thit nn kinh t ca Philippines sau Chin
tranh Th gii th II. Vic kim sot hng ho nhp khu ca Chnh ph thc y s pht trin
ngnh cng nghip nh sn xut cc mt hng tiu dng cho th trng trong nc. Vo nhng
nm 70, Chnh ph xy dng bn c khu kinh t nhm tng cng sn xut hng ho xut
khu. Cc ngnh cng nghip trong cc khu ch xut ny c khuyn khch sn xut cc mt
hng xut khu truyn thng. Nhng c khu kinh t ny thu ht vn u t ca nc ngoi
vo Philippines mt phn nh vo chnh sch min thu cho cc doanh nghip c vn u t
nc ngoi. Xy dng thnh cng nhng c khu kinh t ny to tin cho s ra i cc khu
cng nghip c qui m ln hn. Chng hn nh, cn c hi qun Subic Bay ca M trc y
nay tr thnh mt khu thng mi-cng nghip khng l Manila. Mt khu cng nghipthng mi ln vi c s h tng hin i v c min thu thu ht cc ngnh cng nghip
sn xut hng xut khu v u t nc ngoi.
2. Vit Nam n lc duy tr s n nh chnh tr x hi, pht trin kinh t v quan h ngoi giao
trong nhng nm gn y. Nhng thay i tch cc ca lut php nh hng khng nh n
tnh hnh sn xut, ti chnh v thng mi. Nh nng nghip thch ng vi th trng t do nn

77

Vit Nam c xp l nc xut khu go ln th hai trn th gii sau Thi Lan. Ti Thnh ph
H Ch Minh v vng ph cn nhng hot ng dch v v sn xut pht trin v thay i
nhanh chng. Kinh t pht trin mnh mt phn nh vo ngun u t vn v cng ngh ca
gn 2 triu Vit kiu cc nc trn th gii. a s h quay tr v Vit Nam u t v lin
lc vi b con.
3. Ch 1 nm sau khi lnh cm vn ca M c bi b, cc cng ty nc gii kht khng l nh
Coca-cola, Pepsi-Cola c hng u i v vn, chnh sch tip th v cc u i khc theo lut
u t nc ngoi, nn cc cng ty ny dn dn thm nhp th phn ca cc nh sn xut
trong nc. Cc sn phm khc cng ri vo hon cnh tng t. Bia Si Gn phi cnh tranh
quyt lit vi cc cng ty bia lin doanh vi nc ngoi. Cc nh sn xut bt git trong nc,
mc d c th p ng nhu cu trong nc n nm 2005, nhng li b cc cng ty khng l
nh Procter&Gamble v Unilever dn vo th b.
4. bo v vic sn xut trong nc, cc nh sn xut trong nc ngh vi Chnh ph mt
s bin php. Th nht, Nh nc nn c k hoch pht trin dnh ring cho vic u t nc
ngoi v lnh vc kinh doanh v phn b theo vng a l v khng nn khuyn khch u t
nc ngoi vo vic sn xut ra cc sn phm m cc doanh nghip trong nc c kh nng sn
xut c nh nc gii kht, bt git, giy v thuc l. Th hai, vic cp giy php nn c p
dng cho cc cng ty lin doanh hay cc doanh nghip c vn u t nc ngoi tham gia vo
cc d n i hi c nhiu vn, cng ngh cao hay sn xut cc mt hng xut khu. Th ba, l
nn c mt o lut chng i vic cnh tranh khng lnh mnh c th dn c quyn kinh
doanh, ph gi lm hi ngi tiu dng.
5. Trong ting Vit, t nc va c ngha l quc gia, va c ngha l nc, mt lin kt v
ngn ng m mi rng buc cng thy r rng sau mt chuyn i thm vng t ph nhiu nht
Vit Nam: ng bng sng Cu Long. Do ph sa bi p ca dng sng Cu Long lm phong
ph va la y p ny, tng trng cho ngun lng thc ca c nc cng nh phong cch
sinh hot k cn sng nc ca c dn trong vng. i vi du khch, ng bng sng Cu Long
l mt trong nhng a ch tham quan p nht ng Nam , kt hp ci k o ca vng sng
nc lung linh vi cnh quan y phn khi ca mt nn vn ho vui ti th hin qua cch sinh
hot ca dn a phng cng hot ng thng mi. Trong khi nhng thnh ph ln nh Cn
Th, M Tho, Long Xuyn lp thnh th vng cho cc tnh ca ng bng sng Cu Long th
mng li knh rch mnh mng li l ci duyn c mt khng hai ca vng ny. Sinh hot vui
nhn ca vng ny khng ging my vi cch sinh hot ca Thnh ph H Ch Minh. Tuy nhin
iu khng c ngha l phi kh khn lm mi ti c ng bng sng Cu Long thot
khi ci n o no nhit ca thnh ph ln nht Min Nam ny. Ch mt chng ba gi ng h
bng xe trn Quc l 1 l bn l bn n M Tho, th ph ca tnh Tin Giang v l im xut
pht tt cho cuc thm d vng ng bng ny.

78

CHAPTER III

ASSIGNMENTS
KEYS

79

ASSIGNMENT 1
B1. EXERCISES
B1.1.
1. change of form
2. change of meaning
3. change of form
4. change of form
B1.2.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

5.change of form
6. change of form
7. change of form

8. change of meaning
9. change of meaning
10. change of form

the jug contains water/ the jug of water.

a car was bought by John/ John owned a car/ A car belonged to John.
the day is hot/ the day, which is hot.
a blue long dress of mother/ mother has a blue long dress.
the house of Peter/ Peter is the owner of the house/ Peter owns the house C.

B1.3.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

the place where doctor works/ the doctor owns the office
someone is treated by the doctor
the doctor owns the book
the relative of the doctor/ the kinship
the hand is part of the doctor
the doctor owns the house

B1.4.
1. the same in meaning
2. different in meaning
3. the same in meaning
4. the same in meaning

5. the same in meaning

6. the same in meaning
7. the same in meaning

8. different in meaning
9. the same in meaning
10. different in meaning

ASSIGNMENT 2
B2. EXERCISES
B2.1.

1.b

2.a

3.a

4.a

5.b

B2.2.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Foreign tourists usually at Kinh Do Hotel for this hotel has been recommended by their friends.
Since the USA lifted the embargo against Vietnam, many foreign countries have been investing in Vietnam.
Hue is famous for its delicious dishes and beautiful landscapes.
The participants discussed the causes of pollution environment.
A motorcycle rider was robbed at Kampung early yesterday morning.

B2.3.
B2.4.

1. Where did you have/ get your shirt made?

2. Da Lat, which is surrounded by the great/ imposing hills and mountains, takes up/ covers/ is situated in a large
area on the Lam Vien Plateau.

80

3. Despite the great improvement in the woman status, other things must be done to improve womens health,
nutrition and education.

4. Nowadays, the world has been facing a number of serious problems in spite of the fact that there have been
dramatic progress in science, technology and knowledge. One of the problems is the population
explosion/boom in the developing countries. The population is growing in geometric progression while thee
production of goods is growing in arithmetic prgression .

5. Charles Dickens, who belongs to the school of critical realism, is one of the greatest novelists in the world.
What we value in his works is the criticism about evils and the contrast between the wealth and poverty in the
English bougeois society of his time. The world he describes is that of the middle and lower classes in London.
B2.5.
1. Thac Mo is a hydroelectric works with a designed of 150.000 KW, annually produce 600 million KW/h has an
average annual output of 150.000 KW/h.
2. To construct this, nearly 15 million cubic meters of earth and stone must be dug up and banked up; over
350.000 cubic meters of filtering layers were embanked; about 220.000 cubic meters of concrete were used and
nearly 7.000 tons of equipment and metal structures were installed.
3. Despite such enormous volume, the government has decided to have the construction finished in two years
since the demand in power supply of southern localities has become very pressing.
4. So far, the construction units have carried out about 90% of the dug-up earth volume, concreted some 40% of
the concrete volume.
5. According Mr. Nguyen Ba Man, head of the work managing committee, nearly all the basic items have met the
demand in construction speed.
6. In mid November 93, the Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet came to inspect the building of Thac Mo Hydroelectric
works.
7. The field leaders assured the Prime Minister that they already have grounds to ensure the opera-tion of
Turbine 1 in June 1994.
8. The task of blocking the current of Song Be River will start in December.
9. Thus, there will be a significant coincidence when Turbine 1 of Thac Mo Hydroelectric Plant starts operating.
The North-South 500 KW transmission line will also be completed simulta-neously.
10. With these sources of power in 1994, the South will basically free itself from the hunger for electricity.
B2.6.
1. Mc d k t nm 1990, Ngn sch Nh nc dnh cho cc trng hc c tng ln nhng vn cn rt thp so
vi nhu cu trang b y cho trng hc v ci tin cht lng o to.

2. Tng thng Putin khng nh rng nc Nga lun coi trng mi quan h vi Vit Nam, ngi bn truyn thng v l
i tc chin lc ng Nam .

3. Ngi ta lp d n tng thm c hi hi nhp cho 3000 tr em khuyt tt ba tnh, mt vng ni, mt vng
duyn hi Min Trung v mt vng su vng xa

4. H tho lun mt lot cc bin php nhm mc ch bo m s hp tc ton din v kinh t, thng mi,
khoa hc v k thut.

5. Ngi ta ang thc hin mi n lc nng cao nhn thc ca ph n v vic h c quyn c hng s an ton
lao ng, hay iu kin v sinh lao ng thng qua mng li truyn thng m rng.

6. R rng rng cc trng hc cc tnh pha nam c nhiu phng my v phng thc hnh c dng vo vic
ngoi ng hn cc trng cc tnh pha Bc.

7. c bn d n u t nc ngoi cho gio dc. Vn u t ch yu t Ngn Hng Th Gii v Ngn hng Pht

81

trin Chu .

8. 38 trong s 50 sinh vin ngoi ng c bo Vietnam Courier ni rng h khng thch lm vic cho cc cng ty
c nc ngoi u t.

9. Vit Nam v Trung Quc ng m cc cuc m phn k kt mt hip nh v lnh th v bin gii v mt
hip nh v lnh hi trc nm 2000.

10. Mi y Chnh ph da ra bin php khch l nh gim thu hoc cho vay u i cho nhng ch nhn s dng
nhiu cng nhn n.

ASSIGNMENT 3
B3. EXERCISES
B3.1.
1. Since early in the last lunar month, Tet has already roamed around the vicinities of Hanoi.

2. The peasants in the suburbs are probably the ones to feel the presence of Tet before anyone else because all
their tasks from taking care of vegetables, fruits, grass, flowers to fattening pigs and poultry are for Tets sake.
3. Moving down from Kinh Bac, we will see immense fields of flowers especially gladioli of all colors.

4. Adjacent to the inner city are flower districts: Nhat Tan, Nghi Tam, Quang Ba with a number of varieties: dark
pink peach blossoms, juicy golden kamquat, purplish violet and bright red gerbera.

5. A few year ago, here was a vast land of flowers sufficiently meeting the need of ornamental plants for Hanoi
people.

6. The local inhabitants have long been artisans devoting their lives to growing flowers.
7. It is a regret to see the narrowing flower acreage due to a change in business of a number of artisans.
8. Some have sold their land and left their occupations forever. Others have turned to building luxury villas
rented out as mini hotels to foreign tourists with their own capital or in cooperation with those who have
capital.

9. Stores and shops have musroomed, selling all kinds of goods from the most popular to the top-graded ones.
10. No wonder why Hanoi has changed and been developed in the open-door time. Hopefully, Hanoi and its
people will always deserve the land of age-old culture.
B3.2
1. Mn trnh din chnh ca l hi l mt mn din mang tn t Lnh Chim u c trnh din ng thi ba sn
khu ln khu trung tm.

2. Ton b khu vc quanh n tp trung c kn ngi, ch cha mt khong nh cho nhng nghi l c tin hnh.
3. gim bt chi ph trong vic tng kh nng tip cn ca tr em tn tt vi gio dc, Chnh ph pht ng
chng trnh gio dc v hi nhp cng ng.

4. Trong nhng nm gn y lp li trt t cng cng, H Ni di mt s khu ch tm n nhng vng c

qui nh. Nhng trong s 4 khu ch c qui nh, th ch c ch ng Tm c di t khu dn c ng a
sang khu vc i La.

5. Ngoi vic u t t ngn sch Nh nc, tt c cc trng hc phi tm cc ngun ti chnh khc mua dng
dy hc. Tuy nhin, cc ngun ny ch bng 13% ngn sch Nh nc dnh cho cc trng ph thng v 21% cho
cc trng i hc.

6. Tng thu nhp ngn sch Nh nc t xp x mc ra ban u. Nhng ngun chi tiu bnh thng vn c m
bo, trong khi cc khon chi bt thng cho cc vng b bo, lt, hn hn vn c thc hin. Vic thm ht
ngn sch Nh nc c gi mc cho php l 3,6% tng thu nhp quc ni vo nm 1998, thp hn nm 1997 l

82

4,2%.

7. S pht trin kinh t ca Vit Nam phi c xt trong hon cnh chin tranh ko di. Hon cnh chin tranh y
gy ra nhiu thit hi v sinh mng v ti sn cng nh cc cng trnh cng cng v ti nguyn.

8. Mng li truyn hnh ang xy dng rng khp c nc. Ngoi nhng i truyn hnh tng i hin i, c t lu
i nh i truyn hnh H Ni v Thnh Ph H Ch Minh, cn c 25 i thuc cc tnh c thnh lp vo nm
1988. Nhng i truyn hnh ny s truyn nhng chng trnh quan trng ca i truyn hnh Trung ng v pht
chng trnh ca i mnh.

9. Hi Lin Hip Ph N Vit Nam c c i din Quc Hi v Ch tch hi c quyn tham d cc cuc hp
thng k ca Hi ng B trng by t quan im ca Hi v ngh nhng iu l lin quan n ph n.

10. Gia nh Vit Nam chu nh hng r rt ca nn vn minh nng nghip. Do chnh sch m ca, nn vn minh cng
nghip ang tc ng tng ngy, tng gi vo cuc sng gia nh Vit Nam.

ASSIGNMENT 4
B4. EXERCISES

NN PH RNG

B4.1.

S gia tng dn s l mt nhn t gy ra nn ph rng nhit i. Tuy nhin, nu cho rng vic m rng mt nn nng
nghip t cung t cp nui sng nhiu ming n hn l nguyn nhn chnh, th y l mt gii thch v cn c. i b
phn rng Chu M La-tinh, ng Nam v Thi Bnh Dng b tn ph l do vic khai hoang trng cc loi nng sn
xut khu v do cc hot ng bun bn g, ch khng phi do nn du canh, du c v t in gy nn. Hng nm hot
2

ng bun bn g ph hu 4500 km rng, phn ln g c xut khu sang M v Nht.

Mi lin h gia nn ph rng v nhu cu thnh lp x hi phn vinh c thy r nt nht Trung M v Brazin ni
nhng cnh rng nhit i b bin thnh ng c chn th v vic nui gia sc mang li cc khon li nhun xut khu
gip tr n nc ngoi. Khon n nc ngoi khng l ang nng ln vai dn ngho ch yu c dng trang tri cho
cc khon mua sm xa x ca Chnh ph v qun i. Vic xy dng cc in trang chn th rng ln l nguyn nhn chnh
2

dn n vic ph hu 2000 km rng nhit i hng nm Trung v Nam M. t khai hoang ch yu dng cho vic nui b
xut khu phc v cho ngnh cng nghip thc n nhanh Bc M, Chu u v Nht - vng xng vi tn gi l vng giao
lu hamburger.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
B4.2.

to give information
about Vietnam,its language and people
It depends on the leaners ability.
yes/ a bilingual dictionary and the context could help to discover the meanings of these words.
yes
COUNTRY

Our ancestors drank the water from the Red River, Da River, Me Kong River and tried hard/ spare no pain to
protect them. Just think about the fact that very few languages in the world enjoy the uniformity as in the case of our
mother tongue. In Vietnam, the word nuoc (in the river, lake and sea) have a synonym and homonym of the word
nuoc signifying homeland. Here like an immortal bloc the rivers and people are closely linked to the nature and
people by a kind of everlasting cement. That is the patriotism of the Vietnamese people.
In the world, there are many countries where people cannot communicate with one another when they travel
from one province to another. In Vietnam, on the contrary, no matter where they are from, the north or the south,
people are able to understand one another right at the first meeting.

83

ASSIGNMENT 5
B5. EXERCISES
B5.1.
1. Trong lch s loi ngi, khoa hc c xem nh c s mnh gii phng con ngi khi s ngu dt, s m tn, gim
i ngho v tng tm hiu bit ca con ngi v th gii.

2. T N.A ca ngi cc nh khoa hc ca thi i l cc nh truyn b nh sng, nhng ngi s xua tan bng
m v m ra con ng cho con ngi chinh phc thin nhin. Trong thi k , nhng pht minh khng tng
nhmy bay, tu ngm v in thoi c d bo trc.

3. Nhng ai quan tm n ngnh cng ngh my tnh tin rng chng ta ang tri qua mt cuc cch mng v my
tnh. Ti sao cuc cch mng ny xy ra? iu ny c mang li hu qu g cho x hi? tr li nhng cu hi ny,
cn pha s lc v lch s my tnh.

4. My tnh u tin - bn tnh, do ngi Trung Quc pht minh cch y 5000 nm l tin thn ca my tnh hin i
sau ny. Cho n th k th 17, Chu u cha c g c th snh bng bn tnh v tc cng nh chnh xc
trong tnh ton.

5. My tnh c pht trin ng thi c, Anh v M tng thm tc cng nh chnh xc trong tnh ton
cn cho vic gii m thng ip ca k th.

6. Ngy nay, nhiu cng vic trong cc khu sn xut v dch v do con ngi m trch c th c thc hin nhanh
hn v t tn km hn nh s tr gip ca cng ngh my tnh v cc thit b c my tnh kim sot.

7. Ngi my ang dn thay th cng nhn trong dy chuyn sn xut nh nh my ch to t Fiat ca v Nissan
ca Nht. Vo nm 1980, 50 robot c cc cng ty ca c s dng chng hn nh hng General Motors Ford,
Nissan v Simpson Pope.

8. Cng ty no khng s dng cng ngh my tnh u khng th cnh tranh c vi cc i th p dng cng ngh
ny. Bng chng l s tht bi ca cng nghip sn xut ng h Thu S trong 2 nm va qua do b ng h in
t cnh tranh nn tht thu 200 triu mi nm.

9. Cng vi vic c gii ho mt s qui trnh sn xut bc u gy ra nn tht nghip vi s lng ln. Nhng
ngh nhn lnh ngh trong ngnh tiu th cng nghip vn khan him trc y nay bng dng t h cm thy
tha d v thiu k nng trong nn cng ngh hin i.

10. Nhng tng khoa hc v i ny pht trin vo th k 18 v 19. Cuc cch mng cng nghip Anh vo cui
th k 18 cng cng c nim tin vo mt x hi khoa hc k thut mc d li nhun x hi thu vo khng b c
chi ph x hi b ra.

B5.2.
1. Dung Quat Bay is to the northeast of Binh Son District, QN Province. It is 18 km long and is protected by
mountain ranges.
2. To the south of the bay is an area of flat land having geographical structure with an area of tens of square
kilometers.
3. Here will be formed/established heavy industry and chemical zones, oil refineries, sea pro-ducts processing
zone, light industry zone, and a modern urban residential area with about 600.000 inhabitants./ with a
population of about 600.000.
4. Another advantage is that Dung Quat lies about 12 km from roadway, railway lines, power transmission line
and the trans-Vietnam optic cable. Thev supply of fresh water for this area is very convenient with a reserve of
about 3 billion cubic meters per year taken from the Tra Bong River.
5. Today, we are going through a period of profound social changes like that of the first industrial revolution. It
may be necessary for us to redefine the very notion of work itself.

84

ASSIGNMENT 6
B6. EXERCISES
B6.1.
1. The silt from the Mekong River helps to bring an ample granary representing the whole countrys source of
food as well as the local inhabitants riverside lifestyle
2. The Mekong river itself with its huge tributaries and small canals navigable for tiny boats creates a majesty
landscape as it flows through Vietnam, the last part of its 4,500 km-long journey, pouring into the East Sea.
3. It is significant that these overseas Vietnamese always direct their attention to their homeland, cherish a close
link with their families and preserve the national identity which typifies the Vietnamese.
4. In addition to their support for their relatives, a number of overseas Vietnamese have contributed to the
welfare of their country and taken part in relief movements to help those who suffer from natural calamities.
They have also participated in the charity work following the tradition the luckier should help the sufferer.
5. Before 1988, the effect of the banking system on the development and macro-economic management was
minimal.
6. In order to encourage the banking system to play a more constructive role, the government has taken new
measures including the reorganization of the banking system, the introduction of restrictive credit policies, and
new policies on interest and free trade of gold in market.
7. The government implemented a comprehensive reconstructuring of wages and salaries of the governmental
employees with a consolidation of consumer subsidies into the nominal wage structure.
8. Though the monthly minimum wage increased, real salaries have declined substantially as a result of inflation.
9. The survey conducted by the VWU shows that traditional contraceptive methods have been widely used.
10. The survey also indicates that 39% of married women used modern methods, the most frequent method being
intra uterine device (IUD).
B6.2.
1. Nhng ngi khi xng ra vic dng nng lng nguyn t nhn mnh rng th gii ny ri y chc chn s tr
thnh mt th gii ca nguyn t. Ngi ta cng cho rng nhng ngi chng i li vic s dng nguyn t ang
chng li tro lu ca lch s v c mi quan h gn gi vi dng h Luddites - vn l nhng ngi ch trng p
ph my mc ngay t khi cuc cch mng cng nghip bt u.

2. Cc bc s cho thy ln u tin h c th ti to cc h min nhim ca nhng ngi b nhim vi rt bnh AIDS
bng cch t ngt tng s lng t bo mu m virt HIV hu dit.

3. Trong lnh vc o to y khoa, nhng vic lm c trong nhng nm qua c nh du bng s kin ni bt l
vic nhiu chuyn gia v o to y khoa, nhiu trng i hc trn th gii dt vn phi xem xt li ni dung
o to i ng cn b y t.

4. Ngi thy thuc ngy nay nn l ngi ca sc kho. V vy ngi thy thuc cn phi bit pht hin, gii quyt,
phc hi nhng vn sc kho ca c nhn v cng ng.

5. R rng rng mt thn th kho mnh gip cho mt tm hn lnh mnh, v chnh nhng tm hn lnh mnh iu
khin hng i ca h thng gi tr. Mt ngi kho mnh l mt ngi kho mnh v mt th cht ln tinh thn.

6. Ngy nay con ngi c khuynh hng lo u v sc kho th cht. Tuy nhin ti mun nhn mnh ti tm quan
trng ca sc kho tm l. Mnh kho v mt tinh thn l rt quan trng v l mt ngi thc s kho mnh l
ngi t c s thng bng hp l gia th cht v tinh thn.

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ASSIGNMENT 7
1. The achievements of the renovation process in the past ten years have provided opportunities for women to
obtain their goals. Their lives have been improved and women have become less burdened. Social services
have helped to ease their housework and create favourable conditions for them to participate in social
activities.
2. The Vietnam Womens Union which represents Vietnamese women nationwide, has renovated their
organization and work style, thus attracting more and more women to social activities. It has also helped
women deal with difficult matters of every life. It has proposed to the state laws and policies that make full use
of womens potentials in the process of renovation.
3. Identification of the factors that leads to fast effective foreign language learning has become increasingly
important because of a majority of learners who are very anxious, as adults, to learn a foreign language for a
specific purpose : business, study, and diplomacy. The requirements for effective language learning may be
taken into account in terms of the learners, the teachers and the curriculum.
4. The greatest attraction to the tourists is the age-old traditions typical of the Vietnamese culture. Thousands of
historical and revolutionary relics have been graded by the government, hundreds of which have high artistic
and historical value . Vietnam is a large community consisting of 54 ethnic groups with different traditions,
customs and unique folk culture. hundreds of traditional handicraft villages have produced thousands of
famous handicraft and fine art products.
5. If tourists go to an ethnic minority region, they will have an opportunity to engage in other fascinating cultural
activities typical of the rainforest region. Take the buffalo stabbing ceremony as an example. Tourists should
have to be present about a week before the ceremony to join the local inhabitants in looking for a suitable kind
of bamboo to repair the Rong House (The community House) and to make a Neu tree (The New Year Tree)
to chase evil spirits. The ceremony provides tourists with a chance to observe the decoration of jars and the
way they are chosen to store wine. They also have an opportunity to observe the way people choose the
buffalo for the ceremony.
6. Social welfare is a major policy of Vietnam which has its origin in the age-old national traditions of solidarity
and mutual assistance. The basic principle of the policy is to combine the responsibility of the state, the
community, and the efforts of each individual within the society. This policy is being gradually extended to all
the inhabitants in various forms.
7. Economic backwardness and the danger of lagging behind in the economic development are the great
concerns of all the Vietnamese at home and abroad. If Vietnam lags far behind other countries, it will be a
supplier of raw materials and cheap labour in the international division of labour. It will have to accept an
inferior position and losses in the international co- operation and competition. This is the great challenge facing
Vietnam in the current international context.
8. The humanism of the Vietnamese diplomatic line constitutes a typical characteristic. Though the Vietnamese
have been victims of countless aggressions, they never lose their compassion. Also, their compassion is a factor
which creates the strength and the diplomacy of the nation. Nguyen Trai, a national hero of the 15th century,
left a legendary guiding principle which remains today:
Using great justice to vanquish cruelty
Humanism to subdue brutality.

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ASSIGNMENT 8
Beijing may be the seat of political power, but Shanghai can lay claim to the title of commercial capital. Historic
sites date back less than 80 years in Shanghai, and yet most visitors fall under the spell of this unique city where
ambience is everything. The very name Shanghai still sends a ripple of excitement down most spines.
It was a minor weaving and fishing town until the mid 19th century, when it began to develop as a trading and
industrial center. Entrepreneurs and carpetbaggers from all over the world descended and developed it into one of the
world's most cosmopolitan and sophisticated cities. From the 1920s on it became increasingly notorious as the place
where anything could - and usually did - happen.
Banks and commercial companies of all kinds built opulent head offices for themselves overlooking what were
then open rice fields beyond the banks of the Huangpu river. This whole stretch has survived the busy bulldozers and
today it forms a unique open-air museum of 1930s architecture. A stroll along the Bund is a must for everyone who
visits what is still regarded by many as China's leading city.
Skyscrapers, including some of the world's tallest buildings, have sprouted where the rice used to grow. The most
prominent is the Oriental Pearl TV Tower - if time allows, the panoramic views from the upper levels make an
unforgettable experience.
The past is still tangible in sections of the former French concession, with its elegant villas and tree-lined streets.
Around the corner from the Bund, the Peace Hotel and its venerable Jazz Band are the best-known survivors from a
more gracious age, but Shanghai has many other exquisite hotels from the 1930s, most of which are being lovingly
restored to their former glory.
Shanghai boasts one of the world's truly great museums, opened in 1996. It would be impossible to tour the
entire treasure huose in a short visit, but even an hour in the galleries devoted to the bronzes, stones sculptures and
ceramics will provide lasting memories.

ASSIGNMENT 9
Ngy hm qua trong bi din vn chnh pht biu ti trng i Hc Quc Gia H Ni, Tng B Th Giang Trch Dn
ku gi gii tr Vit Nam v Trung Quc n lc nhm tht cht tnh hu ngh gia hai nc, gp phn vo s nghip ho
bnh v pht trin chu cng nh trn ton th gii.
Tng B Th-Ch Tch nc Trung Quc ni vi sinh vin: Cc bn tr thn mn, chnh cc bn l nhng ngi to ra
tng lai ti sng v tng lai thuc v cc bn. Tng B Th Giang Trch Dn nhn mnh rng mi quan h Vit-Trung s
pht trin tt p trong th k 21, trong n lc chung ca thanh nin hai nc l khng th thiu.
ng ni: th h tr c hai nc phi theo ui l tng ca mnh v lao ng khng mt mi xy dng Ch ngha
x hi. ng pht biu rng: Gii tr Trung Quc v Vit Nam cn k tha v pht huy mnh m tinh thn cch mng ca cha
ng, c t tng vng vng, chm ch hc tp, n lc v s nghip pht trin Ch ngha x hi, v s giu c v thnh vng
ca mi nc. ng hy vng gii tr Trung Quc v Vit Nam s gn gi, duy tr v pht trin mi quan h Vit-Trung, trao
i v hc hi ln nhau tng cng hiu bit. ng bo m ng v Chnh ph Trung Quc s hon ton ng h s trao
i .
Ch tch nc Giang Trch Dn ni: Trong lch s, c Vit Nam v Trung Quc u b quc xm lc nhng chng
ta u nh bi chng, gii phng dn tc v thng nht t nc. Theo ng tnh hu ngh gia Vit Nam v Trung
Quc khng ch xut pht t lch s m cn t thc tin, nh Ch tch H Ch Minh tng nhn mnh hai dn tc l ng
ch, l anh em. ng ni quan h Vit-Trung da trn c s tin tng ln nhau, s n nh lu di, tin , tnh lng ging
thn thin v s bo m. ng ni thm: Hp tc trn c s hiu bit ln nhau l cu ni v cng l mc tiu cho tng lai
thnh vng.
Ch tch nc Giang Trch Dn ri H Ni ngy hm qua n min Trung Vit Nam. , ng i thm c Hu,

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 c UNESCO cng nhn l Di sn th gii, v gp g cc ng ch lnh o ca thnh ph cng Nng. Theo lch
trnh, ng s n thm ph c Hi An v cng ty dt may Ho Th trc khi kt thc chuyn i thm ba ngy n Vit Nam.

ASSIGNMENT 10
Concerning a poor country like ours, practising thrift and fighting against waste must be always the national
policy. In reality, however, waste has still been spreading everywhere. Waste appears in management, using budget, in
basic construction investment, in land and office management, in state-owned enterprises, and waste also exists in the
masses with costly weddings.
Waste has really been a pressing problem of the society and one of the causes which considerably affects the
economy of our country. As in the first year (1998), after the decree of practising thrift and fighting against waste passed
by the National Assemblys Standing Committee 10th session in Feb 26th 1998 and taking effective since May 1st 1998,
the real expenses in 1998, according to reports of 12 Ministries and bodies functionally equivalent to Ministries,
reduced in comparison with the balance in 1997, for instance, conference expenses: VND12.8 billion, business
expenses: VND12.43 billion, telephone, fax expenses: VND 9.57 billion, expenses for great reparation of fixed assets:
VND 80.94 billion, expenses for purchasing professionally fixed assets: VND 153.7 billion. The States budget in 1999
is estimated to continue economizing 10% of estimated regular expenses. Some regular expenses have sharply fell from
30% to 70%, e.g. expenses for purchasing office equipment, for conferences and receptions
Reducing expenses statistics while the Decree of practising thrift and fighting against waste is being carried out
are really speaking numbers, which show that this campaign is taking a turn for better. These numbers, however,
indicate that spending has so far been loose and that it is necessary to limit expenses.
Financial inspections and annual balance reports helped to find out a breach of rules of administrative
management of many enterprises and administrative bodies. One of the most pressing and costly expenses nowadays
is: expenses for medal reception, branch forming celebration, conferences Such festivities have cost so much money
for hiring halls, parties, gifts At the end of the year, restaurants are crowded with Gods, most of whom are public
servants, because inhabitants have no such budget for those parties. While free inhabitants are leading a poor life and
spending thriftily, practising thrift and fighting against waste in subsidy spending mechanism is a must.

ASSIGNMENT 11
A11.

Text 1
Thnh ph Gaza - Nhng ngi lnh o ca Israel v Palestin tin hnh m phn sut m m theo cch ni ca

ng Dennis Ross - Phi vin ca Hoa K l mt m tt lnh cho cng vic nhm ph v s b tt trong vic Israel tr hon
ruts qun khi th trn West Bank ca Heebron. ng Ross ri khi vn phng ca nh lnh o Palestin - Yasser Arafat, sm
hm qua sau 3 gi ng h c mt trong khi nhng ngi tham d m phn vn tip tc cc cuc hi m.
ng Arafat ni: Cuc gp g din ra theo chiu hng tch cc v c tnh xy dng. ng cn ni thm rng ng
v ng Ross gii quyt mt s khc mc gia ti v ng y, cp mt cch r rng n gi ca chnh ng tun trc
l ng Ross c bnh vc Israel. ng Ross - d nh s tr v nc vo ngy hm qua - ng rng: Chng ti c
mt lot cc cuc tho lun tt p. Khi cp n cc cuc m phn, ng ni: l mt bui ti lm vic tt p,
nhng cn mt s vn cn c gii quyt. Bn trong ta tr s chnh ca ng Arafat, nhm i din Palestin do ng
trng on m phn Saeb Erekat dn u tip tc cc cuc bn tho vi Israel do hai ng Maj Gen Shaul Muhafaz v
Yitzhak c vn cao cp ca Th tng Benjamin Netanyahu dn u. Cc cuc hi m bt u vo chiu Ch Nht
Zerusalem v sau chuyn n Gaza.
Cc c quan truyn thng Israel phng on rng nu cuc thng lng thnh cng th ng Ross c th hon li
chuyn bay ca ng v hai ng Netanyahu v Arafat c th t chc mt cuc hp thng nh ni trong ngy hm qua

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hoc hm nay. Israel sp sa rt qun ra khi Hebron - thnh ph Westbank, vng cui cng b chim ng - vo thng 3 th
phi hon li sau mt lot tn cng ca bn khng b Israel. ng Netanyahu, mt nhn vt cng rn c bu lm Th
tng vo thng 5 va qua, tr hon vic tip tc rt qun, v n lc bo m an ninh cho 500 c dn ang sng trong
th trn ca 130.000 ngi rp. Ngi Palestin t chi vic ni li cc cuc m phn v yu cu Israel tip tc rt qun nh
cam kt trong bn Hip c v quyn t tr c k kt.
Vo ngy Ch Nht ti Hebron, qun i vy bt khong 100 ngi Palestin sau khi c k nm 2 qu bom vo
lnh th ca ngi Do Thi nhng khng c ngi no b thng. H b qun i cha sng thm tra v bt gi trong vng
na gi nhng sau phn ln c th ra. Pht ngn vin ca qun i ni rng nhiu ngi Palestin vn ang cn b
bt gi. Mt ngi Palestin ang i ngang qua vng lnh th Beit Hadassah th b mt ci thang lm bng kim loi ri trng
hoc ai nm t mi nh xung lm b thng; ngi ny c a n bnh vin thnh ph cha tr.

Text 2
TP H Ch Minh - S lng du khch nc ngoi n Vit Nam ngy cng tng. Theo s liu thng k gn y ca
Tng cc Du lch Vit Nam th lng du khch tng bnh qun hng nm l 30%. Mc d lng du khch tng, nhng tnh
trng khch li khch sn gim ng k so vi nhng nm va ri. Hn 6 nm qua, cc khch sn lin doanh v cc nh
khch ch khai thc c 85-90% s phng hin c. Hin gi ch cn t mc 60%, thp hn nhiu so vi cc khch sn
ca Nh nc v nh khch t nhn.
Mt trong nhng nguyn nhn chnh ca s tt gim lng khch l do khch sn lin doanh mc ln nh nm, iu
ny dn n vic cnh tranh khc lit v gi phng v gi dch v. Nhiu khch sn c tng doanh thu thp trong khi li chu
mc thu cao, ang tr thnh gnh nng cho cc ng ch v c nhiu khch sn sp sa buc phi ng ca. a s du
khch nc ngoi hm h n Vit Nam tm mt ci g mi m v mun i n nhng vng c v p t nhin v
hoang d trong thi gian lu li ca h. V l do ny, du lch Vit Nam cn t chc li vic qun l v t ra nhng mc tiu
nhm tha mn nhu cu hin nay ca du khch.
Mc d lng du khch vn tng trong nhng nm qua nhng s du khch tr li Vit Nam ln th hai rt t. R rng
rng ngnh du lch Vit Nam vn cha sc hp dn du khch. Thm vo , cc im du lch v cc phng tin n i
li cha t n tiu chun quc t. Vit Nam hin c khong 22 tnh v thnh ph ang hon tt nhng k hoch tng th
chi tit xy dng cc khu ngh mt cho du khch. Tuy nhin nhng n ny vn cha c trin khai, vn ang cn ang
c tho lun. Mc d hng nm Chnh ph chi hng chc t ng nng cp cc di tch lch s quc gia v cc khu
ngh mt, nhng do s yu km v chuyn mn qun l nn nhng ni ny vn cha c th thc y s pht trin ca ngnh
du lch nc nh. ci thin cht lng ca cc nh ngh v tng cng hot ng ca khch sn, ngnh du lch Vit Nam
cn Chnh ph u t nhiu hn na.

B11.
More and more Vietnamese people are seeking study abroad at their own expense. While the number of people
who have already done so is relatively small - 1970 from mid 1992 to May this year - the numbers are expected to
increase within the next few years at the Vietnamese economy strengthens and the government streamlines the
procedures to make it easier. But t he biggest boost to Vietnamese people courageously investing their money for
themselves or their children to gain an international standard education has come through the staging of a special
overseas education exhibition held in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi over the past two months. Called "Edukasia", the
exhibition featured universities, vocational schools and school equipment suppliers from Great Britain, France,
Australia, The United States and Switzerland. The exhibition sought to establish what training or education private
Vietnamese students were seeking and the overseas institutions companies explained what they could offer. Courses in
telecommunications, machine building, the hotel industry, tourism and cooking wire particularly featured.
Up until now, most Vietnamese students have been going abroad for further study as recipients of international
scholarship or funding from foreign government. Vietnam has been annually sending about 77 students and 160 senior
level experts abroad through such officially sponsored scheme. Most of the private students have been going to Russia.

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Some to Eastern European countries and a trickle to the Netherlands, Belgium, the USA, Denmark and Thailand. But
in April this year, a temporary halt has been put on private places being offered to foreign students in Russia and
Eastern Europe.
While these existing avenues for Vietnamese students have required secondary school gradu-ation and intensive
courses in the relevant foreign language and computers, often these schemes were deficient in anticipating the
problems foreign private students may encounter, particularly regarding duration and the level of the courses being
offered. There has been an avoidable waste of time and money, and an attrition rate.

ASSIGNMENT 12
B12.
Poor people often have larger families than middle class and upper class people. And people in underdeveloped
countries have more children than people in developed countries. More and more experts in population growth see the
strong relationship between family size and economic development.
In some areas, government family planning services may not be available to poor people due to geographic
location. For example, people in rural areas may live too far away from family planning services. Therefore, they don't
receive information about ways to control family size. In general, people in urban areas have much more information
available to them than people living in rural areas. Urban people have help with family planning, and they have
smaller families. So we can say that geography where people live - plays a part in determining family size: Urban
families are smaller than rural families.
What are the other reasons? Economic development of families and, on a larger scale, of nations, is an important
factor in determining family size. People with a lot of money have fewer children. On the other hand, poor people in
underdeveloped countries choose to have many children. Why? Because they have to depend upon their children to
take care of them in their old age. They have no insurance, pensions, or government help. When they grow old, where
can they get help? The answer is simple. They can and will turn to their children. Their children will be adults then,
and they will be working. The children can all share the costs and other responsibilities of taking care of their parents.
For many poor people, a large family is a way of planning and preparing for the future. We could say that a large
family is insurance for old age in some societies.

ASSIGNMENT 13
China's powerful exporters are training their sights on, Vietnam, seeing their southern neighbour as ripe for a
boost in purchases of consumer goods and machinery, Chinese executives said here Thursday. But Vietnam has a long
way to go before it sees its exports to China grow as few products are likely to break into the more developed Chinese
market, the executives said at the opening of a trade fair here. Some 60 firms from Beijing are showing off their wares
ranging from cheap plastic toys and ornaments to off-road vehicles at the fair in Hanoi in what is the first exhibition of
Chinese goods here since the two countries began patching up their relations.
Beijing Jeep, a Sino-American auto manufacturer, is hoping to squeeze into Vietnam's growing car market but is
facing stiff competition from Japanese firms already entrenched here, said Beijing Automotive Import Export Corp.
(BAIEC) vice president Guo Fengli. "The market here is opening up quite quickly for our products, particularly as we
are very competitive in pricing with our rivals," Guo said. BAIEC is looking to set up barter deals with Vietnam but is
facing problems finding suitable moods to trade although Guo thinks he may have found the answer in the humble
sweet potato.
The Chinese firm is planning to trade cars for foodstuffs that will be sold in southern China but would prefer to
exchange higher value goods. "We don't know much about what Vietnam has to offer," said Guo, a point repeated by

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other traders who were more eager to sell than buy. Cross bor-der trade has boomed since the frontier was reopened
in 1991. Officially, two-way trade stands at around 500 million US dollars although the illegal frontier trade is believed
to be much higher, with China enjoying a massive surplus.
During a visit to China last week, Deputy Prime Minister Phan Van Khai called for both sides to replace the
cross border trade with official agreements between trading companies and manufacturers that would boost sales of
Vietnamese products, Vietnam wants to step up exports of coal and oil to southern China's booming manufacturing
centres, which are thousands of kilometres (miles) from China's own sources of energy. Khai also called for more sales
of rice and other food products and for Vietnam to import more manufacturing machinery and other technology from
China.

ASSIGNMENT 14
Saudi Arabia has about 8,853,000 people. Almost all of these people are Arab Muslims. In other words, they are
followers of the Islamic religion. Saudi Arabia is a religious nation. The King of Saudi Arabia is both the political
leader and one of the religious leaders of the country. The government laws are Islamic law (Muslim religious law), and
the national language is Arabic. The Islamic religion is very important in the Saudi educational system. Before 1950
almost all education in Saudi Arabia was religious education. Students studied the Koran, the Islamic holy book. They
tried to memorize as much as possible from this book. There were no colleges or universities before 1949 and only a
few elementary and secondary schools.
In 1953, the Saudi government established the Ministry of Education. This was really the beginning of the
modern educational system in Saudi Arabia. When engineers discovered oil in Saudi Arabia, the country started to
become very wealthy. Saudi leaders realized that Western technology was necessary for the country to develop. The
leaders still believed that religious education was very important, but a modern country could not develop
technologically with only a traditional, religious educational system. They decided to add other subjects to the
educational system. They wanted to combine traditional religious education with modern technological education from
the West.
Religion is still an important part of Saudi education. Now, however, Saudi students study all kinds of other
subjects too: languages (especially English), history, science, mathematics, computer technology, etc. Before 1950, there
were about 20,000 students in Saudi Arabia. In 1982, there were 1,780,000 students. The educational system has grown
faster in Saudi Arabia than in almost any other country in the world. All schools in Saudi Arabia are free. ()

ASSIGNMENT 15
A15.
Sau khi t nhiu hi vng vo vic khoan trng cc m du kh ngoi khi Vit Nam, cc cng ty du m khng l
trn th gii nhn ra nhng ri ro. Ci gi u t khng l nhng li nhn c mt khon li nhun cm ci. Tm trng
gim i trong s nhng cng ty nc ngoi tham gia trin lm trng by cc mt hng ca ngnh cng ngh ti cuc
Trin lm Du v Kh t quc t ln th hai H Ni.
ng Melchior de Matharel, V Trng ng Nam ca hng Total Php pht biu: Kt qu khng phi l t,
nhng khng ln nh mt s ngi hy vng. Nu s ch by gi l khu hiu lm tht vng cc cng ty du la
nc ngoi c th to ngun an i t nhng khm ph y khch l va qua v du do cng ty Mitsubishi v cng ty du
Petrornas Cairigali ca Malaisia, v v kh t ca BP, ngoi b bin nam Vit Nam.
Vic thm d du kh thm lc a Vit nam l ht sc kh khn. Tuy nhin, ng Matherel ni rng thm lc a Vit
Nam l mt ni cha du. S nhit tnh ca nhng ngi thm d t nhin suy gim vo thng 5 trc khi cng ty du BHP
ca c thng bo tr lng du v tr m i Hng, 375 cy s ng nam TP. HCM l t i hn so vi d tr. Ti v tr ny,

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BHP c tnh s khi l tr lng y khong t 700 n 800 triu thng du, nhng hin nay con s y xung 100
n 200 triu thng. Vic sn xut c d kin bt u vo thng ti, mc khim nhng l 25.000 thng mt ngy. iu
l mt n ging mnh cho BHP, mt cng ty u t n 240 triu la Vit Nam v mt na ca kinh ph ny
c s dng cho d n i Hng.
BHP ng u mt hip hi quc t bu chn vo thng 4/1993 c trch nhim trin khai tng kinh ph 1,5 t trong
lnh vc ny. BHP chim 43,75% tng s vn ca Hip hi, Petronas chim 20%, cng ty quc doanh Petro-Vietnam chim
15%. Phn 21,25% cn li chia u cho cng ty Total (Php) v cng ty Sumitomo ca Nht. Vo thi im , chnh Nht
Bn l khch mua hng chnh ca du th Vit Nam l din c c mt c may tt nht. Cng ty Du kh Vit NamNht Bn (JVPC), mt chi nhnh ca tp on du kh Mitsubishi thng bo trong thng 6 l c mt s khm ph rt
ha hn ti v tr Rng ng. Theo kt qu ghi nhn c t mt t mt ging du thm d, khu vc khai thc c th c
cng cht lng nh v tr m Bch H gn mt a im duy nht hin gi ang c kinh doanh khai thc Vit Nam.
Tr lng ca Bch H c tnh mc cao nht l 3.000 triu thng. Nhng t nht cn phi mt nm na v cn n vic
khoan d na th mi c th xc nh chnh xc c mc tiu vic thm d ca cng ty Nht.
Nhng ngi bi quan th cho rng cn n khong 5 nm mi nh gi ng v y tr lng du ca Vit Nam.
Vic thm d v khai thc kh t cng chng t l mt dch v ang gp kh khn d c may mm ci vi vi cng
ty BP Anh, mt n v m trong thng 9 thng bo l pht hin ra hai ti du kh, c tnh t c 57 t mt khi
Nam Cn Sn, pha nam TP. HCM. Cng ty BHP v cng ty Quc gia Na Uy Statoil mua li cc phn c nhng ca cng
ty kh t v du kh quc gia n (ONGC) vo nm 1992. Lin hip vi ONGC nm 55% c phn, BP 30% v Statoil 5%
tin hnh thm d v th nghim theo mt hp ng phn chia sn phm vi Vit Nam, mt n v ln lt nhn 5% tin
gp vo, cn c trn quyn li ca mi i tc Chu u.

B15.
The failure of a space shuttle steering jet Wednesday forced NASA to suspend a radar survey of Earth as
Endeavour's 10 day environmental research flight passed the halfway mark.
The problem was a hindrance to the US $384 million space Radar Laboratory but not a danger to the astronauts,
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration said. Officials said a fuel temperature sensor failed, disabling a leak
detection system in the suspect thruster and triggering a shutdown of five others, called verniers, which are needed to
fine-tune the shuttle's orbital path and precisely point cargo bay instruments at targets on the planet. Mission
commentator Kelly Humphries late Wednesday called the scientific hiatus "temporary pause" while ground engineers
hastily devised a way for shuttle computers to ignore the broken sensor.
Maneuvering Endeavour with its 38 larger thrusters would consume too much full and eliminate hope of
extending the natural disasters around the globe, according to flight director Rich Jackson. Late Wednesday the shuttle
was flying on autopilot and the crew, which has been working in two shifts around the clock since Friday's lift -off from
Florida, was enjoying an unexpected time-out, Jackson predicted the software patch would be ready by Thursday
afternoon, about 24 hours after the malfunction occurred. "The payloads community and the flight control team are
working very hard to regain venire control and minimise the impact in the intervening time period". Jackson told
reporters at Mission Control in Houston.
Scientists said the problem would not harm the images but that it would take up to five times longer to process
the radar data in their computers.

ASSIGNMENT 16
Nc Anh c chia lm 651 khu vc bu c ngi dn mi khu vc chn ra mt ngi i din cho mnh H vin.
Anh, h thng bu c n gin c s dng trong cc cuc bu c quc hi theo phng thc b phiu kn. Hin nay,
h thng ny c nhng iu chnh ngy cng tr nn ti u hn.
Vic bu c l hon ton t ngun, mi ngi dn Anh t 18 tui tr nn khng b tc quyn bu c do phm php,

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u c th b phiu bu c. Nhng ngi khng c quyn bu c bao gm: thnh vin ca hong gia, cc nh qu tc l
thnh vin ca thng ngh vin hoc l c dn nc ngoi. Ngoi ra cn c bnh nhn nm vin do c vn v tm thn
phm nhn ang thi hnh n v nhng ngi b kt n, trong vng nm nm trc v ti tham nhng.
NG C VIN
Bt c ai trn 21 tui l cng dn nc Anh cc nc trong khi thnh vng chung hoc l nc Cng ho Ai Len, c
t cch th u c th ng c vo Quc hi, nhng ngi khng c quyn ng c l thnh vin ca thng ngh vin,
tng l, gio s thuc gio hi Anh, gio hi Ai Len, gio hi Sct-lan v gio hi Thin cha gio La M, nhng ngi b ph
sn, ngi lm dch v cng cng v nhng ngi b kt n t t 1 nm tr ln cng khng c tham gia tranh c. Cc ng
c vin trong mt khu vc bu c phi tr mt khong tin 1.000 bng nh l mt khong tin t cc. Nu dnh c t
nht 5% phiu bu c th h s c nhn li s tin .
TNG BU C
Theo nguyn tc, bu c h ngh vin c t chc 5 nm mt ln. Nhng cc cuc bu c thng c t chc trc
khi kt thc mt nhim k 5 nm. Th tng l ngi c quyn quyt nh thi gian t chc tng bu c. N Hong c th
gii tn Quc hi v ku gi mt cuc bu c lp nn quc hi mi.
Nc Anh c chia thnh cc vng gi l khu vc bu c da trn s lng dn c xp x nhau. Tng bu c thng
c t chc vo th 5 v mi ngi vn i lm nh thng l. Do , thi gian bu c rt linh ng ko di t 7h n 22h
cho tt c mi ngi u c th n b phiu. Ti cc a im b phiu, c tri c pht phiu bu c in tn cc ng c
vin khu vc bu c , danh sch thng sp xp theo th t bng ch ci, i khi cn c mt bn tm tt v tiu s ng
c vin v ng ca h c i km vi l phiu. Sau , cc phiu khng hp l s b loi v ngi ta s tin hnh kim
phiu i vi s phiu hp l v ng c vin no nhn c nhiu phiu ng h nht s l ngi thng cuc v tr thnh
thnh vin Quc hi i din cho khu vc ca mnh.
CHIN DCH TRANH C
Chin dch tranh c din ra trong vng 3 tun trc ngy tng bu c. Chin dch tranh c din ra mi khu vc bu
c trn ton quc. Cc ng c vin s dng mi loi phng tin, sch lc thu ht s ng h ca ngi dn.
VN NG TRANH C
Vn ng tranh c c ngha l nhn vin ca ng a phng i n tng gia nh v hi ngi dn v nh ca
h, xem th l h nh bu ai. Bng cch ny, cc ng c vin c th bit c nh cng nh thi ca ngi dn, t
h c th iu chnh cc chin lc ca mnh. Ngoi ra nhn vin s quay tr li nhng gia nh c ngi ha l s
ng h ng ca h thc gic h b phiu cho ngi ca ng mnh trong ngy bu c.
MT-TIN
ng c vin c th t chc mt-tin bt c ni no bt c ni u c th trong sut chin dch bu c. Khch mi ca
h bao gm nhng ngi c tm nh hng ln ttrong ng, nhng ngi ni ting ng h h nh nh vn, din vin
gy nh hng i vi c tri. Nhng cuc mt-tin nh th thng c a trn vn ln cc phng tin thng tin i chng.
THNG TIN I CHNG
Do bo v tp ch Anh thng l thuc s hu t nhn v c lp v mt ti chnh i vi cc ng phi chnh tr
nn ngi ch bt hoc ngi bin tp c th ng h bt c ai h mun. Tuy nhin, i pht thanh v i truyn hnh th
khc lun lun cng bng, khng thin v. Chng trnh tin tc a tin v mi mt ca chin dch tranh c ca cc ng.
Trong thi gian ny, cc ng c vin xut hin trn i v tivi sut ngy m, ta c th thy h nh my, x nghip, trng
hc, trung tm thanh nin v c cc nng tri. H pht biu cc chnh sch ca ng mnh. Chng trnh i thoi trc tip
trn cho php mi ngi t cu hi cho cc nh lnh o chnh tr. Bn cnh , cc bi tng thut, bi bnh lun do
cc phng vin ghi li trong cc cuc phng vn vi cc nh lnh o ca cc ng cng c pht sng.
BN TUYN NGN
Cc ng ln cho xut bn bn tuyn ngn ca ng mnh trong sut chin dch bu c. Mi ng u a ra bn
tuyn ngn ca ng mnh nh l mt n phm tham kho. N cung cp cho ngi dn nhng thng tin v chnh sch ca
ng, v nhng g h s lm nu h c c. Cc bn tuyn ngn cn bao gm nhng thnh cng trc y ca ng.
Ngoi ra i khi n cn cha ng s cng kch ca ng ny i vi ng i lp.

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ASSIGNMENT 17
H Ni ang c gng tng gp i GDP ln 1.100 la M trong vng 5 nm ti. K hoch y tham vng ny c
a ra trn c s 11,9% t l tng GDP hng nm ca thnh ph. Ti i hi i biu ng b Thnh ph H Ni c t
chc va qua, cc i biu c thng bo: nu t l tng trng vn tip tc nh d tnh th GDP s t khong 15% vo
u th k. iu c ngha l GDP tng gp i.
i hi cng cp n vn c s CN nh truyn thng ca nn kinh t th tng nhanh b thay th bi cc hot
ng CN v nghnh cng nghip dch v-thng mi. Ngoi ra i hi cn c bo co l khong 19% s h gia nh H
Ni c th xp vo din h giu. Mc GDP bnh qun nm ngoi ca thnh ph c c tnh l khong 650 la. Cao hn
so vi 470 la nm 1991 (tc tng trng mnh m). S tng trng ny l kt qu ca hng lot cc d n u t trong
nc v nc ngoi c tnh vo khong 32.570 VND (khong 3.275 triu USD). Ph Ch tch Hi ng Nhn dn Thnh ph
H Ni, ng L Xun Hng bo co vi i hi rng: Mt phn ca s vn u t c s dng cho qu trnh chuyn
giao cng ngh, i mi thit b trong ngnh CN. Phn ln s vn u t cn li c dng vo vic thit lp cng ty lin
doanh vi i tc nc ngoi.
Vo cui nm 1995 c n hn 210 d n u t nc ngoi c cp giy php kinh doanh trn a bn thnh
ph H Ni vi tng s tin ln ti 3,3 t la. ng Tng ni trong s l 1 phn 3 t la c s dng. iu ny
gip H Ni trong vic la chn hng c cu li c s kinh t theo hng CN-DV thay cho c cu c vi vai tr tr ct ca
CN nh v nng nghip truyn thng. Theo li ng Tng, t l sn phm CN, thng mi, dch v trong tng sn phm
quc ni ca thnh ph H Ni giai on 1991-1995 tng ln n 33,1% i vi cng nghip v 61,6% i vi thng mi v
dch v. Trong khi t l nng nghip li gim xung cn 5,3% trong tng GDP. ng Tng cn ni s thay i ca b mt
kinh t H Ni cn nh vo s tng vt ca t l tng trng hng nm ca 5 nm trc. ng ni t l tng trng 11,9%
hng nm cng c m bo chc chn, con s ny cao hn gp i so vi t l ra nm 1991. ng Tng bo co vi cc
i biu rng vo nm 2000 t l tng trng ca thnh ph s t 15% 1 nm. GDP c tnh t khong 1.000 la. Vo thi
im t l sn phm cng nghip tng s GDP ca thnh ph H Ni s t 40% tng 7% so vi hin ti. Nm ngnh
cng nghip t c mc ch tr thnh ngnh cng nghip then cht ca thnh ph bao gm: ngnh sn xut thit b
in, my mc, c kh; ngnh dt; ch bin thc phm; in t; vt liu xy dng.
Trong 5 nm ti H Ni cn khong 9 t USD u t xy dng pht trin nhng khu cng nghip mi, i mi cc
khu cng nghip c, xy dng cc to nh ln trung tm thnh ph lm cc vn phng i din, khu thng mi, khu
vui chi gii tr, H Ni c khong 10 khu cng nghip v 5 ci khc ang c xy dng. Nhiu khu cng nghip hin nay
cn nhng khong u t theo chiu su thay th cc k thut c, m rng xy dng nhiu nh my hn na. Tuy nhin
ph b th ng y Thnh ph H Ni cn nhc nh cc i biu rng cn phi n lc hn na gi vng s pht trin
theo hng nn kinh t th trng theo nh hng x hi ch ngha. ng cn ni chnh quyn thnh ph H Ni tht
bi trong vic xy dng s on kt cc quan h sn xut kinh doanh x hi ch ngha. Trong khi b my hnh chnh cc cp
cn yu v vai tr ca ng trong cc t chc kinh t x hi khc nhau vn cn hn ch.
Nhng tham vn ca ng Tng cn c Tng b th Mi cng c thm, ng Tng ch pht biu vi i hi rng:
Bn cnh nhng thnh cng ban u H Ni cn ch n vic pht trin kinh t v xy dng ngun nhn lc. ng ch
ni 6% nhn dn thnh ph H Ni tht nghip l mt thch thc m thnh ph cn phi gii quyt. C th l bng cch lp
nn cc nhm sn xut t hnh thnh cc c s cng nghip nh v pht trin cng nghip dch v. ng ch ph b
th L Xun Tng ni rng trong giai on 1991-1995, s lng cc gia nh giu tng ln gn 19%. S h ngho gim xung
ch cn khong 2%.

ASSIGNMENT 18
Lm vn l mt ngh truyn thng Vit Nam, n xut hin ng thi hay sm hn ngh trng la nc. Nhng
VAC (vit tt ca vn, ao, chung) l mt m hnh kinh t hin i mi c a vo hoat ng cch y 10 nm.
Ngi nc ngoi n Vit Nam nghin cu m hnh VAC y ni rng: Tuy n khng c hiu qu cao trong vic

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thc hin qui m sn xut nhng l mt m hnh sn xut ng b mang li li ch kinh t ln li ch v mi trng.T nhng
ngy u tin ca qu trnh hot ng, m hnh VAC lun gn cht vai tr ca mnh trong s pht trin ca nn kinh t quc
dn.
Hin nay VAC c mt trn khp 53 tnh vi hn 10 triu ch nng h s dng m hnh ny. Trong nhng nm gn y
VAC v ang c pht trin trn hu ht cc vng khp c nc. Vi hng chc ngn hecta t canh tc cc tnh trung
du v min ni, vn cy n qu m rng t 350.000 n 400.000 hecta. M hnh VAC c p dng tr thnh ngun
cung cp rau qu chnh cho c nc, ng thi cng p ng cho nhu cu xut khu. Theo FAO ( T chc Lng nng Th
gii) th sn lng rau qu Vit Nam t xp x 4 triu tn mi nm. Sn lng rau qu bnh qun u ngi trn th gii l
65 kg, chu -Thi Bnh Dng l 31 kg v Vit Nam l 61 kg. Hin nay VAC c mt ngha quan trng trong vic xa i
gim ngho i vi cc nc chm pht trin, t chc hot ng ti ch ngn chn suy dinh dng, to dng cc vn
cy hay n in trn khu t trng i ni trc, to ra s pht trin mt nn nng nghip lu di v n nh.
Mc sng ca cc h nng dn thc hin m hnh VAC c ci thin ng k vi mc thu nhp hng nm t hot
ng VAC t 60% tng thu nhp. Gi tr sn phm VAC chim 1/3 gi tr tng sn phm v s tng hn na. Mc d m
hnh VAC pht trin nhanh trong vng 10 nm qua, nhng n cha c thc hin ng lot tt c cc vng nng thn.
Nu tp trung m rng thm canh v chuyn mn ha cc loi cy trng tren khp c nc, th sn lng rau qu Vit nam
c th t c 8 triu tn mi nm th k 21. VAC nn c xem nh l mt chng trnh nng nghip quc gia. Nu
VAC c khuyn khch pht huy ht mi tim nng ca n th chc chn s t c hiu qu cao, gp phn vo vic
pht trin nc nh v gp phn vo vic bo v mi trng.

ASSIGNMENT 19
Researchers said on Monday they had conclusive evidence an experimental AIDS treatment using plasma
transfusions delays the onset of the disease in HIV positive patients and prolongs the lives of AIDS sufferers. DR.
Abraham Karpas of the University of Cambridge's department of hae-matology said, however, that although Passive
Immune Therapy (PIT) was "breakthrough" in treating AIDS and had no known side effects it should not be described
as a cure. "It is definitely not a cure. There is no cure in sight, but it looks as if it is the best form of treatment," he said
in his presentation to a London conference.
Karpas said U.S. and French studies on PIT released at the conference confirmed his original research. "Their
double-blind, placebo-controlled studies showed that this treatment benefits AIDS patients and prolonged their sure,
survival,'' he stated in a telephone interview. He said the studies, conducted by the Hemacare Corporation of
California and two Paris hospitals, also showed that PIT helped to delay the onset of full-blown AIDS (Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome) in people tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes the deadly disease. Under PIT,
patients receive a monthly transfusion of half a litre of plasma taken from healthy HIV - positive individuals. The blood
has the red and white cells removes and is free of HIV but has high levels of neutralising antibodies that kill the virus.
Karpas said he first discovered in 1985 that people with HIV who were otherwise healthy had high levels of these
antibodies in their blood while AIDS patients lost these neutralising antibodies and their ability to fight infections. Four
patients in Cambridge were the first to receive the treatment and subsequently small scale trials were carried out in
London in 1988 and 1989. But Karpras said he has failed to receive funding for his research in Britain and studies had
therefore been set up in the US and France.
The Hemancare trial studied the effect of PIT on 220 AIDS patients over 3 years. It found that in the first 12
months the mortality rate was greatly reduced in the group who received the plasma transfusion while those in the
control group, where no treatment was given, had a death rate of five time higher. The treated group had one death in
21 people while the placebo group had six deaths in 30. Moreover, the number of AIDS - linked infections was far
lower in the treated group and the blood donors themselves also appeared to benefit. The researchers said donating
blood appeared to stimulate the production of neutralising antibodies in the blood of HIV - positive patients.

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The French studies produced similar results, Karpas said he said the U.S. and French studies represented the
"first conclusive evidence that PIT is an effective AIDS treatment".

ASSIGNMENT 20
Another day she said she knew a priest who woke one night to find a fellow he didn't recognize leaning over the
end of his bed. The priest was a bit frightened - naturally enough - but he asked the fellow what he wanted, and the
fellow said in a deep, husky voice that he wanted to go to confession. The priest said it was an awkward time and
wouldn't it do in the morning, but the fellow said that last time he went to confession, there was one sin he kept back,
being ashamed to mention it, and now it was always on his mind. Then the priest knew it was a bad case, because the
fellow was after making a bad confession and committing a mortal sin. He got up to dress, and just then the cock crew
in the yard outside, and to and behold! When the priest looked round there was no sign of the fellow, only a smell of
burning timber, and when the priest looked at his bed didn't he see the print of two hands burned in it! That was
because the fellow had made a bad confession. This story made a shocking impression on me.
But the worst of all was when she showed us how to examine our conscience. Did we take the name of the Lord,
our God, in vain? Did we honour our father and our mother? (I asked her did this include grandmothers and she said
it did.) Did we love our neighbours as ourselves? Did we cover our neighbour's goods? (I thought of the way I felt
about the penny that Nora got every Friday.) I decided that, between one thing and another, I must have broken the
whole ten commandments, all on ac-count of that old woman, and so far as I could see, so long as she remained in the
house, I had no hope of ever doing anything else.
I was scared to death of confession. The day the whole class went I let on to have a toothache, hoping my
absence wouldn't be noticed; but at three o'clock, just as I was feeling safe, along comes a chap with a message from
Mrs. Ryan that I was to go to confession myself on Saturday and be at the chapel for communion with the rest. To
make it worse, Mother couldn't come with me and sent Nora instead.
Now, that girl had ways of tormenting me that Mother never knew of. She held my hands as we went down the
hill, smiling sadly and saying how sorry she was for me, as if she were bringing me to the hospital for an operation.
"Oh, God, help us!" she moaned. "Isn't it a terrible pity you weren't a good boy? Oh Jackie, my heart bleeds for
you! How will you ever think of all your sins? Don't forget you have to tell him about the time you kicked Gran on the
shin."
"Let me go!" I said, trying to drag myself free of her, "I don't want to go to confession at all."
"But sure, you'll have to go to confession, Jackie," she replied in the same regretful tone. "Sure, if you didn't, the
parish priest would be up to the house, looking for you. Isnt God knows, that I'm not sorry for you. Do you remember
the time you tried to kill me with the bread knife under the table? And the language you used to me? I don't know
what he'll do with you at all, Jackie. He might have to send you up to the bishop."
I remember thinking bitterly that she didn't know the half of what I had to tell - if I told it. I knew I couldn't tell
it, and understood perfectly why the fellow in Mrs. Ryan's story made a bad con-fession, it seemed to me a great shame
that people wouldn't stop criticizing him. I remember that steep hill down to the church, and the sunlight hillsides
beyond the valley of the river, which I saw in the gaps between the houses like Adam's last glimpse of Paradise.
Then, when she had maneuvered me down the long flight of steps to the chapel yard, Nora suddenly changed
her tone. She became the raging malicious devil she really was. "There you are!" she said with a yelp of triumph,
hunting me through the church door." And I hope he'll give you the penitential psalins, you dirty little baffler.' I knew
then I was lost, given up to eternal justice. The door with the coloured-glass panels swung shut behind me, the sunlight
went out and gave place to deep shadow, and the wind whistled outside so that the silence within seemed to crackle
like ice under my feet. Nora sat in front of me by the confession box. There were a couple of old women ahead of her,
and then a miserable-looking poor devil came and wedged me in at the other side, so that I couldn't escape even if I

96

had the courage. He joined his hands and rolled his eyes in the direction of the roof, muttering aspirations in an
anguished tone, and I wondered had he a grandmother too. Only a grandmother could account for a fellow behaving
in that heartbroken way, but he was better off than I, for he at least could go and confess his sins; while I would make a
bad confession and then die in the night and be continually coming back and burning people's furniture.

ASSIGNMENT 21
A21.

Text 1
Nhn chung sau mt thi gian hot ng tr tr, nn cng nghip dt thu t nhn ca Thnh ph H Ch Minh

c khi phc v pht trin mc nht nh k t nm 1991.Tuy nhin s pht trin khng n nh bi v hu ht cng
vic ca cc x nghip t nhn u ph thuc vo n t hng ca nc ngoi.Do vy, h khng th kim sot c k
hoch sn xut, v gi lao ng cho sn phm may mt b cc i tc nc ngoi qui nh rt thp (tin cng lao ng nm
1995 ch bng 65%-70% so vi cc nm 1991 v 1992). Do tnh c th ca ngnh ny, nn lng trung bnh ca cng nhn
trong ngnh may-thu ch khong 400.000 ng/thng. Vi s cnh tranh gay gt hin nay, bo him x hi chim n 15%
v bo him y t l 2% trong tng s lng m cc doanh nghip phi ng, v nu nh k hoch d kin ca bo him x
hi c ph duyt, th gi thnh sn xut s rt cao gy kh khn cho cc nh sn xut Vit Nam trong vic cnh tranh c
hiu qu v chim lnh th trng.
gip cc doanh nghip thu-may t nhn sng cn, ng Nam ngh Nh nc nn sa i t l ng gp ca
cc DN ngoi quc doanh i vi chnh sch bo him x hi nh sau:

- Bo him x hi: 10% i vi doanh nghip v 3% i vi cng nhn

- Bo him y t: 1% i vi doanh nghip v 1% i vi cng nhn
Nh nc cng nn ban hnh mt qui nh c lin quan n ngi lao ng c cc doanh nghip tuyn dng v
o to buc phi lm vic ti thiu l 2 nm. Cc cng nhn lm vic trong cc doanh nghip ngoi quc doanh cn phi
c cp th lm vic. Nu mt cng nhn no mun thi vic th phi c doanh nghip c qun ng .
Tt c mi thnh vin ca cc cng ty may-thu Thnh ph H Ch Minh u ng thc hin y vic ng
gp mt phn lng vo bo him x hi v y t, th theo ng qui nh ca lut lao ng.

Text 2
Cc ch doanh nghip ca cc cng ty ln TP H Ch Minh nu ra nhng kh khn m h phi ng u trong
vic cnh tranh gay gt vi cc cng ty nc ngoi, c bit l vi cc cng ty khng l th gii.
Ti mt cuc hp bn v: Lm th no khuyn khch u tnc ngoi v m bo sn xut trong nc c t
chc ti TP H Ch minh tun qua, cc nh sn xut ca cc cng ty bt git Tico v Lux, M phm P/S, nc gii kht
Tribeco, dt Vit Thng, bia Si gn v cng ty gia cm vt nui TP H Ch Minh u thng nht mt kin l cc doanh
nghip trong nc khng cn sc trong vic cnh tranh vi cc i tc nc ngoi v h khng c hng chnh sch u
i thu nh cc doanh nghip c vn u t nc ngoi. Ch 1 nm sau khi lnh cm vn ca M c bi b, cc cng ty
nc gii kht khng l nh Coca-cola, Pepsi- Cola c hng u i v vn, chnh sch tip th v cc u i khc theo
lut u t nc ngoi, nn cc cng ty ny dn dn thm nhp th phn ca cc nahf sn xut trong nc. Cc sn phm
khc cng ri vo hon cnh tng t. Bia Si Gn phi cnh tranh quyt lit vi cc cng ty bia lin doanh vi nc ngoi.
Cc nh sn xut bt git trong nc, mc d c th p ng nhu cu trong nc n nm 2000, nhng li b cc cng ty
khng l nh Procter & Gamble v Unilever dn vo th b.
bo v vic sn xut trong nc, cc nh sn xut trong nc ngh vi Chnh ph mt s bin php. Th
nht, Nh nc nn c k hoch pht trin dnh ring cho vic u t nc ngoi v lnh vc kinh doanh v phn b theo
vng a l v khng nn khuyn khch u t nc ngoi vo vic sn xut ra cc sn phm m cc doanh nghip trong
nc c kh nng sn xut c nh nc gii kht, bt git, giy v thuc l. Th hai, vic cp giy php nn c p dng

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cho cc cng ty lin doanh hay cc doanh nghip c 100% vn u t nc ngoi tham gia vo cc d n i hi c nhiu
vn, cng ngh cao hay sn xut cc mt hng xut khu. Th ba, l nn c mt o lut chng i vic cnh tranh khng
lnh mnh c th dn c quyn kinh doanh, ph gi lm hi ngi tiu dng. Th t nn c chnh sch khuyn khch u t
trong nc v cho cc doanh nghip trong nc c hng chnh sch u i thu nh cc nh u t nc ngoi. Th
nm, nn pht ng mt chin dch ng vin ngi VN dng hng ni a, to iu kin cho cc doanh nghip trong nc
pht trin.

ASSIGNMENT 22
Poor people often have larger families than middle class and upper class people. And people in underdeveloped
countries have more children than people in developed countries. More and more experts in population growth see the
strong relationship between family size and economic development.
In some areas, government family planning services may not be available to poor people due to geographic
location. For example, people in rural areas may live too far away from family planning services. Therefore, they don't
receive information about ways to control family size. In general, people in urban areas have much more information
available to them than people living in rural areas. Urban people have help with family planning, and they have
smaller families. So we can say that geography where people live - plays a part in determining family size: Urban
families are smaller than rural families.
What are the other reasons? Economic development of families and, on a larger scale, of nations, is an important
factor in determining family size. People with a lot of money have fewer children. On the other hand, poor people in
underdeveloped countries choose to have many children. Why? Because they have to depend upon their children to
take care of them in their old age. They have no insurance, pensions, or government help. When they grow old, where
can they get help? The answer is simple. They can and will turn to their children. Their children will be adults then,
and they will be working. The children can all share the costs and other responsibilities of taking care of their parents.
For many poor people, a large family is a way of planning and preparing for the future. We could say that a large
family is insurance for old age in some societies.

ASSIGNMENT 23
Hai c quan lng thc ca Lin Hp quc ngy hm qua cho rng Indonesia s i mt vi s thiu ht lng
thc trm trng trong nm nay. l hu qu ca nhng v ma tht thu v ca cuc khng hong ti chnh lm tng
gi nhp khu.
Trong mt bn bo co chung, t chc Lng Nng th gii (FAO) v Chng Trnh Lng Thc Th Gii (WFP) cho rng
vic gip ca th gii l cn thit gii quyt vic thiu ht go tm thi, ngun lng thc chnh ca t nc.
Bn bo co chung ca hai t chc c vn phng t ti Rome th hai t chc FAO v WFP thc gic cc nc ti tr
gip Indonesia gii quyt cc vn lin quan n hn hn v khng hong ti chnh. Bn bo co ni thm rng gi lng
thc ngy cng tng cao, s ngi tht nghip ngy cng ng lm tng thm s ngi sng di mc ngho i. Mt bn
bo co v mt nc ng dn th t trn th gii m nn kinh t b tn ph cho rng: Vo khong 7,5 triu ngi
Indonesia ngho kh 15 tnh c th phi sng thiu n trong ma kh. Bn bo co da trn nhng c liu do mt nhm
cng tc gm 11 thnh vin ca hai t chc ny. Nhm ny n Indonesia t ngy 9 thng 3 n 1 thng 4 nm 1998. Sn
lng nm nay ch c t 47,5 triu tn, thp hn 3,6% so vi nm ngoi. S tt gim ny do mt trong nhng t hn hn
nghim trng nht Indonesia trong th k ny gy nn. Bn bo co cn cho bit mc d Chnh ph Indonesia d nh
nhp khu 1,5 triu tn go t thng 4 n thng 9, nhng nc ny vn cn thiu 2 triu tn na. Khon thiu ht ny s
c cng ng quc t gip nhm cu vn nn kinh t ang lm vo cnh khn cng. Bn bo co cho bit thch
thc chnh m t nc ny ang i mt l bo m cung cp lng thc cho 7,5 triu ngi ngho i v gi go v
cc loi lng thc khc tng 50% trong vng 12 thng qua.

98

ASSIGNMENT 24
Hm th t, Vit Nam tuyn b l s gia nhp Hip Hi cc nc ng Nam , nhm xua i phng on l H Ni
mun ln na vic tr thnh hi vin chnh thc cho n khi chun b tt mi iu kin.
Vit Nam hin gi ang tch cc chun b mi iu kin cn thit tr thnh hi vin chnh thc ca ASEAN vo nm
ti. Ph Th Tng Phan Vn Khi tuyn b nhvy vi cc doanh nhn ti mt ba n tra do Din n Kinh t th gii
(WEF) - tr s t ti Thy S - t chc. WEF l c quan ng ra duy tr cuc hp ko di 3 ngy y. Ph Th Tng Phan
Vn Khi cho bit Vit Nam cng mun tham gia vo Din n Hp Tc Kinh T Chu - Thi Bnh Dng (APEC) vi 17
thnh vin. khi c iu kin. Ti Jakarta, Th trng ngoi giao Vit Nam V Khoan ni rng nc ng s n xin tr
thnh hi vin A SEAN vo cui thng ny hay u thng 11. Th trng V Khoan, sau khi gp ng A Jit Singh Tng th k
ASEAN - vn phng t ti Jakarta, pht biu rng ng khng mun c mt tr ngi no trong qu trnh gia nhp ASEAN.
Thng tn x Antara trch dn li tuyn b ca ng.
Cc thnh vin APEC bao gm cc quc gia thuc ASEAN - Bruny, Indonesia, Malaisia, Phillipine, Xingapore v Thi
Lan - cng cc nc M, Canada, Nht v Trung Quc. Mt cuc hp khng chnh thc ca cc nh lnh o cc nc tham
gia APEC s c t chc ti Indonesia vo thng ti.
Vit Nam t c kt qu l tr thnh quan st vin ASEAN trong cuc hi ngh ca khi ny vo nm 1992,
tuyn b l thit tha mong mun tr thnh hi vin chnh thc ca t chc ny, c nhng chng trnh vi nhiu hoi bo
v s hp tc, bao gm c vic pht ng khu vc t do mu dch A SEAN trong vng 10 nm. Cc vin chc ASEAN cng
hy vng l Vit Nam c l s gia nhp A SEAN trc khi cc nh lnh o ca 6 quc gia thnh vin tham d cuc hp
thng nh t chc ti Thi Lan vo thng 12 nm 1995.
sn c nhng qui nh v vic hp tc trong khi ASEAN. Mt khi chng ti l hi vin th chng ti s tun theo
mi qui nh. Ph Th Tng ni thm rng H Ni s lm vic vi cc nc khc ti ng Nam bo m nn an ninh
khu vc. Ph Th tng Phan Vn Khi cho bit Chnh ph ca ng s y mnh cc n lc bng nhng vic ci cch
hon thin cc iu kin cho s u tnc ngoi qua s hnh thnh mt c cu lut php mi v cc th tc hnh chnh
thch hp hn. Ph Th tng ni: Chng ti hiu c l Vit Nam ang i ph vi nhng th thch ln lao ca s cnh
tranh kinh t ton cu v nh th chng ti phi c gng tht tch cc gt b i mi nguy c tt hu ng sau cc nc
lng ging.

ASSIGNMENT 25
1. The manufacturing sector expanded significantly during the post-World War II reconstruction of the Philippine
economy. Government controls on imports promoted the development of light industries that produced
consumer goods for the domestic market. In the 1970s the government created four special economic zones
designed to stimulate manufacturing for the export market. Industries in these export-processing zones receive
incentives to produce traditional exports. The zones have helped to stimulate foreign investment in the
Philippine economy, in part because they are exempt from certain taxes and restrictions on foreign ownership
of businesses. The success of these zones has led to the creation of other types of special economic zones, such
as large industrial estates. Businesses receive tax exemptions and other incentives in these zones. The former
U.S. naval base at Subic Bay, for example, is now a huge industrial-commercial zone in Manila. Its modern
facilities and duty-free economic zone have attracted new export-focused industries and foreign investment.

2. Vietnam has sought to maintain socio-politic stability, develop economic and diplomatic establishment in
recent years. The positive legal changes have had a tremendous influence on the production, financial and
commercial situations. Vietnam ranked as the worlds second- largest rice exporter to Thailand because its
agriculture responded dramatically to free market. In manufacturing and service activities the rapid growth and
change occurred in and around HCM City. Much economic expansion was partially driven by an influx of

99

investment and technology from some 2 million overseas Vietnamese in many different countries worldwide,
most of whom had returned to Vietnam for their investment and contacts with their relatives.

3. Only a year after the US embargo was lifted, soft drink giants such as Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola, which have
enjoyed superior advantages in capital, marketing policies and preferences under the Foreign Investment Law,
have gradually eaten into the market shares of local producers. Other products are also in the same situation.
Saigon Beer has to compete fiercely with breweries of foreign joint ventures. Local detergent producers,
although capable of meeting domestic demand to the year 2005, have driven into the corner by giants such as
Procter & Gamble and Unilever.

4. To protect domestic production, local producers have proposed several measures to the Government. First, the
State should devise specific development plans for foreign investment in terms of business field and
geographical area and should not encourage foreign investment in products which local enterprises can
produce such as soft drink, detergent, paper and cigarettes. Second, licenses should be granted only to JVs or
foreign-owned enterprises which involve in projects requiring large capital, advanced technology or producing
goods for export. Third, a law should be enacted against unfair competition that can lead to monopoly,
dumping or price inflation that does not benefit consumers.

5. In Vietnamese the word nuoc carry a double meaning of country and water, a linguistic association
recognizable after a journey to the most fertile land in Vietnam - the Mekong Delta. The silt from the Mekong
River helps to bring an ample granary representing the whole country source of food as well as the local
inhabitants riverside lifestyle. For tourists, the Mekong Delta is one of the most fascinating tourist destinations
in Southeast Asia. It offers the marvel of the glittering waters coupled with the gaiety of a culture demonstrated
by the local lifestyle and commercial activities. The big cities such as Can Tho, My Tho and Long Xuyen
provide a vantage for the nine provinces of the Mekong Delta while the immense network of rivers and canals
is regarded as the great boon second to none in this region. The exciting life in this region is not very similar to
that in HCM City. However, it does not suggest any difficulty in reaching the Mekong Delta to escape the
excitement of the greatest city in Southern Vietnam. It takes only a three-hour drive( by bus, though) on the
National Highway Number 1 to get to My Tho, the capital of Tien giang & an ideal departure point for
exploring this delta region.

100

REFERENCES
Bolinger, Dwight. 1977. Meaning and Form. Longman, London, UK.
Catford, J.C. 1985. A Linguistic Theory of Translation. Oxford University Press, London, UK.
Halliday, M.K.A. 1976. Cohesion in English. Longmans, London, UK.
Larson, Mildred L. 1998. Meaning-based Translation. University Press of America. Maryland, USA.
Newmark, Peter. 1989. A Textbook of Translation. Prentice Hall International, Hertfordside, USA
Palmer, F.R. 1981. Semantics. Cambridge University Press, London, UK.
Reyburn, D. 1979. Cultural Equivalences in Translation. Oxford University Press, London, UK.
Rose, Marilyn. 1982. Translation Spectrum. State University of NY Press, New York, USA
Steiner, G. 1985. Aspects of Language and Translation. Oxford University Press, London, UK.
Tosh, Wayne. 1975. Syntactic Translation. The Hague, Mouton, USA.

101

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................1
CHAPTER 1: THEORY OF TRANSLATION ..................................................................................2
Lesson 1: Form and meaning ............................................................................................................................. 3
Lesson 2: Kind of translation .............................................................................................................................. 9
Lesson 3: Steps in a translation project ............................................................................................................ 15
Lesson 4: Strategies for translators ................................................................................................................... 19
Lesson 5: Patterns and sources of errors made by Vietnamese translators ................................................... 26

CHAPTER II: ASSIGNMENTS .........................................................................................................38

Assignment 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 39
Assignment 2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 42
Assignment 3 ..................................................................................................................................................... 47
Assignment 4 ..................................................................................................................................................... 48
Assignment 5 ..................................................................................................................................................... 51
Assignment 6 ..................................................................................................................................................... 52
Assignment 7 ..................................................................................................................................................... 54
Assignment 8 ..................................................................................................................................................... 55
Assignment 9 ..................................................................................................................................................... 57
Assignment 10 ................................................................................................................................................... 58
Assignment 11 ................................................................................................................................................... 59
Assignment 12 ................................................................................................................................................... 61
Assignment 14 ................................................................................................................................................... 63
Assignment 15 ................................................................................................................................................... 64
Assignment 16 ................................................................................................................................................... 66
Assignment 17 ................................................................................................................................................... 68
Assignment 18 ................................................................................................................................................... 69
Assignment 19 ................................................................................................................................................... 70
Assignment 20 ................................................................................................................................................... 71
Assignment 21 ................................................................................................................................................... 73
Assignment 22 ................................................................................................................................................... 75
Assignment 23 ................................................................................................................................................... 75
Assignment 24 ................................................................................................................................................... 76
Assignment 25 ................................................................................................................................................... 77
CHAPTER III: ASSIGNMENTS KEYS ..............................................................................................79
Assignment 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 80

Assignment 2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 80
Assignment 3 ..................................................................................................................................................... 82
Assignment 4 ..................................................................................................................................................... 83
Assignment 5 ..................................................................................................................................................... 84
Assignment 6 ..................................................................................................................................................... 85
Assignment 7 ..................................................................................................................................................... 86
Assignment 8 ..................................................................................................................................................... 87
Assignment 9 ..................................................................................................................................................... 87
Assignment 10 ................................................................................................................................................... 88
Assignment 11 ................................................................................................................................................... 88
Assignment 12 ................................................................................................................................................... 90
Assignment 13 ................................................................................................................................................... 90
Assignment 14 ................................................................................................................................................... 91
Assignment 15 ................................................................................................................................................... 91
Assignment 16 ................................................................................................................................................... 92
Assignment 17 ................................................................................................................................................... 94
Assignment 18 ................................................................................................................................................... 94
Assignment 19 ................................................................................................................................................... 95
Assignment 20 ................................................................................................................................................... 96
Assignment 21 ................................................................................................................................................... 97
Assignment 22 ................................................................................................................................................... 98
Assignment 23 ................................................................................................................................................... 98
Assignment 24 ................................................................................................................................................... 99
Assignment 25 ................................................................................................................................................... 99

REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................................101

THNG TIN V TC GI CA GIO TRNH

H v tn: Nguyn Vn Tun

Sinh nm: 1963

C quan cng tc: T Bin-phin dch, Khoa Ting Anh, Trng H Ngoi Ng Hu

a ch email: tuannguyen11863@yahoo.com

Phm vi v i tng s dng gio trnh:

Gio trnh Translation 1&2 ch yu s dng dy cho sinh vin ngnh Ting Anh chuyn ngnh Bin
phin dch. Gio trnh ny cn c th dng dy hoc dng tham kho cho sinh vin ngnh Quc t
hc, Vit Nam hc.
Gio trnh c th dng cho cc trng i hc ngoi ng, i hc s phm ngoi ng, Hc vin quan h
quc t.

Yu cu kin thc trc lc hc mn ny:

hc tt mn ny, ngi hc cn phi c kin thc c bn v ng ngha, ng dng v din ngn. Ngoi
ra ngi hc cn c kinh nghim t nhiu v cng tc bin-phin dch hoc ang tham gia cng vic ny
hoc l sinh vin ang hc cc mn bin-phin dch thc hnh.

Cc t kha tra cu: Source language, Target language, Meaning-based translation, Literal translation, Translation errors, Exegesis, Translation evaluation, Strategies for translators, Paraphrase, The 4T's in
translation.
xut bn nm 2001 ti NXB i hc Hu, ti bn nm 2006 ti NXB Nng.