380 Bài luận mẫu Tiếng Anh (Phần 3)

nd become social liabilities. The bitterness they develop as children will 
influence their attitudes and they may fail in life. 
In the past, when more children meant more hands on the farm, it was advisable to raise 
large families. Times have changed and soon a large family will become an 
anachronism.6 Today our attitudes have changed and those who are conscious of the 
harsh realities of life are aware of the disadvantages of a large family. 
1. angle /'%79l/ (n) quan ñieåm, goùc ñoä (moät söï kieän, moät vaán ñeà, v.v) 
2. raise /re1z/ (v) nuoâi, nuoâi döôõng 
3. vindictive /v1n'd1kt1v/ (adj) khoâng khoan dung; haän thuø 
4. rift /r1ft/ (n) söï raïn nöùt 
5. partiality /p@:~1'%l6t1/ (n) söï thieân vò, söï thieân kieán 
6. anarchronism /6'n%kr6n1zm/ (n) ngöôøi, phong tuïc hoaëc tö töôûng bò xem laø loãi thôøi 
286. IS FAMILY PLANNING NECESSARY ? 
KEÁ HOAÏCH HOÙA GIA ÑÌNH COÙ CAÀN THIEÁT KHOÂNG ? 
My answer to this question is a definite1 Yes ! My reasons are as follows. 
When a man and woman settle down and start having children without considering what 
sort of life they and the children will have, they are behaving very irresponsibly. Often 
the result of such irresponsibility is a family that will undergo a lot of hardship. I give an 
example of this. 
An uncle of mine works as fishmonger. In the eight years of his marriage he already has 
eight children and more seem to be on the way. He can hardly make enough to feed 
himself and his wife. With eight more young mouths to feed it is not surprising that he 
simply cannot cope. 
His children do not have decent clothes to wear or sufficient food to eat. They live in a 
squalid2 squatter shack3 near the edge of town. My mother, who is his sister, does what 
she can to help. However the amount of help she can give is limited for 
she is a housewife and my father is not too keen on giving unending assistance to 
someone (my uncle) who is so irresponsible. So my uncle moans about his misfortune 
and complains that no one wants to help him. What he will not admit is that he is the 
cause of his own misery. He suffers the consequences of not planning his family. 
There are hundreds of families that live the way my uncle does in the squatter 
settlement. I have visited them on numerous occasions and have to say that they live in 
miserable conditions. They do not have piped water or proper drains. Basic hygiene is 
not observed. As a result the people living there are not healthy. The children are 
especially prone to all sorts of illness. My cousins seem to have perpetual runny noses 
and smelly bodies. 
The future of these children is not bright. Without proper upbringing many of them will 
end up on the wrong side of the law. I know that some of the residents of this area are 
thugs and gangsters. Some of them have already been arrested for crimes such as drug 
trafficking and armed robbery. What hope is there for children brought up here ? 
On the other hand one of my father's cousins is careful about his children. He only has 
three, all of which are given a good home to grow up in. He is by no means4 rich. He 
earns his living as a van salesman. The difference is that he is concerned with the 
quality of the children he has, not quantity. He makes sure they have enough food so eat 
and their well-being are looked after. The result of such care is so obvious. The children 
live in much better conditions. They are a joy to be with. At least there is less risk in 
getting some kind of sickness from them, as is the case with my less fortunate cousins. 
On the whole I will say that a planned family of about two or three children is best. The 
children have a chance of a happy childhood. The likelihood is that they will grow up to 
be good responsible citizens too. In a large unplanned family the parents have not 
enough time to bring the chilren up properly. Besides having a difficult childhood, the 
chances of growing up into wrong company is very real indeed. Consequently they 
suffer the rest of their lives. 
The signs are obvious. A planned family has a much better chance of being a happy one. 
An unplanned one has virtually no chance at all. 
1. definite /'def1n6t/ (adj) roõ raøng, döùt khoaùt 
2. squalid /'skw4l1d/ (adj) raát baån thæu vaø khoù chòu (do caåu thaû hoaëc quaù ngheøo khoù) 
3. shack /~%k/ (n) tuùp leàu, laùn, nhaø, v.v döïng leân moät caùch sôï haõi 
4. by no means /mi:nz/ (idm) khoâng tí naøo, khoâng chuùt naøo 
287. SHOULD PARENTS WHO HAVE MORE THAN ONE CHILD TREAT ALL 
OF THEIR CHILDREN IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY ? 
CAÙC BAÄC CHA MEÏ COÙ ÑOÂNG CON COÙ ÑOÁI XÖÛ VÔÙI MOÃI ÑÖÙA THEO CAÙCH 
THÖÙC HOAØN TOAØN GIOÁNG NHAU KHOÂNG ? 
Normally parents tend to treat all children alike. They are given the same food, 
sometimes the clothing and very often the same time of schooling. There is nothing 
unnatural about it and it is as it should be. Where the family shares to a common table 
all shall be served the same food. Similarly in the matter of clothing children are 
dressed alike. This in fact helps to avoid a quarrel among the children. If say John is not 
given the same type of clothing as Charles, he frowns and may cry and quarrel. Where 
food and clothing are concerned, there need not be a separate treatment. 
In educating the children, the same treatment may be all right in the lower classes. But 
when it comes to a matter of higher education the difficulty comes in. Children of the 
same parents are not alike. Even in the case of identical twins the difference is 
perceivable. In the case of normal children there is bound1 to be vast differences 
physically and intellectually. In the same family we might come across highly intelligent 
children as well as muffs.2 
So certainly there should be different treatment for different children. A wise parent 
should never try to put all children into the same mould.3 The children vary in their 
attitude to work, study and play. One may be physically strong and prefer physical 
rather than intellectual work. The second may prefer sports, games and active open air 
life rather than classroom work. Still a third may like to read a lot. So it is for the parent 
to observe closely and study the attitude of individual child. Accordingly he must choose 
the career of the child. It is easily said than done. There are many problems in choosing 
what type of education the child must be given. The difficulty may be in the means. All 
facilities cannot be provided by the parent. That is why most parents choose the line4 of 
least resistance and send children to the public school or grammar school. Since these 
schools cannot cater to the individual needs for children, many of the children leave 
school as misfits5 or with an aversion for the scholastic life. 
Even a discerning6 parent cannot theoretically speaking treat children differently 
according to their talent and capacity. Where the parent fails the Government must step 
in. For ideological or political reasons this is not being practised in democratic countries. 
Whereas in totalitarian7 countries, the State takes a stern view of the education of 
children and makes them fit into the groove in which they can set themselves in. The 
question of a square man in a round hole may not arise. This is a very delicate question 
and unless the parent treats children intelligently there may be more harm than good. 
1. bound /ba$nd/ (adj) chaéc chaén, baét buoäc 
2. muff /m^f/ (n) ngöôøi vuïng veà, chaäm chaïp; ngöôøi haäu ñaäu 
3. mould /m6$ld/ (n) (cuõng mold) khuoân, khuoân ñuùc 
4. line /la1n/ (n) ñöôøng loái, bieän phaùp 
5. misfit /'m1sf1t/ (n) ngöôøi khoâng thích nghi vôùi ngoaïi caûnh 
6. discerning /d1's3:n17/ (adj) theå hieän söï suy xeùt thaän troïng 
7. totalitarian /,t6$t%l1'te6r16n/ (adj) cöïc quyeàn, chuyeân cheá 
288. SOME OF THE PROBLEMS OF LOOKING AFTER YOUNGER BROTHERS 
OR SISTERS 
MOÄT VAØI KHOÙ KHAÊN TRONG VIEÄC CHAÊM SOÙC EM TRAI HOAËC EM GAÙI 
Being an elder brother or a sister has its advantages as well as problems. In a big family, 
the elder one has to share some of the responsibilities of both father and mother. This 
can be looked upon1 as a necessary difficulty which one cannot avoid. For the smooth 
running of the family, such a service of the elder child is always expected. 
Now let us see some of the problems of looking after the younger ones. They have to be 
kept away from the kitchen where mother is busy cooking. If you prevent them from 
going into the kitchen they will cry. This will disturb mother. If one or two slaps are 
administered, they will start screaming. The elder one is asked to dress up the younger 
ones about their clothes, make the task very hard and one will lose all patience. Quite 
often, they have to be coached2 in their school work. They won't come at all for studies 
when called. The elder one has to be infinitely patient. If the elder one were to lose 
patience, only he or she will be blamed. 
Another difficulty is that the elder one cannot own anything new or attractive ; the 
younger ones too want to have it. It may be a pen, an instrument box or even a pencil 
eraser. The elder one may protest but to no avail, it will be the younger ones who will 
get their way. 
Another trying occasion is when mother goes to a theater or visits a friend. The younger 
ones make a hell of that time. They will pick quarrel among themselves, fly at each 
other's throat, want to eat something and if they are given what they want, they will 
demand more of it. If they are refused they will complain to mother. The younger ones 
always spy on the elder one. They want to accompany the brother or sister wherever he 
or she goes. They will always be ready to carry real or imaginary tales to the mother. 
They want to be with their elder brother or sister but at the same time they want to have 
their own way, they would not want to listen to their elder brother or sister. 
These kinds of situations are very common in large families and only in rare instances 
can we find families where the children are loving and close to each other. 
1. look upon (sb/sth as sb/sth) /l$k 5p4n/ (v) xem ai/caùi gì,•laø ai/caùi gì 
2. coach /k6$t~/ (v) daïy (phuï ñaïo) ñeå thi kieåm tra 
289. THE PROBLEM OF OVERPOPULATION 
VAÁN ÑEÀ ÑOÂNG DAÂN SOÁ 
The world today faces many problems despite the fact that is has taken long strides in 
science, technology and knowledge. One such problem is over population especially in 
developing countries. The population is growing so fast, that it grows in geometric 
progression1 whereas economic goods grow only in arithmetic progression2 that 
demographers3 say there will not be literally any standing space on earth for her 
teeming millions. Let us find out the causes for such a growth, the problem or problems 
such a growth causes and the possible remedies. 
The fast growth in population can be attributed to good health, lowering of mortality 
rate, combating famine4 when and where it occurs. With the knowledge of science 
many killer diseases have been literally conquered. For instance, smallpox which used 
to take a heavy toll of lives has been eradicated5 from almost all countries, so too has 
cholera,6 plague7 and so on. Even tuberculosis8 is kept under control. The wave of flu 
which accounted for millions of death in 1919 was nothing but a common cold. Infant 
mortality has been reduced considerably by taking pre-natal and post-natal care. Child 
mortality is kept under check by protecting the child against tetanus9 and polio.10 Thus 
while the number of deaths is reduced, there is no control on birth as a result the 
population is increasing at a runaway speed. 
Again periodic famine in certain countries used to take away the lives of thousands of 
people. Now with the better management of the world's food, in the matter of 
production, storage and distribution, no part of the world needs suffer from famine. Add 
to this the better methods of producing more food that are being adopted. By using 
better manures and fertilizers, high yielding seeds, by pest control and water 
management, there has been a revolution in food production. These are some positions 
which contribute to the growth of population. 
The growth of population has its problems as we shall see. As there are more and more 
mouths to be fed, there comes a great strain on the resources of a country ; this is real in 
the case of developing countries with the result they are unable to push ahead 
economically. As food is not sufficient there is chronic malnutrition11 in these countries 
especially in women and children resulting in weaker population who would only 
economically be a drain on the country as their productive years will be short. As health 
and education are the State's affair, they affect the country's finances. So in developing 
countries, health and illiteracy continue to be the problem. The unwieldy growth of 
population leads to the problem of housing and sanitation. In many countries the slums 
are a sore to the eyes. Slums grow round big cities and are found with all the drawbacks. 
These are the areas of disease, filth and crime. 
Now people have realized the dangers of over population. Every country is caught up 
with this problem and population growth control has become an economic necessity. In 
fact it is a survival necessity. Family planning has become a household word. Though 
there has been objections on religious and other grounds, people have come to accept 
family planning as a fact of life. Some countries have taken it seriously that it has 
become a national effort. Through mass media people are being warned and educated. 
Inducements12 are made in the forms of free treatment, earned leave and cash gifts. 
Men and woman in their productive age can get themselves sterilized.13 Vast research 
is going on to introduce simpler methods. 
Still the world may be saved from population explosion. May be there are more Green 
Revolution miracles up the sleeves. May be birth control miracles in the next ten years 
may save us. Right now the whole world seems bored with Family Planning. Can the 
world afford the luxury of such boredom ? 
1. geometric progression /d216,metr1k pr6'9re~n/ (n) caáp soá nhaân 
2. arithmetic progression /6r18,met1k pr6'9re~n/ (n) caáp soá coäng 
3. demographer /d1'm49r6f6(r)/ (n) nhaø daân soá hoïc 
4. famine /'f%m1n/ (n) naïn ñoùi, naïn ñoùi keùm 
5. eradicate /1'r%d1ke1t/ (v) tröø tieät, thuû tieâu 
6. cholera /'k0l6r6/ (n) beänh dòch taû 
7. plague /ple19/ (n) beänh dòch 
8. tuberculosis /tju:b3:kj$'l6$s1s/ (n) beänh lao 
9. tetanus /'tet6n6s/ (n) beänh uoán vaùn 
10. polio /'p6$l16$/ (n) (cuõng poliomyelitis /,p6$l16$,ma16'la1t1s/) (n) beänh baïi lieät 
11. malnutrition /m%lnju:'tr1~n/ (n) söï suy dinh döôõng 
12. inducement /1n'dju:sm6nt/ (n) söï thuyeát phuïc, söï khích leä 
13. sterilize /'ster6la1z/ (v) laøm voâ sinh, trieät saûn 
290. WHAT MAKE GOOD PARENTS 
NHÖÕNG YEÁU TOÁ TAÏO NEÂN CAÙC BAÄC CHA MEÏ TOÁT 
The bond1 between parents and children is one of love and affection, yet we come 
across2 people who hate their parents and also people who feel that their parents have 
let them down. Why is this the case ? Are these people unnatural or are they justified3 ? 
Perhaps in some cases they are justified. Most men and women get married and have 
children but not all of them are worthy of being parents. Parenthood, like other jobs, 
needs devotion, dedication and preparation. Prospective parents must recognize their 
responsibilities and realise what parenthood4 involves. 
The first essential of good parenthood is the acceptance of the role. Men who marry 
very young may resent their first child for it would be a rival for the affection of the lady 
of the house. Women may resent their first child because it suddenly puts them in a 
different class of women. They can no longer call their time their own. Often the 
newcomer may necessitate5 changes in the household routine, giving up of a job on the 
part of the mother and various other sacrifices. The world of affection which should 
surround a child should precede its birth it is here that good parenthood begins. 
Fondness, however, is at no stage a synonym of pampering and spoiling children. 
Parents have the responsibility of cultivating those qualities in their children which may 
help them to face life, make them brave and likeable human beings, impart to them a 
sense of integrity and strength and these lessons cannot be learnt haphazardly6 or in an 
erratic fashion. Parenthood is a wholetime task and the only way of cultivating the right 
habits is through example and by providing an atmosphere which is conducive to the 
growth of these qualities. A child learns these virtues at home and the influence of his 
parents can counteract all other influences whether good or bad. 
This is the theoretical aspect ; in practice, the recipe for good parenthood is love and 
understanding. These two envelop a whole world in themselves. Love means love in the 
right degree, love which does not ignore discipline, love which does not yield for the 
wrong reasons and for the wrong ends, love which can provide security and confidence 
for the growing child, love which leads to sacrifices and makes one devote some time 
and join in enjoying the simple pleasure of childhood. Understanding means trying to 
find what the child wants and why, giving him the freedom to try new ideas, to 
experiment with hobbies, learn from the world of nature. Understanding in love 
becomes hiding one's fears and allowing the child to develop a sense of adventure and 
fearlessness ; it means loving without being clinging. It is not only confined to this, it 
extends further. It includes patience and forbearances.7 There may be occasions when 
a child may be afraid of things : of participation in social and public functions, of 
swimming, of heights and endless other things. Understanding means trying to find out 
the reasons for the fear and perhaps giving in for the time being and helping the child to 
overcome it gradually. 
Whatever is of value in the human character is born out of love and understanding. 
There can be no strict rules that one should say "No", or put one's foot down or allow a 
child complete freedom. Each situation has to be judged and examined individually and 
each parent has to make the decision himself. But there can be one rule : don't corrupt 
the child. Don't teach it to accept the second best, don't bribe it into obedience, don't be 
tyrannised8 by its tantrums,9 don't blackmail10 it or allow it to blackmail you. If the 
child remains incorruptible, it has every chance of growing up to be a person of 
generosity and compassion. 
Being a good parent is in itself a process of growing up. One should have the capacity to 
love and to love wisely ; it is this kind of person who makes a good parent. Share 
yourself with your children and they will love you and learn from you. 
1. bond /b4nd/ (n) ñieàu lieân keát hoaëc raøng buoäc 
2. come across /k^m 6'kr4s/ (v) tình côø gaëp 
3. justified /'d2^st1fa1d/ (adj) coù lyù do chính ñaùng ñeå laøm ñieàu gì 
4. parenthood /'pe6r6nth$d/ (n) tö caùch laøm cha meï 
5. necessitate /n1'ses1te1t/ (v) baét buoäc phaûi coù, phaûi laøm, v.v 
6. haphazard /h%p'h%z6d/ (adj) böøa baõi, khoâng coù keá hoaïch hoaëc traät töï gì• - haphazardly 
/-l1/ (adv) 
7. forbearance /f0:'be6r6ns/ (n) söï töï chuû kieân trì, söï ñoä löôïng 
8. tyrannise /'t1r6na1z/ (v) aùp cheá, haønh haï 
9. tantrum /'t%ntr6m/ (n) côn caùu kænh hoaëc giaän döõ buøng noå (cuûa moät ñöùa beù) 
10. blackmail /'bl%kme1l/ (v) buoäc ai phaûi laøm gì baèng caùch haêm doïa 
291. QUALITIES OF YOUR IDEAL WIFE