"A FREE TOEFL COURSE 4 ALL" = "LỚP TOEFL MIỄN PHÍ CHO MỌI NGƯỜI". Giáo viên, Lê Quốc An.

MARLON BRANDO, ?oTHE GODFATHER? / Vietnamese Version
PART II
Brando plays Terry Malloy, a failed boxer. He informs on organized crime leaders, including his brother, Charlie. His brother had made him lose fights on purpose so Charlie could make money gambling on the fights. But now, Terry expresses his regrets about losing the fights.
Brando đóng vai Terry Malloy, một đấu thủ quyền Anh thất bại. Anh khai báo về những tên trùm tội phạm có tổ chức, bao gồm cả anh trai Charlie của anh. Anh của Terry Malloy đã làm cho anh thua trong trận đấu có chủ đích để Charlie có thể thắng được tiền đặt cược trong trận đấu. Tuy nhiên, giờ đây Terry bày tỏ sự hối tiếc của mình cho việc thất trận
(ACT TWO: ?oOn The Waterfront?)
(MÀN HAI: ?oTrên Bến Cảng?)
?oYou don?Tt understand. I could?Ta?T had class. I could?Ta?T been a contender. I could?Tve been somebody instead of a bum which is what I am. Let?Ts face it.?
?oCác người không hiểu. Ta là đấu thủ ngoại hạng. Ta đã không có đối thủ. Ta có thể đã là một người nào đó thay vì một kẻ không ra gì mà chính là cái hiện thời ta là. Hãy trực diện với nó.?
Marlon Brando acted in about forty movies. He was nominated for a total of eight Academy Awards. In his movies, he played a Japanese translator, a German Nazi military officer and the father of Superman. He even sang in a movie musical called ?oGuys and Dolls.?
Marlon Brando đã tham gia đóng khoảng 40 bộ phim. Ông được đề cử tổng cộng 8 Giải Thưởng Hàn Lâm Viện. Trong các bộ phim của ông, ông đóng vai một phiên dịch người Nhật Bản, sĩ quan quân đội của Đức Quốc Xã và cha của Siêu Nhân. Ông thậm chí đã hát trong nhạc phim có tên ?oChàng Bù Nhìn Và Búp Bê Xinh?.
His real life was as colorful as his many movie characters. His love life was especially active. He married actress Anna Kashfi in nineteen fifty-seven. The marriage had problems from the start. Their child, a son named Christian, was born a few months after they married. They separated the next year.
Cuộc đời thật của ông nhiều sắc màu như nhiều nhân vật trong phim của ông. Trường tình của ông đặc biệt sôi động. Ông lập gia đình với nữ diễn viên Anna Kashfi vào năm 1957. Cuộc hôn nhân gặp rắc rối ngay từ đầu. Con trai của họ tên Christian chào đời vài tháng sau khi họ cưới nhau. Họ chia tay vào năm sau.
In nineteen sixty, Brando married Movita Castenada, a Mexican-American actress. They had two children before they separated in nineteen sixty-two. The same year, he married a Tahitian actress, Tarita. The two had met while filming the movie ?oMutiny On the Bounty.?
Năm 1960, Barando cưới Movita Castenada, một nữ diễn viên Mỹ gốc Mêhicô. Họ có với nhau hai người con trước khi ly thân vào năm 1962. Cùng năm đó, ông kết hôn với nữ diễn viên người Tahiti tên Tarita. Cả hai gặp nhau khi đang đóng phim ?oBinh Biến Trên Chiến Hạm.?
Brando?Ts marriage to Tarita lasted ten years. But his love of Tahiti never ended. In nineteen sixty-six, he bought a small island near Tahiti. Brando divided his time between his island and his home in California for the rest of his life.
Cuộc hôn nhân của Brando và Tarita kéo dài 10 năm. Tuy nhiên tình yêu của ông dành cho Tahiti không bao giờ kết thúc. Năm 1966, ông đã mua một hòn đảo nhỏ gần Tahiti. Brando đã phân chia thời gian sống của ông ở hòn đảo và ở ngôi nhà của mình tại California vào những năm tháng còn lại của cuộc đời ông.
Critics say Marlon Brando began *****ffer professionally during and after his work on ?oMutiny on the Bounty.? Hollywood directors and producers considered him difficult to work with. Some critics said the actor appeared to be tired of acting.

Các nhà phê bình cho rằng Marlon Brando đã bắt đầu gánh chịu một cách chuyên nghiệp của nghề diễn trong suốt và sau khi ông đóng phim ?oBinh Biến Trên Chiến Hạm.? Các đạo diễn và nhà sản xuất Hollywood nhận định rằng khó làm việc với ông. Một vài nhà phê bình cho rằng đã thấy sự mệt mỏi trong diễn xuất của ông.
But that changed in nineteen seventy-two when Brando appeared in ?oThe Godfather.? At first, the film studio officials did not want Brando in the movie. But the director, Francis Ford Coppola, chose him for the part. The film was a major critical and financial success. Brando was praised for his performance as the Godfather, Vito Corleone, the powerful head of a criminal organization in New York City. He speaks to a man who wants the Godfather to have someone killed.
Nhưng mọi thứ đã thay đổi vào năm 1972 khi Brando xuất hiện trong phim ?oBố Già.? Thoạt đầu, các nhà điều hành phim trường không muốn Brando tham gia vào bộ phim. Nhưng đạo diễn Francis Ford Coppola chọn ông cho vai diễn. Bộ phim là một sự thành công lớn cả về mặt bình luận và doanh thu. Brando đã được khen ngợi cho sự diễn xuất trong vai Bố Già Vito Corleone, tay trùm Mafia quyền lực của tổ chức tội phạm ở New York . Ông nói chuyện với một người đàn ông muốn nhờ bố già giết ai đó.
(ACT THREE: ?oThe Godfather?)
?oIf you?Td come to me in friendship then this scum that ruined your daughter would be suffering this very day. And if by chance an honest man like yourself should make enemies then they would become my enemies. And then they would fear you.?
(MÀN BA: ?oBố Già?)

?oNếu anh đến với tôi với tư cách bạn bè thế thì kẻ xấu xa đã hủy hoại đời con gái ông sẽ phải gánh chịu nỗi đau khổ chính ngày này. Và nếu ngẫu nhiên một người chân thật như ông có kẻ thù thế thì kẻ thù đó cũng là kẻ thù của tôi. Và khi đó chúng sẽ khiếp sợ ông.?
Marlon Brando won the Best Actor Oscar for ?oThe Godfather.? But he rejected it. He sent a woman named Sasheen Littlefeather to speak for him at the Academy Awards ceremony. She said that Brando could not accept the award because of the way the American film industry treated Native Americans. The people at the Academy Awards ceremony did not like the speech. But some experts think the action helped change the way American Indians were shown in movies.
Marlon Brando đã đoạt GIảI Oscar Cho Nam Diễn Viên Xuất Sắc Nhất cho vai ?oBố Già.? Tuy nhiên ông đã từ chối nhận giải thưởng đó. Ông đã cử một phụ nữ tên Sasheen Littlefeather để phát ngôn thay ông tại lễ trao Giải Thưởng Hàn Lâm Viện. Bà nói rằng Brando không thể nhận giải thưởng do cách mà nền công nghiệp phim ảnh Mỹ đối xử với thổ dân Mỹ. Những người tham dự lễ trao Giải Thưởng Hàn Lâm Viện đã không thích bài phát biểu đó. Tuy nhiên, một vài chuyên gia cho rằng hành động đó đã giúp thay đổi cách mà Thổ Dân Da Đỏ Bắc Mỹ được thể hiện trên phim ảnh.
Marlon Brando was also active in the civil rights movement. He spoke out against racism often and forcefully. He marched in demonstrations. And he gave money to civil rights groups.
Marlon Brando cũng đã đóng góp tích cực vào việc thay đổi quyền dân sự. Ông thường xuyên và một cách mạnh mẽ phát biểu chống lại việc phân biệt chủng tộc.
Marlon Brando had two family tragedies. In nineteen ninety, his son, Christian, shot and killed a Tahitian man at the family?Ts home in California. The victim, Dag Drollet, was the boyfriend of Brando?Ts daughter, Cheyenne. Christian Brando said the killing was accidental. He was found guilty of responsibility in the death and served almost five years in prison.
Marlon Brando chịu hai tấm thảm kịch gia đình. Năm 1990, con trai Christian của ông đã bắn và giết chết một người đàn ông ở Tahiti tại căn nhà của gia đình ở California. Nạn nhân là Dag Drollet bạn trai của con gái Brando, Cheyenne. Christian Brando đã nói rằng vụ giết người đó là tai nạn. Anh ta đã bị buộc tội cho cái chết đó và thụ án tù 5 năm.
During the trial, Marlon Brando told the court that he and Anna Kashfi had failed Christian as parents. He also apologized to the Drollet family and said he wished he could trade places with their son.
Trong suốt phiên xét xử, Marlon Brando đã bảo với tòa án rằng ông và Anna Kashfi đã không làm tròn vai trò cha mẹ. Ông cũng xin lỗi gia đình Drollet và nói rằng ông ước gì có thể đổi chổ thế mạng cho con trai của họ.
In nineteen ninety-five, Marlon Brando?Ts daughter Cheyenne killed herself. She had struggled with mental problems and was still depressed about the killing of her boyfriend.
Năm 1995, con gái của Marlon Brando là Cheyenne tự sát. Cô ta đã vật vã chống chọi với vấn đề tâm thần và vẫn còn bị khủng hoảng bởi cái chết của người bạn trai.
Marlon Brando never made public statements about the death of his daughter. But reports said he blamed himself. He did not attend his daughter?Ts funeral in Tahiti.

Marlon Brando chưa bao giờ công bố về cái chết của con gái ông. Nhưng nhiều bài tường thuật nói rằng ông khiển trách con gái mình. Ông đã không đến dự lễ tang của con gái tại Tahiti.
In the following nine years, he made just four more movies. And the parts he played were small. But his influence on the American film industry was huge. When Marlon Brando died, many famous actors expressed regret. One of them said simply: ?oHe was the best.?
Trong 9 năm tiếp theo, ông chỉ tham gia vào thêm 4 bộ phim. Và những vai ông tham gia đều là vai phụ. Tuy nhiên, ảnh hưởng của ông đối với nền phim ảnh Mỹ vẫn vô cùng lớn. Khi Marlon Brando mất, nhiều diễn viên nổi tiếng đã bày tỏ sự thương tiếc. Một trong số họ đơn giản nói ?oÔng là đệ nhất.?
Bounty: ship that was the scene of mutiny: the British naval ship commanded by Captain William Bligh on a scientific voyage to Tahiti in 1789.

Bligh?Ts cruelty provoked a mutiny led by Fletcher Christian.
Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2004. © 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Translated by
Hong Anh [honganh@saigonpostel.com.vn]
cobengotngao [cobengotngaocandy@yahoo.com]
nguyen hang [hang_student@yahoo.com]
nguyen phamduy [duystyle@yahoo.com]
Huyen Tr@n [huyentran135@yahoo.com]
nguyen tran minh thao [nguyentranminhthao@yahoo.com]

With the translation support from Le Quoc An

Bye Bye
October 25, 2004
E***ed by Le Quoc An
Được lequocan sửa chữa / chuyển vào 00:37 ngày 08/11/2004

THE ANSWERS TO THE TOEFL VOCABULARY PRACTICE 2
TOEFL VOCABULARY PRACTICE 2
Here is the Vietnamese translation and grammar task for the TOEFL GRAMMAR TEST,
Under the pen of a college student with the score of 10,
TRẦN QUẾ LAN
In the Writing & Translation Course of THANH NIEN FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER.
Delivered to the HAPPINESS TO HAPPINESS/HANH PHUC TIEP NOI Forum.
Here is the Vietnamese translation with Unicode Fonts.
If unreadable on the Yahoo web, click View on the toolbar of the Internet Explorer, choosing Encoding and then Unicode (UTF-8).

The task has been offline-graded at lequocan@pmail.vnn.vn and posted onto 15000 email addresses and the three websites: www.dethi.com , www.forabroad.info , www.ttvnol.com/english.ttvn , and http://diendan.vietnamnet.vn/category.asp .

THE QUESTIONS

Find A, B, C, or D synonymous with the [word] by writing ?o= my final choice? to A, B, C, or D.

11. In a bullfight, it is the movement, not the color, of objects that [arouses] the bull.
Trong một trận đấu bò, chính sự chuyển động, chứ không phải màu sắc kích động con bò.
A. confuses
B. excites = my final choice
C. scares
D. diverts

12. In 1861 it seemed [inevitable] that the Southern states would break away from the Union.
Năm 1861, dường như không thể tránh được là các bang ở Miền Nam sẽ ly khai khỏi Liên Bang.
A. strange
B. certain = my final choice
C. inconsistent
D. proper
(Inevitable: something certain: something that is certain to happen
Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2004. © 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.)

13. [Practically] all species of animals communicate either through sounds or through a large repertory of soundless codes.
Hầu như tất cả các chủng loài loài động vật giao tiếp hoặc qua âm thanh hoặc bằng bộ mã nguồn câm.
A. Simultaneously
B. almost = my final choice
C. Absolutely
D. Basically
(Practically: almost: very nearly but not quite.
Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2004. © 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.)

14. Of the planets in this solar system, Mercury is [nearest] the Sun.
Trong những hành tinh của thái dương hệ, Thủy Tinh gần Mặt Trời nhất .
A. most like
B. dimmer than
C. closest to = my final choice
D. as hot as

15. The Klondike was the [scene] of one of the biggest gold rushes the world has ever known.
Klondike là địa thế của một trong những cuộc đổ xô đi tìm vàng lớn nhất mà thế giới từng biết đến.
A. location = my final choice
B. view
C. event
D. landscape
(The Klondike: region of northwestern Yukon Territory, Canada, named for the Klondike River, which traverses it. After 1897 it was the site of a decade-long gold rush in which 30,000 prospectors streamed into the area. Gold was mined there until the mid-1960s.
Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2004. © 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.)

16. Academic records from other institutions often become part of a university''s official file and can neither be returned to a student nor [duplicated].
Học bạ của từ các học viện khác thường trở thành một phần hồ sơ chính thức của một trường đại học và không thể trả cho học sinh hoặc cũng chẳng được phép sao y.
A. borrowed
B. purchased
C. copied = my final choice
D. rewritten

17. This kind of animals are [on the verge of extinction], because so many are being killed for their fur.
Chủng loại động vật này đang trên bờ tuyệt chủng, do bởi đa số đang bị giết hại vì bộ lông của chúng.
A. drying up
B. dying out = my final choice
C. being exported
D. being transplanted

18. Illinois has produced writers such as Carl Sandburg, [gangsters] such as A1 Capone, and architects such as Louis Sullivan.
Illinois đã sản sinh ra những nhà văn như Carl Sandburg, những tên cướp khét tiếng như A1 Capone, và những kiến trúc như Louis Sullivan .
A. violent criminals = my final choice
B. politicians
C. musicians
D. industrialists

19. The old lady has [let] her flat to an English couple.
Người phụ nữ già đã để đôi vợ chồng người Anh thuê căn hộ của bà.
A. suggested
B. sold
C. rented = my final choice
D. offered
(Let: commercial law: rent out property: to allow people to use land, rooms, or a building in return for rent
Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2004. © 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.)
20. The police [contended] that the difficulties they faced were too severe.
Cảnh sát tranh luận rằng những khó khăn mà họ đang đối mặt quá khắc nghiệt.
A. argued = my final choice
B. predicted
C. said
D. suggested
(Contend: state something: to argue or claim that something is true
Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2004. © 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.)

THE RESULTS

QUE LAN TRAN [quelantran@yahoo.com] = 10
nguyen hang [hang_student@yahoo.com] = 09
Bui Thu trang [bttrang2001@yahoo.com] = 08
ba tuan [batuan07@yahoo.com] = 08
nguyen thanh [thanhnc@vdc.com.vn] = 08
pham kim oanh [happy_ghost2785@yahoo.com] = 08
Lee Brian [ducanh2481987@yahoo.com] = 08
thien than ao trang [thienthanaotrang9000@yahoo.com] = 07
nguyen phamduy [duystyle@yahoo.com] = 07
Huyen Tr@n [huyentran135@yahoo.com]
Hoang Quan Truong [lovelyocean87@yahoo.com] = 07
ALADANH [viecie2002@yahoo.com] = 07
Do Quyen [doquyen@tuoitre.com.vn] = 06
TAM NGUYEN [hoangtam20062004@yahoo.com] = 06
Nguyen Huong [cat_huong2004@yahoo.com] = 04


Bye Bye
November 6, 2004
E***ed by Le Quoc An

THE ANSWERS TO THE TOEFL READING TEST 12.
READING PRACTICE
Here is the Vietnamese translation and reading task for the TOEFL READING TEST,
Under the pens of the college students with the scores of 10,
THAONEMO - TRUONG HOANG VIET
QUANG TOÀN - QUẾ LAN - LEE BRIAN
In the Writing & Translation Course of THANH NIEN FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER.
Delivered to the HAPPINESS TO HAPPINESS/HANH PHUC TIEP NOI Forum.
Here is the Vietnamese translation with Unicode Fonts.
If unreadable on the Yahoo web, click View on the toolbar of the Internet Explorer, choosing Encoding and then Unicode (UTF-8).
TOEFL READING SECTION
The task has been offline-graded at lequocan@pmail.vnn.vn and posted onto 15000 email addresses and the three websites: www.dethi.com , www.forabroad.info/vn/ , http://diendan.vietnamnet.vn/category.asp , and www.ttvnol.com/english.ttvn .
Conflict, like stress, is a natural phenomenon when people interact. Conflict in some form is always present; however, It is not always negative. Conflict can be positive, for example, when you and your colleagues try to select the best possible alternative to a problem. However, much more attention is given to the negative aspects of conflict.
Xung đột, giống như sự căng thẳng, là một hiện tượng tự nhiên khi con người tương tác lẫn nhau. Xung đột về một hình thức nào đó thì luôn hiện diện; tuy nhiên, nó không phải lúc nào cũng có tính tiêu cực. Xung đột cũng có thể mang tính tích cực, ví dụ, khi bạn và đồng nghiệp cố gắng chọn giải pháp hoán chuyển khả thi nhất cho một vấn đề. Tuy nhiên, nhiều sự chú ý hơn lại được nhằm vào khía cạnh tiêu cực của sự xung đột.
Conflict occurs when we fear the unknown. This can be very simple: someone says something in a tone of voice different from our expectations, which raises questions in our mind as to what the real meaning might be. Of course conflict can, and does, occur in much more serious circumstances.
Xung đột xảy ra khi chúng ta sợ những điều không biết. Điều này có thể rất đơn giản: ai đó nói một điều gì đó với một giọng điệu khác với sự mong đợi của chúng ta, mà khiến nẩy sinh những câu hỏi trong tâm trí chúng ta khi xét về ý nghĩa thật sự của câu hỏi đó có lẽ là gì. Dĩ nhiên xung đột có thể, và thực sự, diễn ra trong nhiều tình huống nghiêm trọng hơn nhiều.
Your ability to detect and understand conflict will place you in a better position to control the situation. Conflict is often categorized in three stages. Stage one is the day-to-day irritations that require minimal coping strategies. Stage one conflict is real but low in intensity. The intensity can increase if irritations increase and no solution is found.
Khả năng nhận thức và hiểu biết về xung đột của bạn sẽ đặt bạn ở vị trí tốt hơn để kiểm soát tình huống. Xung đột thường được phân thành ba giai đoạn. Giai đoạn 1 là sự bực dọc khó chịu ngày qua ngày mà chúng yêu cầu những chiến lược đối phó tối thiểu. Xung đột giai đoạn 1 là thật nhưng thấp về cường độ. Cường độ có thể tăng lên nếu sự bực bội lũy tiến và không có giải pháp được tìm ra.
Stage two is reached when the parties become competitive. Each person protects his self-interest and fears loss of face. The win-lose attitude becomes integrated with the problem.
Giai đoạn 2 được đạt đến khi hai phía trở nên cạnh tranh nhau. Mỗi người tự bảo vệ tư lợi của mình và sợ mất mặt. Thái độ thắng ?" thua trở nên hòa nhập với vấn đề.
Stage three is reached when the objective changes from wanting to win toward wanting to hurt the other party. This stage can be explosive because other people are drawn into the conflict and sides are chosen. Problem solving is no longer a realistic method of resolution.
Giai đoạn 3 được đạt đến khi mục tiêu thay đổi từ việc muốn thắng đến muốn làm tổn thương đối phương. Giai đoạn này có thể bùng nổ bởi vì những người khác bị lôi kéo vào cuộc xung đột và phe cánh sẽ đuợc chọn. Việc giải quyết vấn đề không còn là giải pháp dung hoà thực tiển nữa.
By understanding the three stages of conflict, it will be easier for you to handle the day-to-day situations to which you are exposed. You will also be able to detect potential conflict between others in which you do not want to get involved.
Qua việc hiểu ba giai đoạn của sự xung đột, sẽ dễ dàng hơn cho bạn kiểm soát những tình huống hàng ngày mà tiếp xúc với. Bạn cũng sẽ có thể nhận ra những xung đột tiềm tàng giữa những người khác mà bạn không muốn dính vào.

1. Conflict is _____.
A. paid attention to because it is negative
B. only positive when occurring between colleagues
C. universally present in human interactions = my final choice
D. similar to stress in every aspect
2. Stage two conflict is different from stage one conflict in that _____.
A. it is caused by daily disputes
B. it is low in intensity
C. it takes a form of competition = my final choice
D. it always leads to loss of face
3. The third stage can be explosive because _____.
A. quarreling becomes inevitable
B. it is not longer a conflict between two individuals = my final choice
C. people begin to hate each other
D. no solution is possible
4. The ability to identify conflict _____.
A. can help you make good use of conflict
B. enables you to win every competition
C. can prevent conflict from occurring
D. can help you deal with the situation better = my final choice
5. The conflict between a student and his roommate caused by different living habits is an instance of ____.
A. stage one conflict = my final choice
B. stage two conflict
C. stage three conflict
D. none of the above

THE RESULTS
Thao Le [thaonemo@yahoo.com] = 10
Truong Hoang Viet [hung145@hcm.vnn.vn] = 10
Quang Toàn [newlife229@sg.netnam.vn] = 10
Que Lan Tran [quelantran@yahoo.com] = 10
Lee Brian [ducanh2481987@yahoo.com] = 10
the thoi nhi [the_thoi_nhi@yahoo.com] = 08
Ha Nguyen Thu [ntha4vcb@yahoo.com] = 08
nguyen pham duy [duystyle@yahoo.com] = 08
nguyen hang [hang_student@yahoo.com] = 06
ba tuan [batuan07@yahoo.com] = 06
nguyen thanh [thanhnc@vdc.com.vn] = 04
Do Quyen [doquyen@tuoitre.com.vn] = 04
TAM NGUYEN [hoangtam20062004@yahoo.com] = 02
Bye Bye
November 7, 2004
E***ed by Le Quoc An

TOEFL VOCABULARY PRACTICE 3 FOR THE SECOND WEEK OF NOVEMBER 2004.
TOEFL VOCABULARY PRACTICE 3
Having the honor of giving you a TOEFL GRAMMAR TEST,
And hoping to get your answers and translations for the six questions.
(Your translation in Vietnamese should be under a Word-file attachment)
If unreadable on the Yahoo web, click View on the toolbar of the Internet Explorer, choosing Encoding and then Unicode (UTF-8).
TOEFL VOCABULARYSECTION
BÀI SẼ ĐƯỢC CHẤM OFFLINE TẠI: LE QUOC AN [lequocan@pmail.vnn.vn]

DIRECTIONS

In 1995, Newt Gingrich was sworn ______ Speaker of the House, the first Republican Speaker in more than 40 years. (Vào 1995, Newt Gingrich được tuyên thệ phụng sự như Phát Ngôn Viên Của Hạ Viện, Phát Ngôn Viên Đầu Tiên cho Đảng Cộng Hoà trong suốt hơn 40 năm.)
A. in as = my final choice
B. to be
C. to
D. in
YOUR TASK IS NOT GRADED WITHOUT YOUR VIENAMESE TRANSLATION.
THE QUESTIONS

Find A, B, C, or D synonymous with the [word] by writing ?o= my final choice? to A, B, C, or D.

1. I was called into the manager''s office and told that my ___________ period was over.
A. basic
B. term
C. try
D. trial
2. The banker is offering a ___________ to anyone who can give information about robbery.
A. compensation
B. prize
C. reward
D. fund
3. It is of ____________ importance to improve the quality of our products.
A. complete
B. basic
C. serious
D. primary
4. The air con***ioner soon _________________ the temperature of the room.
A. lowered
B. improved
C. reserved
D. contracted
5. They tried hard to _________________ the war to a close.
A. pull
B. put
C. take
D. bring
6. She decided to ___________ in the English course at the local evening school.
A. assimilate
B. converge
C. enroll
D. engage
7. When we put the suggestion to him, he was _____________ for its immediate application.
A. enthusiastic
B. keen
C. optimistic
D. excited
8. The teacher said that if we believed something was true and good we should _________ to it.
A. hold on
B. hold out
C. hold off
D. hold down
9. It is a great ____________ that the exhibition was cancelled at the last minute after all your work.
A. pity
B. sorrow
C. complaint
D. sadness
10. The whole book including the pictures can be duplicated in a ____________ of 20 minutes.
A. matter
B. moment
C. way
D. time

BÀI SẼ ĐƯỢC CHẤM OFFLINE TẠI: LE QUOC AN [lequocan@pmail.vnn.vn]

Your task is to be offline-graded at lequocan@pmail.vnn.vn and posted onto 15000 email addresses and the three websites: www.dethi.com , www.forabroad.info/vn/ , http://diendan.vietnamnet.vn/category.asp , and www.ttvnol.com/english.ttvn .

Bye Bye
November 28, 2004
E***ed by Le Quoc An

TOEFL READING TEST 14 ONCE A WEEK FOR NOVEMBER 2004.
READING PRACTICE
Having the honor of giving you a TOEFL READING TEST,
And hoping to get your translations for the reading and answers for the questions.
(Your translation in Vietnamese should be under a Word-file attachment)
If unreadable on the Yahoo web, click View on the toolbar of the Internet Explorer, choosing Encoding and then Unicode (UTF-8).
TOEFL READING TEST 14.
Read the short passage. The reading is followed by several questions about it.
There are four possible answers (A-D) for each question. Choose the best answer.
And write ?o= my final choicê? for A, B, C or D.
TOEFL READING SECTION
Surprisingly, no one knows how many children receive education in English hospitals, still less the content or quality of that education. Proper records are just not kept.
We know that more than 850,000 children go through hospital each year, and that every child of school age has a legal right to continue to receive education while in hospital. We also know there is only one hospital teacher to every 1,000 children in hospital.
Little wonder the latest survey concludes that the extent and type of hospital teaching available differ a great deal across the country. It found that half the hospitals in England which admit children have no teacher. A further quarter have only a part-time teacher. The special children''s hospitals in major cities do best; general hospitals in the country and holiday areas are worst off.
From this survey, one can estimate that fewer than one in five children have some contact with a hospital teacher -and that contact may be as little as two hours a day. Most children interviewed were surprised to find a teacher they had not been prepared for it by parents or their own school. If there was a teacher they were much more likely to read books and do maths or number work; without a teacher they would only play games.
Reasons for hospital teaching range from preventing a child falling behind and maintaining the habit of school to keeping a child occupied, and the latter is often all the teacher can do. The position and influence of many teachers was summed up when referred to them as ''the library lady'' or just ''the helper''.
Children tend to rely on concerned school friends to keep in touch with school work. Several parents spoke of requests for work being ignored or refused by the school. Once back at school, children rarely get extra teaching, and are told to catch up as best they can.
Many short-stay child-patients catch up quickly. But schools do very little to ease the anxiety about falling behind expressed by many of the children interviewed.
61. The writer of this article points out that _____.
A. every child in hospital receives some teaching
B. not enough is known about hospital teaching
C. hospital teaching is of poor quality
D. many children pass through hospital each year
62. This latest survey found that hospital teaching is provided _____.
A. for the whole of the usual school day
B. in every children''s hospital in the country
C. for a small proportion of children
D. by full-time teachers
63. It seemed that the children interviewed in hospital _____.
A. liked having maths lessons regularly
B. wanted to play gamed most of the time
C. did not expect to receive any teaching
D. did not want any contact with their schools
64. It is suggested that most teachers of children in hospital were _____.
A. successful in getting the co-operation of parents
B. unable to get help from other hospital staff
C. unable to provide a proper teaching program
D. in a position of great influence in the hospital
65. Some children in hospital are able to keep up with their school work because __.
A. the nurses try to teach them
B. their friends help them to do so
C. teachers from the school come to the hospital
D. their parents bring them books from the library
B?I SẼ ĐỈỢC CHẤM OFFLINE TẠI: LE QUOC AN [lequocan@pmail.vnn.vn]
Your task is to be offline-graded at lequocan@pmail.vnn.vn and posted onto 15000 email addresses and the three websites: www.dethi.com , www.forabroad.info/vn/ , http://diendan.vietnamnet.vn/category.asp , and www.ttvnol.com/english.ttvn .
Bye Bye
November 8, 2004
E***ed by Le Quoc An

THE ANSWERS TO THE TOEFL GRAMMAR TEST 59-64
TOEFL GRAMMAR PRACTICE
Here is the Vietnamese translation and grammar task for the TOEFL GRAMMAR TEST,
Under the pen of a college student with the score of 10,
PHẠM KIM OANH
Here is the Vietnamese translation with Unicode Fonts.
If unreadable on the Yahoo web, click View on the toolbar of the Internet Explorer, choosing Encoding and then Unicode (UTF-8).
The task has been offline-graded at lequocan@pmail.vnn.vn and posted onto 15000 email addresses and the three websites: www.dethi.com , www.forabroad.info , www.ttvnol.com/english.ttvn , and http://diendan.vietnamnet.vn/category.asp .
GRAMMAR TEST

59. Living organisms contain more water _________ substance.
Cơ thể sống chứa nhiều nước hơn chúng chứa bất kỳ chất nào khác.
(A) than do any other
(B) does than any other
(C) other than do they any
(D) than they do any other = my final choice

60. The twentieth century has been a period of enormous growth in mathematical research and in the number of mathematicians and fields _________ them.
Thế kỷ 20 đã là một giai đoạn phát triển rất lớn về những nghiên cứu toán học và về số lượng những nhà toán học và những lĩnh vực yêu cầu những nghiên cứu đó.
(A) they require
(B) requiring = my final choice (this sentence an adjective phrase)
(C) require
(D) as required

61. In artifacts from [as early] as the Stone Age, mathematics and art can be seen [to have fused] in the geometric patterns [decorate] pottery, [weaving], and carpentry.
Trong những vật tạo tác sớm từ Thời Đồ Đá, toán học và mỹ thuật có thể được thấy đã kết hợp trong các kiểu hình học dùng trang trí đồ vật, hàng dệt và đồ mộc.
A. as early
B. to have fused
C. decorate = decorating = which decorated (this sentence needs an adjective clause or an adjective phrase)
D. weaving

62. [Despite] their common heritage, background, and homogeneity, the [original] United States [consisted of] 13 distinct political entities, each commanding considerable [loyal] from its citizenry.
Mặc dù có những di sản, bối cảnh và tính thuần nhất chung, nhưng nước Mỹ ngày đầu bao gồm 13 thể chế chính trị riêng biệt, mỗi đảng phái xứng đáng nhận được lòng trung thanh lớn lao từ công dân của nó.
(Command: be able to obtain something: to deserve or be entitled to something
Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2004. © 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.)
A. Despite
B. original
C. consisted of
D. loyal = loyalty (a noun object)

63. [Fossil] records support the assumption [which] microorganisms [were] the first forms [of life].
Nhưfng ghi chép hoá thạch u?ng hộ cho giả định rằng la? nhưfng vi sinh vật la? nhưfng hi?nh thái đâ?u tiên cu?a sự sống
A. Fossil
B. which = that ( a noun clause in apposition = danh mệnh đề đứng đồng cách)
C. were
D. of life

64. The choreographer George Balanchine [created] more than 150 [works] for the New York City Ballet, [that which] he [was] a founder.
Nhà biên đạo múa George Balanchine đã tạo ra hơn 150 tác phẩm cho Vũ Đoàn Ba Lê Thành Phố New York, mà ông là người sáng lập.
A. created
B. works
C. that which = of which (Never does ?othat? exist after a comma in an adjective clause.)
D. was
Sentence 1: The choreographer George Balanchine [created] more than 150 [works] for the New York City Ballet.
Sentence 2: He was a founder of the New York City Ballet.
New York City Ballet, prestigious American ballet company, based in the New York State Theater at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.
© 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

THE RESULTS
pham kim oanh [happy_ghost2785@yahoo.com] = 10
Xuan Nguyen [liemxuan@hcm.vnn.vn] = 05
nguyen phamduy [duystyle@yahoo.com] = 3.5
the thoi nhi [the_thoi_nhi@yahoo.com] = 3.5
Lee Brian [ducanh2481987@yahoo.com] = 3.5
nguyen nhu [nguyenthi_vn2002@yahoo.com] = 3.5
khanhanh from ?odehthi.com? = 1.5
cobengotngao [cobengotngaocandy@yahoo.com] = 1.5
nguyen tran minh thao [nguyentranminhthao@yahoo.com] = 1.5
Bye Bye
November 8, 2004
E***ed by Le Quoc An

TOEFL GRAMMAR TEST 65-70 FOR THE SECOND WEEK OF NOVEMBER 2004.
TOEFL GRAMMAR PRACTICE 65-70
Having the honor of giving you a TOEFL GRAMMAR TEST,
And hoping to get your answers and translations for the six questions.
(Your translation in Vietnamese should be under a Word-file attachment)
If unreadable on the Yahoo web, click View on the toolbar of the Internet Explorer, choosing Encoding and then Unicode (UTF-8).
YOUR TASK IS NOT GRADED WITHOUT YOUR VIENAMESE TRANSLATION.
DIRECTIONS
A . [Although] [originated] in tropical Africa, watermelon [is now] cultivated [all over] the world. (Mặc dù xuất xứ từ Châu Phi nhiệt đới, nhưng dưa hấu giờ đây đang được canh tác trên toàn thế giới.)
A. Although
B. Originated = Originating
C. is now
D. all over
B . In 1995, Newt Gingrich was sworn ______ Speaker of the House, the first Republican Speaker in more than 40 years. (Vào 1995, Newt Gingrich được tuyên thệ phụng sự như Phát Ngôn Viên Của Hạ Viện, Phát Ngôn Viên Đầu Tiên cho Đảng Cộng Hoà trong suốt hơn 40 năm.)
A. in as = my final choice
B. to be
C. to
D. in
GRAMMAR TEST
65ZColumbia University?Ts School of Public Health is _________ a handful of schools of public health in the United States.
(A) one that
(B) the one
(C) one of
(D) one
66ZThe United States Department of the interior designated the Brooklyn bridge _________ in 1964.
(A) was a national historic landmark
(B) a national historic landmark
(C) which a national historic landmark
(D) a national historic landmark which
67. [Some ways] in which lizards [different] from snake are [in having] ear [openings], moveable eyelids, and less flexible jaws.
A. Some ways
B. different
C. in having
D. openings
68. [Much] of the work of [the] anthropologist Margaret Mead was [devoting] to a study of patterns of [child rearing] in various cultures.
A. Much
B. the
C. devoting
D. child rearing
69. The feathers of birds [not only] protect their skin from injury and conserve [body heat], but also [function] in flight, courtship, camouflage, and sensory [perceptive].
A. not only
B. body heat
C. function
D. perceptive
70. [Of the many] mushroom species [growing] wild, the common field mushroom is [the one] that is most frequently [gather] for human consumption.
A. Of the many
B. growing
C. the one
A. gather
BÀI SẼ ĐƯỢC CHẤM OFFLINE TẠI: LE QUOC AN [lequocan@pmail.vnn.vn]
Your task is to be offline-graded at lequocan@pmail.vnn.vn and posted onto 15000 email addresses and the three websites: www.dethi.com , www.forabroad.info/vn/ , http://diendan.vietnamnet.vn/category.asp , and www.ttvnol.com/english.ttvn .
Bye Bye
November 9, 2004
E***ed by Le Quoc An

THE ANSWERS TO TOEFL WRITING TEST 7.
WRITING PRACTICE
Here is the Vietnamese translation and writing task for the TOEFL WRITING TEST,
Under the pens of the college students with the scores of 09,
HOÀNG TRẦN MINH CHÂU

Here is the Vietnamese translation with Unicode Fonts.
If unreadable on the Yahoo web, click View on the toolbar of the Internet Explorer, choosing Encoding and then Unicode (UTF-8).
TOEFL WRITING TEST 7.
The task has been offline-graded at lequocan@pmail.vnn.vn and posted onto 15000 email addresses and the three websites: www.dethi.com , www.forabroad.info , www.ttvnol.com/english.ttvn , and http://diendan.vietnamnet.vn/category.asp .

I. RECONSTRUCT THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES, USING THE WORDS IN CAPITALS:
Model: He was forced to accept a transfer to another office. CHOICE
He had no choice but to accept a transfer to another office.
Anh ấy không còn sự lựa chọn nào ngoài việc chấp nhận một sự thuyên chuyển sang một chức vị khác.

EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

1. While researching her article the journalist learnt a lot about the insecurity of workers in the catering industry. (TAUGHT)
The journalist''s research for her article taught her a lot of the insecurity of workers in the catering industry. (to teach someone something)
Việc tìm hiểu tư liệu cho bài báo của nữ ký giả đã dạy cô bao điều về việc thiếu an toàn của những công nhân làm trong ngành công nghiệp thực phẩm.
2. In the West, caring for the young and old was tra***ionally done through the extended family. (CUSTOM)
According to the Western custom, caring for the young and old was done through the extended family.
It was a custom in the West that caring for the young and old was done through the extended family.
Theo truyền thống Miền Tây, việc chăm sóc trẻ nhỏ và người già được thực hiện trong các gia đình lớn.

II. FILL IN EACH BLANK WITH AN APPROPRIATE WORD BY ADDING TO THE SUPPLIED WORD THE NECESSARY PREFIX OR SUFFIX OR BOTH AS IS REQUIRED:

Model: He made ____ (remit) efforts to improve the general welfare of his community.
He made __unremitting__ efforts to improve the general welfare of his community.
Anh đã thực hiện những nổ lực không nguôi để cải thiện phúc lợi chung cho cộng đồng mình.

EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

3. Spitting in public places is an (eradicate) habit.
Spitting in public places is an ineradicable habit.
Nhổ nước bọt nơi công cộng là thói quen khó bài trừ tận gốc.
4. His (neglect) resulted in the accident.
His negligence resulted in the accident.
Tính cẩu thả của hắn đã dẫn đến tai nạn.

III. COMBINE EACH GROUP OF SENTENCE INTO ONE SINGLE SENTENCE:
Model:
The girl sat on the sidewalk.
The girl''s back leand against the wall of a shop.
The girl looked at the new surroundings.
The girl had bright eyes.
The girl had rosy cheeks.
Her eyes were full of wonder and curiosity.
THE ANSWER
Sitting on the sidewalk, her back leaning the wall of a shop, the bright-eyed, rosy-cheeked girl looked at the new surroundings, her eyes full of wonder and curiosity.
Đang ngồi bên vệ đường, tựa lưng lên bờ tường của một cửa hiệu, người con gái đôi má hồng hồng, mắt sang long lanh nhìn ra cảnh vật xung quanh mới mẻ, đôi mắt nàng tràn đầy nỗi ngạc nhiên và hiếu kỳ.

EXAMINATION QUESTIONS


5. Suppose there aren''t any burgers.
Suppose there aren''t any hot dogs.
Can a picnic really be fun?
The picnic is on the Fourth of July.

Can a picnic on the Fourth of July really be fun if there aren''t any burgers or hot dog?
(Can a picnic on the Fourth of July really be fun with no burgers or hot dogs? By Hoang Tran Minh Chau)
Liệu cuộc đi chơi vào ngày Bốn Tháng Bảy có thể nào thực sự vui nếu không có thịt băm viên and xúc xích nóng không?

THE RESULTS

HOANG TRAN MINH CHAU [hoangtranminhchau@yahoo.com] = 09
Xuan Nguyen [liemxuan@hcm.vnn.vn] = 6.5
Bui Thu trang [bttrang2001@yahoo.com] = 6.5
pham kim oanh [happy_ghost2785@yahoo.com] = 6.5
Tuyet Mai Tran [saobientm@yahoo.com] = 6.5
nguyen hang [hang_student@yahoo.com] = 6.5
Lee Brian [ducanh2481987@yahoo.com] = 06
nguyen phamduy [duystyle@yahoo.com] = 05

Bye Bye
November 9, 2004
E***ed by Le Quoc An

TOEFL WRITING TEST 8 ONCE A WEEK OF NOVEMBER 2004.
WRITING PRACTICE
Having the honor of giving you a TOEFL WRITING TEST,
And hoping to get your translations for the reading and answers for the questions.
(Your translation in Vietnamese should be under a Word-file attachment)
If unreadable on the Yahoo web, click View on the toolbar of the Internet Explorer, choosing Encoding and then Unicode (UTF-8).
TOEFL WRITING TEST 8.

YOUR TASK IS NOT GRADED WITHOUT YOUR VIENAMESE TRANSLATION.

I. RECONSTRUCT THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES, USING THE WORDS IN CAPITALS:
Model:
He was forced to accept a transfer to another office. CHOICE
He had no choice but to accept a transfer to another office.
Anh ấy không còn sự lựa chọn nào ngoài việc chấp nhận một sự thuyên chuyển sang một chức vị khác.
EXAMINATION QUESTIONS
1. A very important aspect of any social structure is the age composition of the society. (COUNTS)
2. We did not have to lean on him much before he agreed. (PRESSURE)

II. FILL IN EACH BLANK WITH AN APPROPRIATE WORD BY ADDING TO THE SUPPLIED WORD THE NECESSARY PREFIX OR SUFFIX OR BOTH AS IS REQUIRED:

Model: He made ____ (remit) efforts to improve the general welfare of his community.
He made __unremitting__ efforts to improve the general welfare of his community.
Anh đã thực hiện những nổ lực không nguôi để cải thiện phúc lợi chung cho cộng đồng mình.

EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

3. Did you ask for a (rest) woman that she would do whatever she thinks right?

4. He is the most suitable person (imagine).

III. COMBINE EACH GROUP OF SENTENCE INTO ONE SINGLE SENTENCE:
Model:
The girl sat on the sidewalk.
The girl''s back leaned against the wall of a shop.
The girl looked at the new surroundings.
The girl had bright eyes.
The girl had rosy cheeks.
Her eyes were full of wonder and curiosity.
THE ANSWER
Sitting on the sidewalk, her back leaning the wall of a shop, the bright-eyed, rosy-cheeked girl looked at the new surroundings, her eyes full of wonder and curiosity.
Đang ngồi bên vệ đường, tựa lưng lên bờ tường của một cửa hiệu, người con gái đôi má hồng hồng, mắt sang long lanh nhìn ra cảnh vật xung quanh mới mẻ, đôi mắt nàng tràn đầy nỗi ngạc nhiên và hiếu kỳ.
EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

5. The woman clutched the hand bag in her lap.
The woman was old.
There was a beautiful strap on the hand bag.
The clutching was tight.

BÀI SẼ ĐƯỢC CHẤM OFFLINE TẠI: LE QUOC AN [lequocan@pmail.vnn.vn]
Your task is to be offline-graded at lequocan@pmail.vnn.vn and posted onto 15000 email addresses and the three websites: www.dethi.com , www.forabroad.info/vn/ , http://diendan.vietnamnet.vn/category.asp , and www.ttvnol.com/english.ttvn .

Bye Bye
November 10, 2004
E***ed by Le Quoc An

TRANSLATION PRACTICE
Having the honor of giving you a weekend reading of ARTS AND CULTURE,
And hoping to get your translations for the reading.
(Your translation in Vietnamese should be under a Word-file attachment)
If unreadable on the Yahoo web, click View on the toolbar of the Internet Explorer, choosing Encoding and then Unicode (UTF-8).
Your Vietnamese translation is to be graded at lequocan@pmail.vnn.vn

MUSLIM GIRLS IN AMERICA
By Karen Leggett
Muslims everywhere are in the middle of Ramadan. The holy month is a time for special prayers. It also means no food or drink from sunrise until sunset each day. Today we explore what it is like, especially for girls, to be young and Muslim in America.
Jesmin Saikh is a student at a public high school in Rockville, Maryland. There are more than two thousand students at Magruder High School. About twenty of them are members of the Muslim Student Association.
Most of these young people were born in the United States. But their parents came from other countries, like India, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iraq and Pakistan.
The students say more people began to ask them questions about Islam after the terrorist attacks on the United States in two thousand one. But the teenagers say they have not been treated badly because of what happened.
For Ramadan, the Muslim students gave candy to all the teachers at the school. Tied to the candy was a piece of paper with facts about the observance.
It is easy to tell that Jesmin is Muslim. A hijab cloth covers her hair. Jesmin says it is easier to follow Muslim rules about boys and girls when she wears hijab. These rules limit social relationships between girls and boys. Jesmin and another student, Sherine Heshmat, say the scarf lets boys know that they do not go on dates.
In some schools, religious rules about dress can sometimes conflict with administrative rules. For example, schools might want students only to wear hats outdoors. Or some kinds of head coverings might be banned because they can represent a sign of membership in a gang.
An eleven-year-old Muslim girl faced these sorts of rules at her school in the state of Oklahoma. She was told not to wear her scarf because schools in her city ban all head coverings for boys and girls.
Her family brought action in court. They said the school was treating her unfairly because of her religion. The court agreed. Now school officials must permit students to wear religious head coverings.
Atena Asiaii goes to high school in a small town in Pennsylvania. She wants to become a doctor. She, too, wears hijab. Atena wrote about herself for a new American magazine for Muslim women, called Azizah. Azizah is the Arabic word for strong and dear.
Atena says she likes people to ask questions about Islam. She found the students at her school, in her words, "simply uninformed." One girl asked if she had ever seen her own hair. Another girl pulled the cloth off Atena''''s head. But Atena''''s friends explained that the girl who did that liked to play tricks on everyone, not just Muslim girls.
Asma Gull Hasan is twenty-nine years old and works as a lawyer in San Francisco, California. Her parents are from Pakistan, but she grew up in the state of Colorado. She has written two books, "American Muslim" and "Why I Am a Muslim." She is also a public speaker.
Asma Hasan wears hijab only when she prays at a mosque. She believes Muslim women and girls should wear clothes that do not show too much skin. But she agrees that it can be difficult to resist popular culture.
Asma Hasan has a Web site where girls can ask questions. Some ask about problems they may be having as Muslims in American society. Others ask about personal relationships, or how to deal with their parents.
The questions are answered by a group of older Muslim women. They often tell young people to try to understand the differences between growing up here and growing up in their parents?T country.
The Web site is asmahasan.com.
Another young Muslim woman from California is Munira Lekovic Ezzeldine. Her parents are from Montenegro. She is the author of a book called "Before the Wedding: One-hundred-fifty Questions for Muslims to Ask Before Getting Married."
Munira Ezzeldine says she began to study her religion seriously only after she became a university student. Now she is a mother who wears hijab and works with organizations of young Muslim girls.
She says she tries to help girls understand that their parents want to protect them. She urges them to have parties at their own homes, so their parents will know their friends.
Munira Ezzeldine says teenage girls who wear hijabs like boys just as much as girls who do not cover their hair. So she says it is a good thing there are more places where Muslim girls can talk about these issues.
She lives in Irvine, California. She says there are four high schools just in her city that now have Muslim student associations.
For the first time, the national president of the Muslim Student Association is female. Hadia Mubarak is also the first president born in the United States. Her parents are from Syria; she grew up in Florida.
In a story for Azizah magazine, Hadia Mubarak wrote that she sometimes felt she did not belong in America or in Syria. But, as a university student, she met Muslims from many other countries. She wrote that she started to feel good about being an American Muslim.
Now she will lead an organization of Muslim young people that has more members born inside the United States than outside.
Jabbir Khan is a Muslim boy who goes to Magruder High School in Maryland.
Recently, he sat in a circle of boys and girls and talked about being Muslim. Jabbir says boys and girls would not be sitting together in his parents?T country, Bangladesh. But he says following his religion helps him do the right thing when he is with other young people.
For example, Muslims are not supposed to drink alcohol. Usman Khan, another boy in the circle, says he is sometimes offered alcohol at parties. The legal drinking age in the United States is twenty-one. Usman says no one asks questions if you say no because of your religion.
High school proms are a tra***ion in the United States. A prom is a special dance where boys and girls celebrate the completion of high school. At a school in California last year, Muslim girls organized their own prom, without any boys. They took off their scarves and wore the same long, pretty dresses that other girls wear to proms.
On the other side of the country, in Maryland, Jesmin Saikh says she does not plan to attend her high school prom. She says she would rather go to dinner or a party after the prom with her friends.
Another student, Aisha Jamal, does not think a separate dance for girls is a good idea. She says it would only make the differences seem greater between students who are Muslim and those who are not.
Aisha is a little rebellious. Recently she decided to stop covering her hair. She says one reason is that she found it difficult to play sports. She says the scarf made her very hot when she played basketball.
But Aisha says she also believes it is easier to say what she thinks when she is not wearing hijab. She explains that she was once defending a friend who was arguing with another girl. She says the other girl called Aisha a terrorist because of her hijab.
Jesmin says people have thought similar things about her, because she is Muslim and wears hijab. She agrees that it is often difficult to explain Islam to other people. But when she goes back to India, where her parents were born, Jesmin says she feels defensive about America. She says she does not like to hear insults against Americans.
Young Muslims in America are finding more ways to explain Islam to other Americans. In the town of Herndon, Virginia, children from a Muslim school visited a public school to explain Ramadan. They shared foods that their families eat at night during the month of fasting.
The Muslim Student Association is organizing events called ?ofast-a-thons.? On some days, the association asks Muslim and non-Muslim students to give the money they would spend on food to community groups.
There is also a Muslim Inter-Scholastic Tournament, or MIST. This is for Islamic organizations in American high schools, though students of any religion can compete. The areas are knowledge, arts, skills and community service.
This event gives Muslim young people a chance to think about who they are and what they believe. It also gives them a chance to think about their identity in America and how they relate to other Americans.

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November 10, 2004
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Được lequocan sửa chữa / chuyển vào 00:07 ngày 11/11/2004