[EL] Dịch báo 11/8

 

✿ CỤM TỪ KINH TẾ – DẦU MỎ
1.crude oil
2.global gluts of the fuels
3.General Administration of Customs
4.Inbound shipments of coal
5.sluggish economic growth
6.domestic users
7.domestic production

✿ CỤM TỪ TĂNG GIẢM-SO SÁNH ĐỂ VIẾT BIỂU ĐỒ
1.slowed = slipped = slumped = shrank (nên viết có BY) + số
2. jumped = rose = increased(nên viết có BY)+ số
3.the world’s largest energy consumer
4.the slowest pace since January
5. the world’s second-largest economy
6.slipped 2.5 percent from June=tháng 7 giảm 2.5% so với tháng 6

✿ CỤM TỪ DIỄN ĐẠT THỜI GIAN
1. in the first six months = the first half of the year
2. in the second six months = the second half of the year
3. During that period
4.
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✿✿ Chú ý phân tích các mệnh đề ADJ đầy đủ và rút gọn
1.offering no solace for producers
2.hoping demand from the world’s largest energy consumer
3.which added some support to global prices

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China’s imports of crude oil, coal and natural gas slowed in July, offering no solace for producers hoping demand from the world’s largest energy consumer may help mop up global gluts of the fuels.
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===>> Nhớ đừng dịch từng từ, mà chuyển nó về ngữ cảnh tiếng Việt, đó là sự khác biệt giữa tiếng Việt và Anh = Lượng nhập khẩu dầu thô,than đá và khí gas thiên nhiên của Trung quốc giảm trong tháng 7, điều này làm cho các quốc gia sản xuất và xuất khẩu khó có thể hi vọng nhu cầu của quốc gia tiêu thụ năng lượng lớn nhất trên thế giới này giúp giải quyết lượng dư thừa trên toàn cầu
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The nation imported about 7.35 million barrels a day last month, the slowest pace since January, according to data Monday from the General Administration of Customs. Inbound shipments of coal slipped 2.5 percent from June, while natural gas slumped more than 13 percent.
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===>> Nhớ đừng dịch từng từ, mà chuyển nó về ngữ cảnh tiếng Việt, đó là sự khác biệt giữa tiếng Việt và Anh =Trung Quốc đã nhập khẩu khoảng 7.35 triệu thùng dầu mỗi ngày trong tháng trước, mức thấp nhất kể từ tháng 1,theo dữ liệu hôm thứ 2 của Tổng cục thống kê. Lượng than nhập khẩu giảm 2.5% so với tháng 6, trong khi đó khí thiên nhiên giảm hơn 13%.

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The July data reflects sluggish economic growth in the world’s second-largest economy and contrasts with the country’s rising energy imports in the first six months, which added some support to global prices. During that period, crude purchases jumped 14 percent and coal rose 8.2 percent as domestic users turned to cheaper overseas supplies as domestic production shrank. Natural gas shipments increased 23 percent during the first half of the year.
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===>> Nhớ đừng dịch từng từ, mà chuyển nó về ngữ cảnh tiếng Việt, đó là sự khác biệt giữa tiếng Việt và Anh =Dữ liệu tháng 7 đã phản ánh sự tăng trưởng kinh tế trì trệ ở quốc gia có nền kinh thế lớn thứ 2 trên thế giới này và trái ngược với việc nhập khẩu năng lượng tăng trong 6 tháng đầu năm nay, cái mà đã giúp cho giá dầu toàn cầu tăng.Trong suốt giai đoạn đó, giao dịch dầu thô tăng 14% và than tăng 8.2% vì người tiêu dùng trong nước chuyển sang các nguồn cung nước ngoài rẻ hơn khi mà việc sản xuất trong nước sụt giảm. Còn việc nhập khẩu khí thiên nhiên tăng 23% trong suốt 6 tháng đầu năm nay.

[EL] Saving money

 

Are you a saver or a spender? “A penny saved is a penny earned.” This old saying calls attention to the wisdom of saving money. “Putting money away for a rainy day” is another way to talk about saving for the future. In the United States, people who want to start a savings account have different choices of where to put their money. These include banks and credit unions. Credit unions are cooperatives for individuals who often share a work-related connection. For example, the members might work for a university or a government agency. Most credit unions are non-profit organizations. Credit unions, banks and other financial institutions pay interest on savings accounts. But the interest rates are generally low. Certificates of deposit pay higher returns. With a certificate of deposit, or CD, a person agrees not to withdraw the money for a period of time. This term could be anywhere from a few months to several years. Longer terms, and larger amounts, pay higher interest. People have to pay a small fine to withdraw their money early. Another way to save is through a money market fund. This is a kind of mutual fund. Mutual funds invest money from many people. The money is sometimes placed in short-term government securities. Money market funds, however, may not be federally guaranteed like other kinds of savings. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation guarantees savings up to 250-thousand dollars.

[EL] News Vietnamese tourism industry

Vietnamese tourism industry welcomes about 5 millions foreign tourists every year in spite of/ despite many  fierce competition from neighbouring countries/ nations.

Peter Nguyen is Vietnamese-American with American father and Vietnamese mother. Peter visited his mother’s home country for the first time in 1990.

Peter was impressed by natural beauty, traditional culture and friendly people. Peter decided to stay in Vietnam to study exceptional/ special culture of ethnic minority in northern highland provinces.

Peter established/ founded a small culture museum to introduce to foreign visitors about daily life of local people/ residents. This museum was consider as a culture bridge between eastern residents and western visitors.

Furthermore/ Also/ Besides/ Moreover, Peter carried out/ conduct many community projects to improve living standard of residents, built some primary and secondary schools as well as raise their awareness about traditional culture protection/ preservation.

Peter co-operated with local authorities to hold interesting tours and culture festivals for domestic and international tourists to rise/ increase local incomes and create jobs for local workers.

 

[EL] News 28/7

1.there’s a low chance
2.it’s highly likely
3.slap tariffs on Asian imports
4.triggering a currency war
5.earlier this month # later this month
6. trade protectionism
7. regional security
8.military commitments
9. is most at risk
10.gross domestic product growth
11.cost-push inflation
12.trade surpluses
13.looser macroeconomic policies
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Investors say there’s a low chance Donald Trump will build a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico if he becomes president. But they think it’s highly likely he’ll slap tariffs on Asian imports, triggering a currency war.
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===>> Nhớ đừng dịch từng từ, mà chuyển nó về ngữ cảnh tiếng Việt, đó là sự khác biệt giữa tiếng Việt và Anh = Các nhà đầu từ nói rằng có rất ít cơ hội ông Trùm sẽ xây dựng 1 bức tường giữa biên giới Mỹ và Mexico nếu ông ấy trở thành tổng thống. Nhưng họ nghĩ có nhiều khả năng ông ấy sẽ đánh thuế vào các hàng hóa nhập khẩu từ Châu Á, gây ra 1 cuộc chiến tiền tệ.
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An investor survey conducted earlier this month by Nomura Holdings Inc. flags a long list of worries under a Trump presidency: from a possible rise in trade protectionism to threats to regional security if the U.S. cuts its military commitments in Asia.
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===>> Nhớ đừng dịch từng từ, mà chuyển nó về ngữ cảnh tiếng Việt, đó là sự khác biệt giữa tiếng Việt và Anh = Một cuộc khảo sát các nhà đầu từ được thực hiện đầu tháng này bởi Nomura, cho thấy nhiều sự việc đáng lo lắng nếu ông Trùm thắng cử từ việc có thể gia tăng sự bảo hộ thương mại đến những mối đe dọa đến an ninh khu vực nếu Mỹ cắt giảm những cam kết quân sự tại Châu Á.
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The conclusion is clear: after Mexico, Asia is most at risk.
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“A Trump presidency would no doubt hurt Asia’s gross domestic product growth and could ultimately drive cost-push inflation, impart smaller trade surpluses and looser macroeconomic policies,” said Rob Subbaraman, the report’s lead author.
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===>> Nhớ đừng dịch từng từ, mà chuyển nó về ngữ cảnh tiếng Việt, đó là sự khác biệt giữa tiếng Việt và Anh = Rất rõ ràng là sau Mexico thì Châu Á gặp nhiều rủi ro nhất. Ông Trùm làm tổng thống rõ ràng sẽ gây hại đến tăng trưởng GDP=tổng sản phẩm quốc nội của Châu Á và cuối cùng có thể dẫn đến lạm phát đẩy chi phí tăng cao, thặng dư thương mại ít hơn và các chính sách kinh tế vĩ mô được nới lỏng hơn.Ông Rob, tác giả nghiên cứu nói.

[EL] News 26/7

1.no longer + V
2.fresh produce market
3.opting instead to hop in
4. head off to
5.family of five
6.an expanding middle class
7.astest-growing economies
8.fan alluring market
9.retail market
10.becoming better educated
11.sow profits
12.convenience stores
13.grocery chains
14.build solid footprint
15.becoming more demanding
16.signed a franchise agreement
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These days Thu Huong no longer shops at the fresh produce market near her home, opting instead to hop in a taxi and head off to Aeon Co.’s 9-month-old mall in Hanoi. There, as she shops for her family of five, she can bask in the air-conditioning and enjoy free Wi-Fi.
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===>> Nhớ đừng dịch từng từ, mà chuyển nó về ngữ cảnh tiếng Việt, đó là sự khác biệt giữa tiếng Việt và Anh = Thu Huong không còn đi mua sắm ở chợ nông sản tươi sống gần nhà trong những ngày gần đây nữa, thay vào đó chị lựa chọn leo lên 1 chiếc taxi và hướng thẳng tới trung tâm Aeon đã được khai trương 9 tháng tại Hà Nội. Tại đó, khi chị mua sắm cho gia đình 5 người, chị có thể tận hưởng sự mát mẻ và Wi-Fi miễn phí.
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“It’s very convenient to shop there, I can buy all the different things that my family needs for a whole week. I also feel more modern and fancy when shopping in a place like this,” said the 30-year-old dairy company employee.
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===>> Nhớ đừng dịch từng từ, mà chuyển nó về ngữ cảnh tiếng Việt, đó là sự khác biệt giữa tiếng Việt và Anh = Thật tiện lợi để mua sắm ở đây, tôi có thể mua nhiều thứ khác nhau cho gia đình cả tuần. Tôi cũng cảm thấy hào hứng và hiện đại đi mua sắm ở những nơi thế này.Chị Hương,30 tuổi, là 1 nhân viên của công ty sữa nói.
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With a young population, an expanding middle class and one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing economies, Vietnam is an alluring market for Aeon, Takashimaya Co. and Seven & i Holdings Co. The reason: China is slowing and growth is flat-lining at home.
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===>> Nhớ đừng dịch từng từ, mà chuyển nó về ngữ cảnh tiếng Việt, đó là sự khác biệt giữa tiếng Việt và Anh =Với dân số trẻ, tầng lớp trung lưu đang gia tăng và là 1 trong những nền kinh tế phát triển nhanh nhất khu vực Đông nam á, Viêt Nam là 1 thị trường hấp dẫn cho Aeon. Lý do rất đơn giản là kinh tế Trung Quốc suy giảm và khó có thể gia tăng thêm tại quê nhà Nhật Bản
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“The Vietnamese economy is growing rapidly and its middle class is explosively expanding,” said Nagahisa Oyama, who oversees Vietnam operations as the company’s chief there. “Its retail market is growing very quickly with strong appetite for spending, especially among young people.”
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===>> Nhớ đừng dịch từng từ, mà chuyển nó về ngữ cảnh tiếng Việt, đó là sự khác biệt giữa tiếng Việt và Anh = Kinh tế Việt Nam đang tăng trưởng nhanh và giai cấp trung lưu đang bùng nổ. Ông Oyama giám sát các hoạt động của Aeon tại Việt Nam với vai trò là lãnh đạo công ty.Thị trường bán lẻ phát triển rất nhanh với nhu cầu chi tiêu rất mạnh, đặc biệt là giới trẻ.

[EL] 35 problems all Harry Potter fans will understand – the first 10

Don’t worry, we completely understand – we’re in this together…

1. When you order pumpkin juice in a restaurant and everyone looks at you like you’re mad.
2. Feeling victimised because you have to lug suitcases and bags around every time you go on holiday instead of using an Undetectable Extension Charm like Hermione.
3. Losing interest in anySPORT that’s not Quidditch. There aren’t any brooms? That ball isn’t a Quaffle? What’s the point?!
4. Hesitating before you bite into a Custard Cream in case it turns you into a canary.
5. Noticing distinctive birthmarks or markings on strangers and spending way too much time wondering what kind of Animagus they are.
6. Placing your food order by announcing it to your empty plate and wondering why a delicious feast doesn’t appear.
7. Getting stuck on a late-running train and muttering to yourself how this wouldn’t happen if you could just Apparate instead.
8. Spotting an owl and expecting it to stop and deliver your post.
9. Whispering ‘Lumos’ every single time you turn on a light.
10. When all you want is a warming Butterbeer – seriously, is that too much to ask?

Cre: Pottermore

https://www.pottermore.com/features/35-problems-all-harry-potter-fans-will-understand

 

[EL] Everytime we touch

I still hear your voice when you sleep next to me.

I still feel your touch in my dreams.

Forgive me my weakness, but I don’t know why

Without you it’s hard to survive

Cause everytime we touch, I get this feeling

And everytime we kiss, I swear I could fly

Can you feel my heart beat fast,

I want this to last

Need you be my side

Cause everytime we touch, I feel the static

And everytime we kiss I reach for the sky

Can you feel my heart beat slow

I can’t let you go

Want you in my life

 

Your arms are my castle

Your heart is my sky

They wipe away tears that I cry

The good and the bad times

We’ve been through them all

You make me rise when I fall

Cause everytime we touch, I get this feeling

And everytime we kiss, I swear I could fly

Can you feel my heart beat fast,

I want this to last

Need you be my side

Cause everytime we touch, I feel the static

And everytime we kiss I reach for the sky

Can you feel my heart beat slow

I can’t let you go

Want you in my life

Cause everytime we touch, I get this feeling

And everytime we kiss, I swear I could fly

Can you feel my heart beat fast,

I want this to last

Need you be my side

Cause everytime we touch, I feel the static

And everytime we kiss I reach for the sky

Can you feel my heart beat slow

I can’t let you go

Want you in my life

 

[EL] Doing good to feel good

Over the last 12 years, the life of Marc De Muynck, a 64-year-old French veteran, has been ruled by the simple desire to help those less fortunate than him.

Hơn 12 năm qua, cuộc sống của Marc De Muynck, một người ăn chay 64 tuổi tại Pháp, đã và đang bị làm chủ bởi mơ ước giản đơn là giúp đỡ những người kém may mắn hơn ông.

When he came to Vietnam in 2001 after retiring from the military, he was a tourist, but also on a mission of delivering gifts from a French veteran association to an orphanage in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap.

Khi ông đến Việt Nam năm 2011 sau khi xuất ngũ, ông là một du khách, nhưng chỉ mang nhiệm vụ mang quà từ hội người ăn chay Pháp cho trẻ mồ côi ở vùng châu thổ Mê Kông tỉnh Đồng Tháp.

The Frenchman was stricken by the plight of the abandoned children. After the three-month trip, he returned to his home, Arras in Northern France, and interned with a volunteer organization engaged in humanitarian activities around the world.

Người đàn ông Pháp này bị tác động mạnh bởi hoàn cảnh khó khăn của trẻ em mồ côi. Sau chuyến đi hơn 3 tháng, ông trở về nha, Arass ở phía Bắc Pháp, làm bác sĩ thực tập cho tổ chức tình nguyện liên quan tới hoạt động nhân đạo toàn cầu.

He worked with several non-governments until 2007 when he returned to Vietnam and started projects on his own.

Ông đã làm việc với nhiều tổ chức phi chính phủ, đến năm 2007, ông trở laị Việt Nam và mở nhiều dự án của riêng mình.

“My volunteering experience with some NGOs did not satisfy me. I did not really find my place. Very often, a volunteer is given a specific task and has very little or no involvement in projects or decision-making,” said Muynck, whose friends call him Minh.

“Trải nghiệm tình nguyện cùng các tổ chức phi chính phủ không làm tôi hài lòng. Tôi chưa thực sự tìm ra nơi của chính mình. Rất thường xuyên,  người tình nguyện viên nhận những nhiệm vụ đặc biệt, rất ít hay  không bao gồm trong dự án hay quyết định đã đưa ra,” ông nói, bạn bè thường gọi ông là Minh.

During his first years in Vietnam, Muynck initiated several different projects, from helping upgrade a nursery in his residential neighborhood in Ho Chi Minh City which was often flooded during torrential rains, to building houses for poor people in the southern province of Dong Nai.

Trong năm đầu tiên ở Việt Nam, Muynck bắt đầu nhiều dự án khác nhau, từ giúp nâng cấp trường mẫu giáo  cho người địa phương ở vùng ven thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, nơi thường ngập lụt suốt mùa mưa xối xả.

The projects were conducted in cooperation with humanitarian organizations or his friends, acquaintances and even tourists who donated medicines, school stationeries, and toys.

Two years later, he founded the association Les Enfants du Dragon (The Children of the Dragon) with his friend, Bui Huy Lan, a Vietnamese-French dentist based in Northern France, to help poor people and orphans in the Mekong Delta and part of the central region.

With 11 core members, a dozen volunteers, and the support of local governments, other NGOs, and numerous fundraisers, the association tries to meet every need of the needy.

It has built houses, bridges, ensured clean water supply to poor localities,  provided scholarships and bicycles, opened free English and French courses for children, supported teacher training projects, supplied walking sticks for the elderly, entertained sick children and organized camping trips for orphans.

 

Les Enfants du Dragon also runs farms that culture spirulina a kind of nutritious algae usually recommended as food supplement to combat malnutrition and supplies it to orphanages and centers. About one-third of the farms’ output is for sale to generate funds for the association’s activities.

What motivates him is, Muynck said, the smiles of children when they are given gifts like bicycles, and the tears of happiness of a poor family when given a roof above their heads.

“Man can only feel happy when helping people who are less lucky than himself, when bringing joy to kids without parents.”

After 12 years, what does he feel about his work?

“I have not finished my mission yet.”

He said his “foremost” desire now is to carry out the association’s “heart project” an orphanage for about 100 children in the southern province of Long An.

When the project is finished, he will see if he wants to take a short rest, he said.

“But, for now I still have enough energy to help other people. [“¦] There is always more to do, to do better.”

Sweet lifestyle

While most of the association’s core members are French and Swiss nationals living in their own countries, Muynck, despite having his own family in France, is among the few members who are based in HCMC so that they can work directly with local governments, volunteers, and beneficiaries.

“I am retired, and I like the sweetness of the Vietnamese lifestyle, and the southern heat.”

He said one of difficulties he faced at the beginning was building a stable network of volunteers.

Initially lots of people volunteered, but many would also retreat quickly, either because they found the work hard and time-consuming, or because they did not get the recognition they expected from the association’s leaders, and perhaps even more from beneficiaries, he said.

 

“But, in the end, we managed to form a small but strong and united team of loyal members.”

Currently, there are a dozen of full time volunteers, both Vietnamese and French expats, working with Les Enfants du Dragon.

Occasionally, foreign donors also come to visit their beneficiaries and take part in volunteer work like building houses for the poor, and playing with children they had adopted by providing financial assistance.

These days Muynck is busy checking the progress of construction sites, visiting beneficiary families, attending meetings organized by local authorities, and updating the association’s website and his personal blog to keep members and supporters informed.

He also joins other members in finding partners and donors online.

Dr. Lan, who is in charge of the association’s work in France, said Muynck has done his job “very well,” and thanks to him, Les Enfants du Dragon’s activities are always “transparent.”

Lan, who has always wanted to contribute to his home country, said he has found a kindred spirit.

“Muynck has a heart for Vietnam and its people.”

[EL] Marauder’s Map

Harry surprises Ron and Hermione in Hogsmeade with a bit of help from Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs

‘Psst – Harry!’

He turned, halfway along the third-floor corridor, to see Fred and George peering out at him from behind a statue of a humpbacked, one-eyed witch.

‘What are you doing?’ said Harry curiously. ‘How come you’re not going to Hogsmeade?’

‘We’ve come to give you a bit of festive cheer before we go,’ said Fred, with a mysterious wink. ‘Come in here …’

He nodded towards an empty classroom to the left of the one- eyed statue. Harry followed Fred and George inside. George closed the door quietly and then turned, beaming, to look at Harry.

‘Early Christmas present for you, Harry,’ he said.

Fred pulled something from inside his cloak with a flourish and laid it on one of the desks. It was a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it. Harry, suspecting one of Fred and George’s jokes, stared at it.

‘What’s that supposed to be?’

‘This, Harry, is the secret of our success,’ said George, patting the parchment fondly. ‘It’s a wrench, giving it to you,’ said Fred, ‘but we decided last night, your need’s greater than ours.’

‘Anyway, we know it off by heart,’ said George. ‘We bequeath it to you. We don’t really need it any more.’

‘And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?’ said Harry.

‘A bit of old parchment!’ said Fred, closing his eyes with a grimace as though Harry had mortally offended him. ‘Explain, George.’

‘Well … when we were in our first year, Harry – young, carefree and innocent –’

Harry snorted. He doubted whether Fred and George had ever been innocent.

‘– well, more innocent than we are now – we got into a spot of bother with Filch.’

‘We let off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason –’

‘So he hauled us off to his office and started threatening us with the usual –’

‘– detention –’


‘– disembowelment –’


‘– and we couldn’t help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked Confiscated and Highly Dangerous.’


‘Don’t tell me –’ said Harry, starting to grin.


‘Well, what would you’ve done?’ said Fred. ‘George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb, I whipped the drawer open and grabbed – this.’

‘It’s not as bad as it sounds, you know,’ said George. ‘We don’t reckon Filch ever found out how to work it. He probably suspected what it was, though, or he wouldn’t have confiscated it.’

‘And you know how to work it?’

‘Oh yes,’ said Fred, smirking. ‘This little beauty’s taught us more than all the teachers in this school.’

‘You’re winding me up,’ said Harry, looking at the ragged old bit of parchment.

‘Oh, are we?’ said George.

He took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly and said, ‘I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.’

And at once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider’s web from the point that George’s wand had touched. They joined each other, they criss-crossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly green words, that proclaimed:

Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present
 THE MARAUDER’S MAP

It was a map showing every detail of the Hogwarts castle and grounds. But the truly remarkable thing was the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labelled with a name in minuscule writ- ing. Astounded, Harry bent over it. A labelled dot in the top left corner showed that Professor Dumbledore was pacing his study; the caretaker’s cat, Mrs Norris, was prowling the second floor, and Peeves the poltergeist was currently bouncing around the trophy room. And as Harry’s eyes travelled up and down the familiar corridors, he noticed something else.

This map showed a set of passages he had never entered. And many of them seemed to lead –

‘Right into Hogsmeade,’ said Fred, tracing one of them with his finger. ‘There are seven in all. Now, Filch knows about these four –’ he pointed them out, ‘– but we’re sure we’re the only ones who know about these. Don’t bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor. We used it until last winter, but it’s caved in – completely blocked. And we don’t reckon anyone’s ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow’s planted right over the entrance. But this one here, this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes. We’ve used it loads of times. And as you might’ve noticed, the entrance is right outside this room, through that one-eyed old crone’s hump.’

‘Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs,’ sighed George, patting the heading of the map. ‘We owe them so much.’

‘Noble men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of lawbreakers,’ said Fred solemnly.

‘Right,’ said George briskly, ‘don’t forget to wipe it after you’ve used it –’

‘– or anyone can read it,’ Fred said warningly.

‘Just tap it again and say, “Mischief managed!” And it’ll go blank.’

‘So, young Harry,’ said Fred, in an uncanny impersonation of Percy, ‘mind you behave yourself.’

‘See you in Honeydukes,’ said George, winking.
They left the room, both smirking in a satisfied sort of way.

Harry stood there, gazing at the miraculous map. He watched the tiny ink Mrs Norris turn left and pause to sniff at something on the floor. If Filch really didn’t know … he wouldn’t have to pass the Dementors at all …

But even as he stood there, flooded with excitement, something Harry had once heard Mr Weasley say came floating out of his memory.

Never trust anything that can think for itself, if you can’t see where it keeps its brain. This map was one of those dangerous magical objects Mr Weasley had been warning against … Aids to Magical Mischief- Makers … but then, Harry reasoned, he only wanted to use it to get into Hogsmeade, it wasn’t as though he wanted to steal any- thing or attack anyone … and Fred and George had been using it for years without anything horrible happening …

Harry traced the secret passage to Honeydukes with his finger.

Then, quite suddenly, as though following orders, he rolled up the map, stuffed it inside his robes, and hurried to the door of the classroom. He opened it a couple of inches. There was no one outside. Very carefully, he edged out of the room and slipped behind the statue of the one-eyed witch.

What did he have to do? He pulled out the map again and saw, to his astonishment, that a new ink figure had appeared upon it, labelled ‘Harry Potter’. This figure was standing exactly where the real Harry was standing, about halfway down the third-floor corridor. Harry watched carefully. His little ink self appeared to be tapping the witch with his minute wand. Harry quickly took out his real wand and tapped the statue. Nothing happened. He looked back at the map. The tiniest speech bubble had appeared next to his figure. The word inside said ‘Dissendium’.

‘Dissendium!’ Harry whispered, tapping the stone witch again.

At once, the statue’s hump opened wide enough to admit a fairly thin person. Harry glanced quickly up and down the corridor, then tucked the map away again, hoisted himself into the hole headfirst, and pushed himself forwards.

He slid a considerable way down what felt like a stone slide, then landed on cold, damp earth. He stood up, looking around. It was pitch dark. He held up his wand, muttered, ‘Lumos!’ and saw that he was in a very narrow, low, earthy passageway. He raised the map, tapped it with the tip of his wand and muttered, ‘Mischief managed!’ The map went blank at once. He folded it carefully, tucked it inside his robes, then, heart beating fast, both excited and apprehensive, he set off.

The passage twisted and turned, more like the burrow of a giant rabbit than anything else. Harry hurried along it, stumbling now and then on the uneven floor, holding his wand out in front of him.

It took ages, but Harry had the thought of Honeydukes to sustain him. After what felt like an hour, the passage began to rise. Panting, Harry sped up, his face hot, his feet very cold.

Ten minutes later, he came to the foot of some worn stone steps which rose out of sight above him. Careful not to make any noise, Harry began to climb. A hundred steps, two hundred steps, he lost count as he climbed, watching his feet … then, without warning, his head hit something hard.

It seemed to be a trapdoor. Harry stood there, massaging the top of his head, listening. He couldn’t hear any sounds above him. Very slowly, he pushed the trapdoor open and peered over the edge.

He was in a cellar which was full of wooden crates and boxes. Harry climbed out of the trapdoor and replaced it – it blended so perfectly with the dusty floor that it was impossible to tell it was there. Harry crept slowly towards the wooden staircase that led upstairs. Now he could definitely hear voices, not to mention the tinkle of a bell and the opening and shutting of a door.

Wondering what he ought to do, he suddenly heard a door open much closer at hand; somebody was about to come downstairs.

‘And get another box of Jelly Slugs, dear, they’ve nearly cleaned us out –’ said a woman’s voice.

A pair of feet was coming down the staircase. Harry leapt behind an enormous crate and waited for the footsteps to pass. He heard the man shifting boxes against the wall opposite. He might not get another chance –

Quickly and silently, Harry dodged out from his hiding place and climbed the stairs; looking back, he saw an enormous backside and a shiny bald head buried in a box. Harry reached the door at the top of the stairs, slipped through it, and found himself behind the counter of Honeydukes – he ducked, crept sideways and then straightened up.

Honeydukes was so crowded with Hogwarts students that no one looked twice at Harry. He edged amongst them, looking around, and suppressed a laugh as he imagined the look that would spread over Dudley’s piggy face if he could see where Harry was now.

There were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent-looking sweets imaginable. Creamy chunks of nougat, shimmering pink squares of coconut ice, fat, honey-coloured toffees; hundreds of different kinds of chocolate in neat rows; there was a large barrel of Every Flavour Beans, and another of Fizzing Whizzbees, the levitating sherbet balls that Ron had mentioned; along yet another wall were ‘Special Effects’ sweets: Droobles Best Blowing Gum (which filled a room with bluebell-coloured bubbles that refused to pop for days), the strange, splintery Toothflossing Stringmints, tiny black Pepper Imps (‘breathe fire for your friends!’), Ice Mice (‘hear your teeth chatter and squeak!’), peppermint creams shaped like toads (‘hop realistically in the stomach!’), fragile sugar-spun quills and exploding bonbons.

Harry squeezed himself through a crowd of sixth-years and saw a sign hanging in the furthest corner of the shop (‘Unusual Tastes’). Ron and Hermione were standing underneath it, examining a tray of blood-flavoured lollipops. Harry sneaked up behind them.

‘Urgh, no, Harry won’t want one of those, they’re for vampires, I expect,’ Hermione was saying.

‘How about these?’ said Ron, shoving a jar of Cockroach Cluster under Hermione’s nose.

‘Definitely not,’ said Harry.
 Ron nearly dropped the jar.


‘Harry!’ squealed Hermione. ‘What are you doing here? How – how did you –?’


‘Wow!’ said Ron, looking very impressed. ‘You’ve learnt to Apparate!’


’Course I haven’t,’ said Harry. He dropped his voice so that none of the sixth-years could hear him and told them all about the Marauder’s Map.

‘How come Fred and George never gave it to me!’ said Ron, outraged. ‘I’m their brother!’

Cre: Pottermore

 

[EL] Turn Negative Writing Experiences Into Positive Ones

4 mistakes

1.Today we hear expert suggestions for academic writing. Jennifer Ahern-Dodson is an assistant professor of the Practice in Writing Studies at Duke University in North Carolina.

2.Ms. Ahern-Dodson likes to start a discussion with both students and professors planning to write a paper or essay. She asks about their earlier writing experiences. Were they negative or positive?

3.She says you are not alone if you have had problems with your writing. Everyone in struggles with writing. “Writing is hard. It’s hard for all writers at some point,” she says.

4.”And at some point you are going to hit a roadblock,” she adds. She advises to think about earlier experiences. When the writing is going well, what was happening? When the writing was not going well, what was happening?

5.She says most people’s negative writing experiences happened because a very specific formula or page limit was required.

6.Another problem can arise when the need to do well on a paper is extremely important. Anxiety, she says, can make it harder to get the writing done.

7.Ms. Ahern-Dodson says when writing comes easily, the writers believe they have something important to say. She advises asking yourself questions. What insights can you bring to your paper?

8.Why does this subject matter? What is its importance? For whom is it meaningful? Who will be reading it? You can ease writing by placing your attention on what you have to offer. That, says Ms. Ahern-Dodson, is an important change for all writers.