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Daily Reading A2 level - Day 10 - Community - Safer Streets
11:13 - 19/02/2025

Daily Reading A2 level - Day 10 - Community - Safer Streets

Source: https://www.timeforkids.com/g34/apps-uncertain-future-g3/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Safer Streets

 

Đường phố an toàn hơn

 

Patricia Miller was taking a walk one morning on a busy street near her home, in Goodyear, Arizona. A car nearly jumped the curb. She was unharmed. But the car came “very, very close,” Miller told TIME for Kids.

Patricia Miller đang đi dạo vào một buổi sáng trên một con phố đông đúc gần nhà cô, ở Goodyear, Arizona. Một chiếc xe gần như đã leo lên lề đường. Cô không bị thương. Nhưng chiếc xe đã đến "rất, rất gần", Miller nói với TIME for Kids.

Miller and her grandson, William, often walk together on that road. He went to visit her that evening. She told him what had happened.

William Miller, now 10, told TIME for Kids that he’s “always known that there’s lots of street racing” on Estrella Parkway. “But after I heard that my grandma was nearly hit by a car, I was not happy. So I asked my dad, ‘What can we do to fix this?’ And he said, ‘Let’s go to city council.’”

That’s what they did. The experience has shown William the power of speaking out.

Miller và cháu trai của bà, William, thường đi bộ cùng nhau trên con đường đó. Tối hôm đó, anh ấy đến thăm bà. Bà kể cho anh ấy nghe những gì đã xảy ra.

William Miller, hiện 10 tuổi, nói với TIME for Kids rằng cậu "luôn biết rằng có rất nhiều cuộc đua xe đường phố" trên Estrella Parkway. "Nhưng sau khi nghe tin bà tôi suýt bị ô tô đâm, tôi không vui. Vì vậy, tôi hỏi bố, 'Chúng ta có thể làm gì để khắc phục điều này?' Và bố nói, 'Chúng ta hãy đến hội đồng thành phố.'"

Đó là những gì họ đã làm. Trải nghiệm này đã cho William thấy sức mạnh của việc lên tiếng.

Voicing Concerns

Goodyear City Council meetings are open to the public. There’s time set aside for people to comment on community issues. William, then 8, wore a suit and tie for the meeting. When it was his turn, he stepped up to the microphone. He spoke about people racing cars on Estrella Parkway. “It’s very dangerous,” he said. “I wonder if you guys have any solution to fix this.”

 

Lên tiếng quan ngại

Các cuộc họp của Hội đồng thành phố Goodyear mở cửa cho công chúng. Có thời gian dành riêng cho mọi người để bình luận về các vấn đề của cộng đồng. William, khi đó 8 tuổi, đã mặc vest và thắt cà vạt trong cuộc họp. Khi đến lượt mình, cậu bước tới micro. Cậu nói về những người đua xe trên Estrella Parkway. "Rất nguy hiểm", cậu nói. "Tôi tự hỏi liệu các bạn có giải pháp nào để khắc phục điều này không".


 

Mayor Joe Pizzillo was impressed. In Goodyear, “we encourage young people to step up,” he says. “When I saw William come up [to the podium] . . . it was very refreshing.”

Plans to install a traffic signal on Estrella Parkway were already in place. But when William spoke at the meeting and shared his concerns with Goodyear’s police chief, it brought attention to the need for safer streets, Pizzillo says.

Six months after the January 2024 meeting, a traffic light was up. “After that happened,” William says, “I felt like I could do anything.”

Thị trưởng Joe Pizzillo đã rất ấn tượng. Tại Goodyear, “chúng tôi khuyến khích những người trẻ tuổi tiến lên,” ông nói. “Khi tôi thấy William bước lên [bục phát biểu] . . . thật là sảng khoái.”

Kế hoạch lắp đặt tín hiệu giao thông trên Estrella Parkway đã được triển khai. Nhưng khi William phát biểu tại cuộc họp và chia sẻ mối quan tâm của mình với cảnh sát trưởng Goodyear, điều này đã thu hút sự chú ý đến nhu cầu về đường phố an toàn hơn, Pizzillo nói.

Sáu tháng sau cuộc họp tháng 1 năm 2024, một đèn giao thông đã bật sáng. William nói: "Sau khi điều đó xảy ra, tôi cảm thấy mình có thể làm bất cứ điều gì".

Helping Others

Stories about William’s efforts to improve his town have appeared on the local news. They’ve also appeared on national TV. And he got an Outstanding Citizen of Goodyear award from his school district.

 

What community issues does William plan to tackle next? “I’m not sure yet,” he says. “I need to keep exploring.” But he knows that Pizzillo will listen. “I’ve told [William] he’s probably going to be sitting in this office at some time in the future,” Pizzillo says.

Will William one day be mayor? It remains to be seen. But he does aspire to a life of public service. “I really want to be the president,” the fourth grader says.

 

Giúp đỡ người khác

Những câu chuyện về nỗ lực cải thiện thị trấn của William đã xuất hiện trên bản tin địa phương. Chúng cũng xuất hiện trên truyền hình quốc gia. Và anh đã nhận được giải thưởng Công dân xuất sắc của Goodyear từ khu vực trường học của mình.

 

William dự định giải quyết những vấn đề cộng đồng nào tiếp theo? "Tôi vẫn chưa chắc chắn", ông nói. "Tôi cần tiếp tục khám phá". Nhưng ông biết rằng Pizzillo sẽ lắng nghe. "Tôi đã nói với [William] rằng có lẽ anh ấy sẽ ngồi trong văn phòng này vào một thời điểm nào đó trong tương lai", Pizzillo nói.

Liệu William một ngày nào đó có trở thành thị trưởng không? Người ta vẫn phải chờ xem. Nhưng cậu bé thực sự mong muốn có một cuộc sống phục vụ cộng đồng. "Em thực sự muốn trở thành tổng thống", cậu học sinh lớp bốn nói.

 

 

Vocabulary List

  1. safer (adj) /ˈseɪfər/ – more protected from danger or harm

    • Vietnamese: an toàn hơn
    • Example: The new traffic laws will make the streets safer for pedestrians.

  2. jump the curb (v) /dʒʌmp ðə kɜːrb/ – when a vehicle moves onto the sidewalk unexpectedly

    • Vietnamese: lao lên vỉa hè
    • Example: The car lost control and jumped the curb, nearly hitting a pedestrian.

  3. unharmed (adj) /ʌnˈhɑːrmd/ – not injured or damaged

    • Vietnamese: không bị thương
    • Example: Luckily, everyone in the accident was unharmed.

  4. street racing (n) /striːt ˈreɪsɪŋ/ – illegal racing of cars on public roads

    • Vietnamese: đua xe đường phố
    • Example: The police are working to stop street racing in the city.

  5. fix (v) /fɪks/ – to repair or solve a problem

    • Vietnamese: sửa chữa, khắc phục
    • Example: The government needs to fix the traffic congestion problem.

  6. city council (n) /ˈsɪti ˈkaʊn.səl/ – a group of elected officials who make decisions for a city

    • Vietnamese: hội đồng thành phố
    • Example: The city council is discussing new parking regulations.

  7. voice concerns (v) /vɔɪs kənˈsɜrnz/ – to express worries or opinions about a problem

    • Vietnamese: bày tỏ mối lo ngại
    • Example: Residents voiced concerns about the lack of streetlights in the area.

  8. set time aside for something (v) /sɛt taɪm əˈsaɪd/ – to reserve time for a specific purpose

    • Vietnamese: dành thời gian cho việc gì
    • Example: The mayor set time aside to meet with local business owners.

  9. a suit (n) /suːt/ – formal clothing consisting of a jacket and pants

    • Vietnamese: bộ vest
    • Example: He wore a suit to the important business meeting.

  10. a tie (n) /taɪ/ – a piece of clothing worn around the neck, usually with a suit

    • Vietnamese: cà vạt
    • Example: He chose a red tie to match his suit.

  11. solution (n) /səˈluːʃən/ – a way to solve a problem

    • Vietnamese: giải pháp
    • Example: The committee discussed possible solutions to traffic congestion.

  12. mayor (n) /ˈmeɪ.ər/ – the elected leader of a city

    • Vietnamese: thị trưởng
    • Example: The mayor announced a new plan for public safety.

  13. podium (n) /ˈpoʊ.di.əm/ – a small platform where someone stands to speak

    • Vietnamese: bục phát biểu
    • Example: The speaker walked up to the podium and began his speech.

  14. refreshing (adj) /rɪˈfreʃɪŋ/ – new, different, and pleasant

    • Vietnamese: sảng khoái, đầy sức sống
    • Example: It was refreshing to hear a politician talk honestly.

  15. traffic signal (n) /ˈtræf.ɪk ˈsɪɡ.nəl/ – lights that control the movement of traffic

    • Vietnamese: đèn giao thông, tín hiệu giao thông
    • Example: A new traffic signal was installed at the busy intersection.

  16. police chief (n) /pəˈliːs tʃiːf/ – the highest-ranking officer in the police department

    • Vietnamese: cảnh sát trưởng
    • Example: The police chief promised to increase patrols in the area.

  17. bring attention to (v) /brɪŋ əˈtɛnʃən tu/ – to make people notice something

    • Vietnamese: thu hút sự chú ý đến
    • Example: The news report helped bring attention to the city’s pollution problem.

  18. the local news (n) /ðə ˈloʊ.kəl njuːz/ – news that covers events in a specific area

    • Vietnamese: tin tức địa phương
    • Example: The story was featured on the local news.

  19. national TV (n) /ˈnæʃ.ən.əl ˌtiː.viː/ – television broadcast across the whole country

    • Vietnamese: truyền hình quốc gia
    • Example: The event was shown live on national TV.

  20. outstanding citizen (n) /aʊtˈstæn.dɪŋ ˈsɪt.ɪ.zən/ – a person who has done great things for their community

    • Vietnamese: công dân tiêu biểu
    • Example: She was awarded the title of outstanding citizen for her charity work.

  21. tackle (v) /ˈtæk.əl/ – to deal with or solve a problem

    • Vietnamese: giải quyết
    • Example: The government is working hard to tackle air pollution.

  22. it remains to be seen (phrase) /ɪt rɪˈmeɪnz tuː bi siːn/ – it is not yet clear what will happen

    • Vietnamese: vẫn còn phải chờ xem
    • Example: It remains to be seen whether the new law will be effective.

  23. aspire (v) /əˈspaɪər/ – to have a strong desire to achieve something

    • Vietnamese: khao khát, mong muốn
    • Example: She aspires to become a lawyer.

  24. public service (n) /ˈpʌb.lɪk ˈsɜːr.vɪs/ – work done for the benefit of the community

    • Vietnamese: dịch vụ công, công ích
    • Example: Many young people choose to work in public service to help others.

  25. a fourth-grader (n) /ə ˈfɔːrθ ˌɡreɪ.dər/ – a student in the fourth year of elementary school

    • Vietnamese: học sinh lớp 4
    • Example: A fourth-grader won the national spelling competition.

 

Vocabulary Review Tasks

1. Completion Task

Fill in the blanks with the correct words from the word bank.

Word Bank: safer, jump the curb, unharmed, street racing, fix, city council, voice concerns, set time aside for

  1. The driver lost control and __________, nearly hitting a pedestrian.
  2. The new laws will make the streets __________ for children.
  3. The mayor promised to __________ the traffic problems in the city.
  4. The residents __________ about the rise in crime in their neighborhood.
  5. The police are working hard to stop illegal __________.
  6. The passengers were lucky to escape the accident being __________.
  7. The __________ is responsible for making decisions that improve the city.
  8. The mayor decided to __________ for a meeting with business owners.

2. Word Form Task

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the word in parentheses.

  1. He was recognized as an excellent citizen for his volunteer work as it __________ (outstanding) others.
  2. The government is looking for the best measures that can help __________ (solution) traffic issues.
  3. She does not need to __________ (public) her support to her community.
  4. The mayor spoke at the __________ (podium) about new policies.
  5. Many people __________ (aspiration) to become leaders in their communities.

3. Synonym Matching

Match the words on the left with their synonyms on the right.

A B
a suit city leader
podium highlight
mayor clothing
bring attention to deal with
tackle stage

4. Gap-Filling 

Fill in the blanks using the words in the word bank.

Word Bank: traffic signal, police chief, the local news, national TV, outstanding citizen

A young boy became an __________ after helping his community clean up the park. His story was featured on __________ and later even appeared on __________. The __________ praised him for setting a good example for others. At the event, the mayor announced plans to install a new __________ at a dangerous intersection.

5. Multiple-Choice Task

Choose the correct answer.

  1. What does a mayor do?
    a) Fix cars
    b) Lead a city
    c) Write books
    d) Report the news

  2. What does it mean to jump the curb?
    a) To win a race
    b) To drive onto the sidewalk
    c) To park in a no-parking zone
    d) To wait at a traffic light

  3. If something is refreshing, it is…
    a) Boring
    b) Dangerous
    c) Difficult to understand
    d) Exciting and new

  4. What is public service?
    a) Helping the community
    b) A type of business
    c) A private organization
    d) A sport

  5. If a rule remains to be seen, it means…
    a) It has already happened
    b) It is an old law
    c) It is unclear if it will be successful
    d) It is easy to understand

Answer Keys

1. Completion Task

  1. jumped the curb
  2. safer
  3. fix
  4. voiced concerns
  5. street racing
  6. unharmed
  7. city council
  8. set time aside for

2. Word Form Task

  1. outstands
  2. solve
  3. publicize
  4. podium
  5. aspire

3. Synonym Matching

1 → clothing
2 → stage
3 → city leader
4 → highlight
5 → deal with

4. Gap-Filling

A young boy became an outstanding citizen after helping his community clean up the park. His story was featured on the local news and later even appeared on national TV. The police chief praised him for setting a good example for others. At the event, the mayor announced plans to install a new traffic signal at a dangerous intersection.

5. Multiple-Choice Task

  1. b) Lead a city
  2. b) To drive onto the sidewalk
  3. d) Exciting and new
  4. a) Helping the community
  5. c) It is unclear if it will be successful
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