UNIVERSITY OF DALAT

FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

INTERPRETATION 1
Core Course Material

Selected and compiled by

Nguyen Thi Thao Hien

FOR UDL STUDENTS ONLY, NOT FOR SALE

Dalat, 2021
COURSE OUTLINE i-ix

PART 1
1
INTERPRETATION & BASIC INTERPRETATION SKILLS

UNIT 1: INTERPRETATION 2

UNIT 2: CONSECUTIVE INTERPRETATION 5

UNIT 3: UNDERSTANDING THE MESSAGE 7

UNIT 4: CONCENTRATING & MEMORIZING 11

UNIT 5: NOTE-TAKING & DEALING WITH FIGURES 13 & 20

UNIT 6: PUBLIC SPEAKING 24

PART 2
27
INTERPRETATION PRACTICE

UNIT 7: TOURISM 28

UNIT 8: CULTURE 31

UNIT 9: EDUCATION 35

UNIT 10: ENVIRONMENT 39

UNIT 11: BUSINESS 42

TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC ĐÀ LẠT
KHOA NGOẠI NGỮ

ĐỀ CƢƠNG HỌC PHẦN

NN3211 – PHIÊN DỊCH 1
(INTERPRETATION 1)

I. THÔNG TIN CHUNG

Giảng viên

Họ và tên Nguyễn Thị Thảo Hiền

Chức danh Thạc sỹ - Giảng viên

Bộ môn Tiếng Anh chuyên ngành

Số điện thoại 063 3834048

E-mail hienntt@dlu.edu.vn

Học phần

Mã học phần NN3211

Tên học phần Phiên dịch 1

Loại học phần Kiến thức giáo dục chuyên nghiệp – Kiến thức ngành – Học
phần tự chọn

Số tín chỉ 3 (Lý thuyết: 2 – Bài tập: 1)

Số tiết học 45 (Lý thuyết: 30 – Bài tập: 15)

Điều kiện tham gia học phần

 Học phần tiên quyết: Không
 Các yêu cầu khác:
- SV phải có kỹ năng sử dụng từ điển.
- SV phải có kỹ năng cơ bản sử dụng tin học văn phòng.
- SV phải có kỹ năng tra cứu dữ liệu trên Internet, Thư viện.

i
II. TÀI LIỆU PHỤC VỤ HỌC PHẦN
Giáo trình chính
[1] Hien, N. T. T. (2020). Interpretation 1. University of Dalat.
Tài liệu tham khảo
[2] Hung, N. (2007). Hướng dẫn kỹ thuật phiên dịch Anh-Việt, Việt-Anh. Hồ Chí
Minh: NXB Trẻ.
[3] Nolan, J. (2005). Interpretation Techniques and Exercises. Great Britain:
Cromwell Press Ltd.
[4] Thoại, T.N., Trâm, T.T.Q. & Thy, P.C.M. (2009). Lý Thuyết Dịch. Trường Đại
học Đà Lạt.
[5] Túc, H.Đ. (2012). Dịch thuật và Tự do. Hồ Chí Minh: Công ty TNHH Sách
Phương Nam và Đại học Hoa Sen.
[6] World Learning. (2018). Introduction to culture. In "Integrating Critical
Thinking Skills into the Exploration of Culture in an EFL Setting" [Online
course].
Các loại học liệu khác
 02 đĩa CD luyện phiên dịch của EU, 04 đĩa CD hướng dẫn kỹ thuật phiên dịch
 Các trang web: bbc.com.uk.learningenglish, VOA Special English
 Máy laptop, loa, máy chiếu, tai nghe
 Phòng luyện nghe (LAB)
III. MÔ TẢ HỌC PHẦN
Học phần giới thiệu tổng quan các loại hình phiên dịch, các kĩ năng phiên dịch cơ
bản như Nghe hiểu để dịch, Luyện trí nhớ, Ghi chép, và Kĩ năng trình bày. Sinh
viên vận dụng linh hoạt các kỹ thuật phiên dịch, đảm bảo dịch đúng và đủ nội
dung cần phiên dịch và thực hành phiên dịch các câu, các đoạn ngắn, các bài phát
biểu hoặc phỏng vấn từ Anh sang Việt từ ngữ liệu thực tế theo các chủ đề phổ biến
như du lịch, văn hóa, giáo dục, môi trường, kinh doanh.
IV. MỤC TIÊU HỌC PHẦN, CHUẨN ĐẦU RA
Mục tiêu học phần
Học phần nhằm trang bị cho sinh viên những kiến thức và kĩ năng dịch cơ bản đối
với các ngữ liệu có thật trong đời sống thuộc các chủ đề thông thường giúp sinh
viên vận dụng linh hoạt các kỹ thuật phiên dịch, đảm bảo dịch đúng và đủ nội
dung cần phiên dịch. Môn học này dành cho sinh viên chuyên ngành Biên – Phiên
Dịch có trình độ tiếng Anh trung cấp trở lên, những người cần sử dụng tiếng Anh
trong các ngành du lịch, văn hóa, giáo dục, môi trường, kinh doanh.

ii
Chuẩn đầu ra học phần
Sau khi hoàn thành việc học học phần này, sinh viên có thể:
1. Phân biệt được sự khác biệt giữa dịch viết và dịch nói.
2. Hiểu rõ vai trò và công việc của người phiên dịch trong thực tế.
3. Vận dụng tốt những kỹ năng cơ bản của loại hình dịch đuổi: nghe hiểu, ghi nhớ,
ghi chép, trình bày.
4. Trau dồi được kỹ năng nghe nói, diễn đạt, trình bày bằng cả tiếng mẹ đẻ và
ngoại ngữ đang học.
5. Nâng cao vốn kiến thức tổng quát và từ vựng về nhiều lĩnh vực trong đời sống
như du lịch, văn hóa, giáo dục, môi trường, kinh doanh.
6. Có khả năng thuyết minh, trình bày các bài tập được giao độc lập hoặc theo
nhóm, đưa ra hướng giải quyết vấn đề dựa trên kiến thức đã học giúp tự tin hơn
trong khi thực hành dịch tại lớp cũng như trong thực tế.
7. Áp dụng kiến thức cơ bản về công nghệ thông tin để hỗ trợ trong sưu tầm, soạn
thảo tài liệu phục vụ hoạt động học tập.
Các chuẩn đầu ra học phần trên phù hợp với các chuẩn đầu ra chương trình như sau:
Chuẩn đầu Chuẩn đầu ra chƣơng trình
ra học phần C01 C02 C03 C04 C05 C06 C07 C08 C09 C10
1 X
2 X X
3 X X X
4 X X X
5 X X X
6 X X X
7 X

V. ĐÁNH GIÁ KẾT QUẢ HỌC TẬP

Kết quả học tập của sinh viên đối với học phần được đánh giá như sau:
Bài tập Ngày nộp Điểm đánh giá
Bài kiểm tra 1: cá nhân Theo đề cương 15%
Bài kiểm tra 2: cá nhân Theo đề cương 15%
Hoạt động tại lớp: cá nhân, nhóm Theo đề cương 20%
Thi cuối kỳ: cá nhân Theo lịch thi 50%

iii
Các yêu cầu của bài tập được mô tả dưới đây.
Bài kiểm tra 1: (chiếm 15% điểm môn học)
Bài kiểm tra này dài 5-7 phút/1 sinh viên, yêu cầu sinh viên vận dụng kiến thức về
phiên dịch đã học, dịch đuổi 1 đoạn đối thoại từ Anh sang Việt khoảng 80 - 100 từ
thuộc các chủ đề đã học đến thời điểm kiểm tra.
Bài kiểm tra 2: (chiếm 15% điểm môn học)
Bài kiểm tra này dài 5-7 phút/1 sinh viên, yêu cầu sinh viên vận dụng nâng cao
kiến thức về phiên dịch đã học, dịch đuổi 1 đoạn bài phỏng vấn, phát biểu, bài
giảng hoặc báo cáo bằng tiếng Anh khoảng 80 - 100 từ thuộc các chủ đề đã học
tính đến thời điểm kiểm tra.
Hoạt động tại lớp (chiếm 20% điểm môn học)
Bài tập này yêu cầu sinh viên làm việc theo nhóm 4-5, hiểu và ứng dụng được các
kĩ năng phiên dịch đã học để dịch 1 đoạn video tự chọn liên quan đến các chủ đề đã
học từ Anh sang Việt dài từ 5-6 phút. SV ghi hình phần giới thiệu tổng quát nội
dung bài dịch và bài dịch. Cách đặt tên video: tên lớp, nhóm, tên bài trình bày (ví
dụ: AVK43A, G2, A miracle plant).
Thi cuối kỳ (chiếm 50% điểm môn học)
Bài thi này 5-7 phút/1 sinh viên. Thí sinh dịch đuổi 1 đoạn bài phỏng vấn, phát
biểu, bài giảng hoặc báo cáo từ tiếng Anh sang tiếng Việt khoảng 80 - 100 từ thuộc
tất cả các thể loại đã học.
Tiêu chí đánh giá và thang điểm cho hai bài kiểm tra và bài thi cuối khóa:

Dịch đúng, đủ ý
4
(Accuracy & Completeness)
Dịch lưu loát, mạch lạc, không yêu cầu đọc lại
3
(Smooth flow / Coherence / No repetition)
Tự tin giao tiếp, âm vực rõ, phù hợp
2
(Eye-contact, clarity of voice, appropriate tone)
Dùng từ ngữ, cấu trúc hay
1
(Effective language use)

iv
Các đánh giá trên nhằm kiểm tra việc đạt các chuẩn đầu ra học phần sau:

CĐR học phần Bài tập 1 Kiểm tra 1 Bài tập 2 Kiểm tra 2 Thi cuối kỳ

1 X X X X X

2 X X X X X

3 X X X X X

4 X X X X X

5 X X X X X

6 X X X X

7 X

VI. KẾ HOẠCH GIẢNG DẠY

Buổi học Nội dung Hoạt động dạy và học

4 tiết/buổi

1  Giới thiệu tổng quan học phần:  SV đọc trước phần Đề cương học
phần và bài 1, giáo trình chính.
Mục tiêu môn học, nội dung
môn học, lịch giảng, phương  GV gợi ý thảo luận.
pháp giảng dạy, cách kiểm tra  SV thảo luận cặp/nhóm xây dựng
đánh giá, nguồn học liệu lý thuyết, hoàn thành các bài thực
hành.
 Bài 1:
 SV đọc lại giáo trình [1], bài 1 để
Phiên dịch – Một vài khái niệm củng cố. GV đúc kết.
 Phiên dịch: định nghĩa, loại  SV đọc thêm giáo trình [3], bài 9
hình phiên dịch, tình huống và bài 10.
phiên dịch, vai trò người phiên
dịch
 Sự khác biệt giữa phiên dịch và
biên dịch
 Để trở thành phiên dịch viên
tốt

v
  Bài 2: Phiên dịch đuổi
 Qui trình phiên dịch đuổi
 12 qui tắc trong phiên dịch đuổi
2 Bài 3: Hiểu để dịch
 Đọc hiểu
 Nghe hiểu
3 Bài 4
Kỹ năng tập trung và ghi nhớ
trong dịch đuổi
Các kỹ thuật luyện kỹ năng ghi
nhớ, sử dụng trí nhớ ngắn để dịch
hội thoại, dịch những câu ngắn
4 Bài 5
Kỹ năng ghi chép trong dịch đuổi
Các kỹ thuật luyện ghi chép thông
tin có liên quan đến ý chính, số
liệu, tên riêng, các sự kiện và các
yết tố kết nối
Dịch số liệu
5 Bài 6
Kĩ năng trình bày
vi
 SV đọc trước giáo trình [1], bài
2 và 3.
 GV gợi ý thảo luận.
 SV thảo luận cặp/nhóm xây dựng
lý thuyết, hoàn thành các bài thực
hành.
 GV đúc kết.
 GV cung cấp một vài đoạn băng
nghe. SV xác định qui trình
phiên dịch, mục đích nghe, và
luyện nghe theo mục đích.
 SV đọc trước giáo trình [1], bài
3.
SV làm việc cặp/nhóm chia sẻ các
kỹ thuật luyện kỹ năng ghi nhớ.
SV làm các bài luyện trí nhớ trong
giáo trình, sử dụng kỹ năng này dịch
các câu ngắn từ Anh sang Việt.
GV hỗ trợ, nhận xét.
SV đọc trước giáo trình [1], bài 4.
SV làm việc cặp/nhóm, trình bày
các kỹ thuật luyện ghi chép thông
tin.
SV làm các bài luyện ghi chép thông
tin trong giáo trình, sử dụng kỹ năng
này dịch các đoạn văn trong các bản
tin vắn trên báo đài từ Anh sang
Việt.
GV hỗ trợ.
SV đọc trước giáo trình [1], bài 5.
SV làm việc cặp/nhóm, làm các bài
luyện kĩ năng trình bày, sử dụng kỹ
 năng này dịch các đoạn văn trong
các bản tin, bài phát biểu trên báo
đài từ Anh sang Việt.
GV hỗ trợ.

Bài kiểm tra 1

SV dịch đuổi 1 đoạn đối thoại từ Anh sang Việt khoảng 50 - 60 từ thuộc
các chủ đề du lịch, văn hóa, giáo dục. Mỗi cuộc đối thoại được chia thành
2-3 đoạn ngắn khoảng 20-25 từ để dịch.
GV sửa bài, nhận xét.

6 Bài 7, 8 - Bài tập luyện dịch SV chuẩn bị trước các bài luyện
Chủ điểm Du lịch - Văn hóa dịch ở nhà.
SV trình bày bài dịch tại lớp.
GV nhận xét, đúc kết.

7 Bài 8, 9 - Bài tập luyện dịch SV chuẩn bị trước các bài luyện
Chủ điểm Văn hóa - Giáo dục dịch ở nhà.
SV trình bày bài dịch tại lớp.
GV nhận xét, đúc kết.

8 Bài 9, 10 - Bài tập luyện dịch SV chuẩn bị trước các bài luyện
Chủ điểm Giáo dục - Môi trường dịch ở nhà.
SV trình bày bài dịch tại lớp.
GV nhận xét, đúc kết.

9 Bài 11 - Bài tập luyện dịch SV chuẩn bị trước các bài luyện
Chủ điểm Kinh doanh dịch ở nhà.
GV nhận xét, đúc kết.

10 Bài tập nhóm:

Bài tập này yêu cầu sinh viên làm việc theo nhóm 4-5, hiểu và ứng dụng
được các kĩ năng phiên dịch đã học để dịch lần lượt 1 đoạn video tự chọn,
có độ dài khoảng 5 phút, liên quan đến các chủ đề đã học từ Anh sang
Việt.

vii
 11 Bài kiểm tra 2
SV dịch đuổi 1 đoạn bài phát biểu, bài giảng hoặc báo cáo bằng tiếng
Anh khoảng 50-60 từ thuộc các chủ đề du lịch, văn hóa, giáo dục, môi
trường, kinh doanh.
Sau khi nghe, sinh viên phải ngay lập tức dịch sang tiếng Việt với đầy đủ
cấu trúc và chính xác nội dung của văn bản.
Mỗi đoạn chỉ được nghe một lần. Sinh viên được phép ghi chép.

Tổng kết, đánh giá học phần GV trình bày.

SV điền vào phiếu đánh giá môn
học.

VII. CÁC QUI ĐỊNH CHUNG

Qui định về tham dự lớp học
Các qui định về tham dự lớp học như sau:
- Sinh viên có trách nhiệm tham dự đầy đủ các buổi học. Nếu sinh viên chính
khóa (chính quy) vắng 25% số tiết học (có phép hay không phép) thì sẽ không
được làm bài kiểm tra của môn học đó. Cụ thể như sau:
 Đối với các môn 3 tín chỉ, sinh viên vắng khoảng 3 buổi (12 tiết) và
môn 2 tín chỉ, sinh viên vắng khoảng 2 buổi (8 tiết) thì sẽ bị cấm kiểm
tra.
 Đối với SV vắng 2 buổi (8 tiết cho học phần 3 tín chỉ) hoặc 1 buổi (4 tiết
cho học phần 2 tín chỉ) trước bài kiểm tra số 1 thì vẫn được làm bài
kiểm tra số 1, nếu SV này vắng thêm 1 buổi nữa sẽ bị cấm làm bài kiểm
tra số 2.
- Sinh viên không thực hiện làm bài tập bị coi như không có điểm, ngoại trừ lý
do chính đáng được giảng viên chấp nhận và cho làm bài thay thế.

Qui định về hành vi trong lớp học

Các qui định về hành vi trong lớp học như sau:
 Môn học được thực hiện trên nguyên tắc tôn trọng người học và người dạy.
Mọi hành vi làm ảnh hưởng đến quá trình dạy và học đều bị nghiêm cấm:
không làm ồn, gây ảnh hưởng đến người khác trong quá trình học; không được
ăn uống, nhai kẹo cao su, sử dụng các thiết bị như điện thoại, máy nghe nhạc
trong giờ học.
 Máy tính xách tay, máy tính bảng chỉ được sử dụng cho mục đích ghi chép bài
giảng, bài tập; tuyệt đối không dùng vào việc khác.

viii
Qui định về học vụ

Các vấn đề liên quan đến xin bảo lưu điểm, khiếu nại điểm, chấm phúc khảo, kỷ luật
thi cử được thực hiện theo qui chế học vụ của trường Đại học Đà Lạt.

Trƣởng khoa Trƣởng bộ môn Đà Lạt, ngày 15 tháng 7 năm 2021

Giảng viên

Nguyễn Thị Thảo Hiền

Phòng Quản lý Đào tạo Đà Lạt, ngày ….. tháng ….. năm 2021
Ban Giám hiệu

ix
UNIT 1: INTERPRETATION

UNIT 2: CONSECUTIVE INTERPRETATION

- Consecutive interpretation process

- 12 rules for consecutive interpretation

UNIT 3: UNDERSTANDING THE MESSAGE

- Reading for sense

- Listening for sense

UNIT 4: CONCENTRATING & MEMORIZING

UNIT 5: NOTE-TAKING & DEALING WITH FIGURES

UNIT 6: PUBLIC SPEAKING

1
2
Task 1
Interpretation

A. With a partner, answer these questions:

1. What is interpretation?
2. How do you call a person who practices interpretation? Translation?
3. What is the role of an interpreter?
4. How many kinds of interpretation are there?
5. Have you had any experience in interpreting? What are the challenges that
you have faced?
6. In what situations do people need interpreters?
7. Do we interpret sense or words?
8. Should we express our own opinions?

3
 B. Watch two short videos on the role of the interpreter and common mistakes of
an untrained interpreter followed by the proper techniques used by a
professional interpreter.

Go to:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnp58Flr6CA
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wg-qZjMhU4

Be ready to tell the class the content.

Task 2
Interpretation vs. Translation

1. With your partner, consider the following statements. Do you agree or

disagree?
a. Interpreters work with the written text.
b. Translators have more contact with authors and their audience.
c. Interpreters have time to analyze a message.
d. Translators do not have time to read again.
e. Translators have to reproduce the message immediately.

2. Make a list of the differences between interpretation and translation and be

ready to present to the class.

Task 3
Becoming a good interpreter

1. Individually, write the conditions you think you have to meet to become a good
interpreter.

2. Share your ideas with a partner, and discuss differences.

4
A. CONSECUTIVE INTERPRETING PROCESS

5
 B. TWELVE RULES FOR CONSECUTIVE INTERPRETATION
+ RULE 1: Do not interrupt the speaker.
+ RULE 2: Do not add any information or new idea to the message.
+ RULE 3: Do not omit or leave anything out.
+ RULE 4: Do not change the message.
+ RULE 5: Take note of concrete information (name, destination, colours,
years.)
+ RULE 6: No extraneous noise (hm, well, etc.)
+ RULE 7: NO DOUBLE INTERPRETATION
+ RULE 8: Same register of sophisticated level for output language.
+ RULE 9: SPEAK LOUDLY, CLEARLY AND CONFIDENTLY.
+ RULE 10: If you do not understand some points, make educated guess
based on evidence (you cannot leave it in the original language
nor omit it.)
+ RULE 11: When interpreting idioms, try to find counterpart expressions in
output language. Only when it is impossible, explain it.
+ RULE 12: Commence your interpretation 2 seconds after the speaker stops
and no later than 7 seconds.

C. PRACTICE
 Watch a movie clip and then summarize it in one or two sentences.
 Watch it again and interpret it into Vietnamese.

6
A. READING FOR SENSE

1. Read this paragraph. Who am I?

I was afraid at first. I had never been around a baby before. “Here,” said
my wife “take him while I fix his bottle.” The little body felt warm in my
arms.
I am ____________

2. Read the following article, ―Berkeley Coffee Clash.‖ Write the main message
that you can remember from the text, then read the three summaries.
a. Find the best summary.
b. Then explain what’s wrong or missing with the others. Work with a
partner.

7
Summary 1
In Berkeley, California, the city council banned tables and chairs on the
sidewalk in front of the French Hotel Café. The sidewalk was too crowded and
people had trouble walking past the café. Customers were very unhappy with
the ban and brought their own tables and chairs to protest the city’s action. The
city said that the café could resume using sidewalk tables and chairs if they
made space for pedestrians.

8
 Summary 2
The article ―Berkeley Coffee Clash‖ describes a conflict between the city of
Berkeley and a popular coffee shop. The café did not have a current permit for
sidewalk tables and chairs, so the city told customers that they could be
arrested. Coffee shop patrons organized and held a protest. They complained
about the city bureaucracy and the length of time it takes to get a permit. Café
owners sent in their permit application. Berkeley city officials responded to the
protest by telling café owners and customers that there would be no arrests
while the permit issue was being decided.

Summary 3
In the article ―Berkeley Coffee Clash,‖ a regular customer urges us to bring our
own tables and chairs to the front of the French Hotel Café in Berkley,
California, to protest city bureaucracy. He claims that the city never warned the
café owners that they needed a permit. In addition, he complains that it takes
too long to get a permit. He persuades us to visit the café and enjoy the
intellectual atmosphere.

B. LISTENING FOR SENSE

1. Listening for general ideas and key words
a. Listen to a lecture in a zoology class. What is the teacher mainly talking about?

…………………………………………………………………………………….

b. Listen to a lecture in a history class. What is the main topic of the lecture?

…………………………………………………………………………………….

c. Listen to a conversation between a teacher and a student. What is the main

reason the student is meeting the teacher?

…………………………………………………………………………………….

1. Listening for specific ideas or facts.

a. Listen to Chris talking about his brothers, Steve and Jim. What are the three
brothers’ jobs?

Chris ………………… Steve ……………………. Tim …………………..

9
 b. Listen to Carl and Jennie talking about writing an essay on life a hundred years
ago. Decide if each sentence is correct (A) or incorrect (B).

c. Listen to a radio interview with an explorer, Sally Brendle. For each question,
put a tick in the correct box.

2. Practice
Work in groups of four interpreting the conversation in 2b and the radio interview
in 2c.

a. Two are active interpreters (from the source language to the target
language.)
b. The other two are passive interpreters who monitor the process.

10
MEMORY TRAINING TECHNIQUES

1. Summarizing (See Unit 3)

2. Memory Game
―Johny went to the market.‖
 Choose an object to add to the list after naming all of previous objects.

- First player :
Jonny went to the market.
But when poor Jonny got there,
he forgot what he went there for.
Momma gave him a list.
And what Momma wanted was
a big bag of rice.

- Second player:
―Momma wanted rice and carrots.‖

- Next player:
―Momma wanted rice, carrots and a cake.‖

3. Visualization
Interpreters should use this technique - seeing what you hear - to increase their
short-term memory (STM).

1. Close your eyes

2. Relax
3. Concentrate
4. See, hear, and smell the things being mentioned
5. Pretend you are there

11
Task 1
Discuss these questions with a partner.
a. Is it important for an interpreter to concentrate while s/he is at work?
Why/Why not?
b. What would happen if s/he does not stay focused?

Task 2
Go to Interpreting Asia Interpreting Europe-Unit 3: Concentration and memory
at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gwl8geSbAeM.

c. Can we train our short-term memory (STM)? How?

d. What are some techniques used for improving our STM?

12
Task 1

1. Watch a video on note-taking. Go to

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WdiGYIciwc.
2. Read the text below.
3. Discuss these questions in groups of three.
a. Why is it nessessary for interpreters to take notes?
b. Should they write down everything?
c. What kinds of notes should be taken?
d. What are good materials for note-taking?
e. Name some techniques used for note-taking.

13
14
15
16
Task 2

17
18
19
20
represent three zeros.

21
The United Kingdom is a country in Europe. With an area of 242,500 square
kilometres (93,600 square miles), the UK is the 78th-largest country in the
world and the 11th-largest in Europe. It is also the 21st-most populous country,
with an estimated 65.1 million inhabitants. The capital of UK and its largest
city is London, a global city and financial centre with an urban area population
of 10.3 million, the fourth-largest in Europe. Other major urban areas in the UK
include the regions of Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow and
Liverpool. The UK consists of four countries, England, Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom is a developed country and has the
world's fifth-largest economy.

London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. Its estimated mid-
2015 population was 8,673,713, the largest of any city in the European Union,
and accounting for 12.5 per cent of the UK population. The city's metropolitan
area is one of the most populous in Europe with 13,879,757 inhabitants.
London was the world's most populous city from around 1831 to 1925. London
contains four World Heritage Sites.

22
San Francisco is the fourth-most populous city in California, after Los
Angeles, San Diego, and San Jose, and the 13th-most populous city in the
United States—with a population of 864,816. San Francisco was founded on
June 29, 1776. The California Gold Rush of 1849 made the city develop very
quickly, making it the largest city on the West Coast at the time. After three-
quarters of the city was destroyed by the 1906 earthquake and fire, San
Francisco was quickly rebuilt.

Of all major cities in the United States, San Francisco has the second-highest
percentage of people with a college degree, behind only Seattle. Over 44% of
adults have a bachelor's or higher degree. San Francisco has the highest
percentage of gay and lesbian individuals of any of the 50 largest U.S. cities, at
15%. San Francisco ranks third of American cities in average household
income with a 2007 value of $65,519.

The city's poverty rate is 12%, lower than the national average. Homelessness
has been a chronic problem for San Francisco since the early 1970s. The city is
believed to have the highest number of homeless inhabitants per capita of any
major U.S. city.

23
24
Task 1

1. Read the text on Public speaking on the previous page.

2. Watch this video on Public Speaking at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1DD0QkbQOA

3. Discuss these questions with your partner:

f. Have you ever spoken in public? How did you feel?

g. Did you face any difficulties as a public speaker? What were they?
h. How important is public speaking in interpretation training?
i. What do you think public speakers need in order to give a good delivery?
j. How can confidence be developed?

Task 2

25
(a) There should be traffic lights in Dalat.

(b) Cohabitation is beneficial for university students.

(c) What newspapers say should be controlled by the government. We should

make sure that nobody writes anything bad about the people in power.

(d) Vietnam should legalize homosexual marriages.

26
UNIT 7: TOURISM

UNIT 8: CULTURE

UNIT 9: EDUCATION

UNIT 10: ENVIRONMENT

UNIT 11: BUSINESS

27
Activity 1

Watch the video once and then summarize it in one or two sentences.

Activity 2

Find the meaning of these words, phrases, and sentences in the text below. How
would you translate them into Vietnamese?

1. deforming the body

2. But this is not a sad story, it’s an inspiring one.
3. We have just arrived a place that makes no sense to us.
4. put the car in neutral (gear)
5. ... gravity went nuts
6. blow your mind (=to find something very exciting and unusual)
7. This is just an optical illusion …
8. Husk a coconut with his mouth
9. vegan food
10. It is refreshing to see people who can survive without it/the Internet.

Activity 3

Watch the video again and interpret it into Vietnamese.

28
YOU CAN’T GOOGLE THIS

Google - it’s the one website that knows everything. But that’s not always
right. In the last year, I went to visit 4 countries from around the world only
to find people and places that you just cannot easily find on Google. In
China, Senegal, Armenia, Hawaii. There are people and places that you
must see in person and not on Google. And this journey starts in the
country of China.

A VILLAGE IN CHINA

Imagine if I gave you a pair of shoes that are a little bit too small. You put
them on, you feel uncomfortable and you can’t wait to take them off.
Nobody likes tight shoes, but this is exactly what happened to this woman.
She and many girls were forced to wear many tiny shoes for years just to
keep their feet small. The smaller the feet the better looking a woman was
considered even if it meant deforming the body. This shocking tradition
back then was considered “ hen mei hen caoxing”. “Beautiful”. But this is
not a sad story, it’s an inspiring one. 91 years ago China banned this
tradition here and everywhere and this 95 years old grandma. “Ni hao, wo
shi Pujifan” is one of only 10 women left with these feet in the world. This
tradition is no more and this is a reminder that we should be grateful for all
the traditions that we didn’t have to follow. That’s one minute.

A SECRET DEAD SEA

Hi !
What if I told you there is a forest, an ocean, a desert, all in the same
place? This is a buffet of colors unlike any I have ever seen! The Pink lake
has a salt level higher than that of the Dead Sea. Which mean here you
can float more and the lake is Pink! And right next to the lake is the Atlantic
ocean where you can have it all to yourself because this beach is literally
empty. Right next to it is a green forest that is right next to a yellow desert.
This is like four worlds in one in the country of Senegal. That doesn’t have
as many tourists as you would expect. That’s why all of this we
experienced all by ourselves. Come here before everyone else does.
That’s one minute. See you tomorrow!

A SECRET GRAVITY HILL

We have just arrived a place that makes no sense to us. We're now in
a car on the bottom of a hill and the hill is going up, but when we put the
car in neutral, the car doesn't go down, it goes up, as if there is no gravity.
We bought a football and put it on the bottom of the hill and the ball too
went up.We dropped water on the ground, the water went up.We tried
walking up the hill, it was too easy and walking down was too hard. This is

29
 the hill in Armenia's mountains where gravity went nuts. Down is up and
up is down and that will blow your mind. But in reality gravity is not nuts.
This is just an optical illusion where it looks different from what it
actually is . But who cares. For this day, on this hill, on this mountain
gravity went nuts. And it's a lot more fun this way. That's 1 minute, see you
tomorrow.

A NO-GOOGLE MAN

The guy you see next to me doesn't need to use Google. Here is why.

Hey, I'm Kap. I can do everything only using my body.

With his body Kap can do wonders. He can start a fire with his hands and
put off a fire with his feet. He can climb a coconut tree with his legs. Husk
a coconut with his mouth. Open it with his muscles and milk it with his
hands. “100% organic”. And his tattooes . “I did by myself”. This 52 year
old is super fit and young because he only eats vegan food. “But
sometimes you gotta eat fish”. Kap grew up in the small country of Samoa.
“And in Samoa we learn how to survive from our ancestors”. At a time
where everything we know, we get from the Internet, it is refreshing to
see people who can survive without it. That's one minute, see you
tomorrow.

This journey has taught me that the world is so much bigger than an online
search engine.

You just gotta go out and find it yourself.

30
Activity 1

Watch the video once and then summarize it in one or two sentences.

Activity 2

Find the meaning of these words, phrases, and sentences in the text below. How
would you translate them into Vietnamese?

1. clog your arteries

2. dedicated their lives to finding the best fish
3. when they find that perfect catch (=an amount of fish caught)
4. suicide ends up becoming the ultimte escape
5. prevalent
6. in pursuit of a perfect society, what is being lost on the way?
7. a 10-minute ride
8. pomegranate
9. a nuclear bomb exploded over the city of Nagasaki
10. Life moves on.
11. breathtaking culture
12. innovative
13. order (n)
14. Japan is a country that’s imperfectly perfect.

Activity 3

Watch the video again and interpret it into Vietnamese.

31
Day 1: Arriving
No one can live forever but I have just arrived to a place where it’s most likely to
happen.
It’s Japan where people live the longest out of any major country. 84 on average
(Welcome to Japan)
No one know exactly why people live so long in Japan. But if I were to guess, this
is probably why.
In Japan, healthcare is so advanced, it will save you life.
Food is so healthy, it won’t clog your arteries.
Road are so organized, you won’t get hit by a car.
People are so polite, you won’t get in a fight.
Nature is so beautiful, you won’t stay indoors.
Society is so organized, you won’t get stressed.
And even toilet seats are heated so you can be in peace.
All of this means that when you’re 80, you can be just like this lady.
1, 2, 3 that’s one minute. See you tomorrow!
Day 2: Janpan’s food
Konichiwa!
What I’m about to eat is arguably the best sushi in the world because this piece of
sushi came from this place - the world’s largest fish market- Tsukiji market in
Japan.
And inside of it, you’ll find hundreds of fishermen coming together every sunrise
to sell… fish.
These people have dedicated their lives to finding the best fish in the world - the
perfect color, fattiness and freshness.
And when they find that perfect catch they buy it for tens of thousands of
dollars, that’s like how much a car is worth.
All of this takes decades of experience, hundreds of people and tons of work
everyday just so you can enjoy that piece of sushi!
That’s one minute. See you tomorrow! Yes!
Day 3: Japan’s problems
Japan is a near perfect country. It has beautiful nature, order, wealth and culture.
It’s the perfect place to live.
Hello from Japan
But for many here, it’s also the perfect place to die because in Japan, the suicide
rate is one of the highest in the developed world, double that of Germany.

32
 It’s so high that there is a forest called the suicide forest where many Japanese
people come to end their lives.
They walk into a dense forest, leaving only a string in case they change their mind.
Oftentimes, they don’t.
In a society where the focus is on your job, wealth and school, suicide ends up
becoming the ultimate escape.
Suicide exists all over the world but to see it so prevalent in a near perfect country
like Janpan makes one wonder: in pursuit of a perfect society, what is being lost
on the way?
That’s one minute. See you tomorrow!
Day 4: Japan’s inventions
Meet Takuro.
Hi, I’m Takuro. I’m Japanese crazy boy!
This is why Takuro says he is crazy. Takuro took dried roses, dipped them in gold
and sold them to boy friends googling for girlfriends: presents, and expensive
(things).
That’s how he made $200, 000.
Then he wanted to talk to machines so he built a ring. With a swipe the ring
controls your apps just like that. It works!
But Takuro couldn’t talk to people because he couldn’t speak English.
―In Taco Bell, it’s took me 5 minutes to order water waaater? Umm w water! So
he built a device to allow people like him to talk to people!
Japanese: * Can I have a water please?*
English: ―I’d like a glass of water!‖
It’s a device that translates on the spot. No Internet, no app, just click!
Takuro grew up knowing only Japanese but instead of learning another language
he found a way to learn every language. That’s crazy.
―That’s one minute. See you tomorrow!‖
Day 5: Japan’s prices
Hi!!! We’re all sleeping on the street tonight to make a point. And that point is
simple! Tokyo is expensive!
An airport train that’s an easy $30. If you wanna do that in a cab that’ll be in the
hundred because a 10-minute ride is $35.
Fruits and vegetables are also expensive.
I walk into this speciality shop where a single peach cost $8, pomegranate $12,
papaya $21 and these grapes $250 which means these 3 grapes are $36.
I bought them just to see if they’re good. They’re nuts.

33
 A haircut is $40, an Adidas jacket is $250, and a tiny room in a hotel is no cheaper
than a $150.
But after spending $12 for one grape we’d rather sleep on the street.
Good morning! That’s one minute, see you tomorrow!
Day 6: Japan’s past
Right now it’s 11:02 AM exactly.
Almost 73 years ago, on this time, on this spot 500 meters up in the air, a nuclear
bomb exploded over the city of Nagasaki. More than 60,000 people died and
their clock did too at 11:02 AM.
But the most amazing part of the city of Nagasaki is that life did not stop.
The city has been rebuilt completely. What remains of the bomb destruction is
now surrounded with buildings.
Every year, the Annual Chinese Lantern Festival takes place here, lighting up the
entire city at night.
American companies do bussiness here and the center of that bomb destruction is
now where kids play.
People say: ―Life moves on‖ and in the city of Nagasaki these words could not be
anymore true.
Here it’s 11:03 AM
That’s one minute, see you tomorrow!
Day 7: What is Japan?
Hi! On my last day in Japan we wanna tell you everything we like about this
country other than our clothes. Go!
The odds are you haven’t been to Japan. I have! And when you visit you will only
wonder how can a country like this exist.
A country that’s so clean. Your car tires have no dirt after a 3-hour ride.
A country with beautiful mountains, rich history and breathtaking culture.
With polite people some of whom are crazy, smart and innovative, with order and
respect for everyone.
Arigatou (thank you in Japanese)
But in that same country some prices can be so high especially that taxi you took.
And in that same country suicide rates can be so high they can be double than
Germany.
Japan has many sides, both good and bad.
But at the end of the day it will only leave you saying: Wow, Japan is a country
that’s imperfectly perfect.

34
Activity 1

Watch the video once and then summarize it in one or two sentences.

Activity 2

Find the meaning of these words, phrases, and sentences in the text below. How
would you translate them into Vietnamese?

1. thought leader (=an expert on a particular subject whose ideas and

opinions influence other people, especially in business)
2. this Industrial Age mentality of mass production and mass control still
runs deep in schools
3. lack of autonomy
4. making the most of the lives
5. bored and demotivated
6. Most of the learning that happens in schools today is not authentic
7. we measure how much has been retained by administering exams
8. memorization and retention
9. endless hours of tuition
10. an extremely standardized system
11. the key to fulfillment in life
12. room for sth (= opportunity for doing something: I feel the company has
little room for manoeuvre.)
13. no room for sth (If you say there is no room for a feeling or type of
behaviour, you mean it is not acceptable.)
14. a fundamentally dehumanizing experience
to dehumanize (= to remove from a person the special human qualities
of independent thought, feeling for other people)
15. our children have at their fingertips all the information in the world
16. to leverage (to use something that you already have in order to achieve
something new or better)
17. become outdated and ineffective
35
Activity 3

Watch the video again and interpret it into Vietnamese.

There is a growing feeling today that something is wrong with our system of
education. But what is it? Well, we send our children to school to prepare them for
the real world, which is changing very, very fast. But our schools haven’t changed
much for hundreds of years. In fact, thought leaders from the world agree that the
current system of education was designed in the Industrial Age, mainly to churn
out factory workers, and this Industrial Age mentality of mass production and
mass control still runs deep in schools.

Problem 1: Industrial Age values

We educated our children by batches.

And govern their lives by ringing bells.
All day long, students do nothing but to follow instructions.
Sit down, take out your books, turn to page 40, solve problem number three, stop
talking.
At school, you’re rewarded for doing exactly what you are told.
These are Industrial Age values that were really important for factory workers.
Their success depended on following instructions and doing exactly what they
were told.
But in today’s world, how far can you get by simply following instructions?
The modern world values people who can be creative, who can communicate their
ideas and collaborate with others.
But our children don’t get a chance to develop such skills in a system that’s based
on Industrial Age values.

Problem 2: Lack of autonomy and control.

At school, our children's experience is a complete lack of autonomy and control.

Every minute of a child’s life is tightly controlled by the system.
But in today's world, if you doing an important work, then you are managing your
own time.
You are making your own decision regarding what to do and when to do it.
But life at school looks very different.
The system is sending a dangerous message to our children that they are not in
charge of their own lives.
They just have to follow whatever laid down instead of taking charge and making
the most of the lives.
Experts believe autonomy is incredibly important for children.
It is no wonder then that our children are bored and demotivated by the school.
Can you imagine how you would feel if you do exactly what to do for every
minute of your life?
36
Problem 3: Inauthentic Learning

Most of the learning that happens in schools today is not authentic, because it
relies on memorization and rote learning.
The system defines a generic set of knowledge that all children must know.
And then, every few months, we measure how much has been retained by
administering exams.
We know that such learning is not authentic because most of it is gone the day
after the exam.
Learning can be much deeper and more authentic.
It can be so much more than just memorization and retention. But that is the
only thing we measure and test scores are the only thing we value.
This has created an extremely unhealthy culture for students, parents, and teachers.
Children are going through endless hours of tuition, staying up all night
memorizing useless facts that they will forget very soon.

Problem 4: No room for passions and interests.

We have an extremely standardized system where each child must learn the
same thing, at the same time in the same way as everyone else.
This doesn't respect the basic fact of being human, that each of us is unique and
different in our own way.
We all have different passions and interests.
And the key to fulfillment in life is to find your passion.
But do the schools of today help our children find and develop their passion?
There seems to be no room in the current education system for the most
important questions in a child's life: What am I good at? What do I want to do in
life? How do I fit into this world? The system doesn't seem to care.
There are so many greatly talented people who failed in the traditional school
system. Fortunately, they were able to overcome these failures. But not everyone
can.
We have no measure for how much talent, how much potential goes unrecognized
in this current system.

37
Problem 5: Differences in how we learn

Each of us is also different in how we learn, and how much time we take to learn
something, and what tools and resources work best for us.
But the system has no room for such differences.
So, if you are a bit slow in learning something, you are considering a failure when
all you needed was a bit more time to catch up.

Problem 6: Lecturing

In the current system, children are lectured for more than five hours a day.
But there are a few big problems with lecturing.
Sal Khan from Khan Academy calls lecturing ―a fundamentally dehumanizing
experience‖.
―30 kids with fingers on their lips, not allowed to interact with each other.‖
Also, in any given classroom, different students are at different levels of
understanding.
Now, whatever the teacher does, there are bound to be students who are either
bored because of they’re ahead or confused because they’re behind.
Because of the Internet and digital media, our children have at their fingertips
all the information in the world.
Technology has made it possible for anyone to learn anything, but for fear of
losing control, the system is not leveraging these incredible resources.
Our system education, which evolved in the Industrial age, has become outdated
and ineffective.

If we want to prepare our children for the modern world, if we want learning to be
effective and engaging, then there’s no doubt that we need to fundamentally
change our system of education.

38
Activity 1

Watch the video once and then summarize it in one or two sentences.

Activity 2

Find the meaning of these words, phrases, and sentences in the text below. How
would you translate them into Vietnamese?

1. overlook the damage

2. an environmentally unethical system
3. plastic bags exploded in popularity because it was marketed and made as a
single-use product
4. the default choice at supermarket checkout counters
5. resource extraction and raw material production account for 60% of the
environmental footprint of plastic bags
(resource extraction: An example would be mining. The miners extract ore, a
valuable resource, from the ground. Oil companies extract (pump) oil from the
ground, etc.)
6. post-use impact
7. the five oceanic gyres that are created by circular currents
8. to degrade
9. microbial erosion
10. be fatal to marine life
11. adverse effects
12. the quote-unquote ―longer-life‖ bags
(quote-unquote is a way of saying quotation marks. He is saying "longer-life"
bags in an ironical way. Normally, you would not see this expression in print,
but you would hear it on occasion. It might be more logical to say quote
longer-life unquote, but we usually say it as he does. The cloth bags clearly
last much longer. Maybe he believes people tend not to reuse them many
times)
13. to equate a single use of a plastic bag
14. mitigating the negative effects
15. perpetuates the problem

39
 16. environmental initiatives
17. carbon emissions
18. your sole contribution to climate change mitigation
19. a small alteration that needs to go hand in hand with other actions

Activity 3

Watch the video again and interpret it into Vietnamese.

Paper or plastic--a simple choice that has important environmental consequences.

Can be hard to know for sure which one has a smaller impact, and because plastic
bags are such a presence in everyday life, it can be easy to overlook the damage
they cause. Today, we're going to look at the environmental impacts of plastic bags
as well as the alternatives in order to understand what kind of choices we have as
consumers in an environmentally unethical system.

The first plastic, Bakelite, was originally invented in 1907, but it wasn't until the
1960s that plastics, specifically polyethylene, became cheap and efficient to make.
Soon after the 1960s, plastic bags exploded in popularity because it was
marketed and made as a single-use product. Their cheap manufacturing costs
allowed them to become the default choice at supermarket checkout counters.
But the problem is the cheap price doesn't account for the environmental costs of
using plastic bags.

According to a study conducted by the English Environment Agency, resource

extraction and raw material production account for 60% of the
environmental footprint of plastic bags. In other words, 60% of the bag's
environmental impact happens before we even put our groceries in them, and
although post-use impact accounts for less than half of a bag's total environmental
impact, it is also the part of the bag's life that consumers can most easily control.

It's estimated that the US alone throws away 100 billion plastic bags annually, only
a fraction of which gets recycled. In general, most of these bags make their way
into waterways and float along ocean currents until they make it to the five
oceanic gyres that are created by circular currents. And these plastic bags
could take well over 500 years to degrade. The bags don't maintain their original
shape, however. Instead, they slowly break down via sun, water, microbial
erosion to smaller bits called microplastics, which can be fatal to marine life.

Considering the adverse effects of plastic bags, it would make sense then to buy a
cloth reusable bag or opt for the paper bag, right? Well, the answer isn't so simple.
In the same study by the English Environment Agency, they found that the real
environmental cost of a bag, whether plastic, paper, or cloth is heavily rooted in
the production side of the product. Plastic actually has the smallest environmental
impact out of those three materials. So, in order for the quote-unquote “longer-

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life” bags to have a smaller environmental impact, they need to be used multiple
times.

For paper, the study claims that it needs to be used three times in order to equate a
single use of a plastic bag, and for cloth that number skyrockets to 131 uses. This
definitely shouldn't be taken to mean that single-use plastic bags are the best
option. When possible, we should avoid using them, but for those of us who
already have a drawer full of plastic bags in our home, reusing is key for
mitigating the negative effects of that plastic. There is no need to go out and buy
a brand-new reusable tote if you already have usable plastic bags at home. Buying
new reusable bags every time you go out to the store just perpetuates the
problem.

Reducing the use of plastic bags has rightfully been a focus of environmental
initiatives, but if we zoom out, they are a small part in a much larger
environmental picture. For example, it takes 40 times more energy to make a
hamburger than it does to make a plastic bag, and even more frustrating, only 100
companies are responsible for 71 percent of all carbon emissions since 1988.

Our choices as consumers are important, but we also face imperfect options based
on production-side decisions. So, reducing your plastic bags shouldn't be viewed
as your sole contribution to climate change mitigation. It's a small alteration
that needs to go hand in hand with other actions--like reexamining how much
food you're buying from that very same grocery store, so you don't end up
throwing away five pounds of vegetables at the end of the week. In short, the bag
you choose matters but not as much as how it came to be there, what you put in it,
and how you use it.

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Activity 1

Watch the video once and then summarize it in one or two sentences.

Activity 2

Find the meaning of these words, phrases, and sentences in the text below. How
would you translate them into Vietnamese?

1. stretch across large expanses

expanse = a large, open area of land
2. an ultra-soft fabric that rivals the softness of luxury fabrics
3. depletion of resources and deforestation
4. Bamboo horticulturists
5. sustainable, renewable resources
6. self-propagates
to propagate = produce young plants
7. soil erosion
8. antibacterial
9. harmful pesticides and fertilizers that can be detrimental to the environment
10. stands of bamboos
stand = a group of trees, especially ones of a similar size, age, or type
11. tensile strength = the ability of a material or object to be stretched or pulled
without breaking
12. to replenish = to return something to its earlier condition
13. piles of raw bamboo chips extracting the bamboo pulp that is then dried into
parchment-like sheets
14. be ground and spun into a soft fluffy material
15. luxurious king size bed sheets
16. naturally thermal regulating
17. wicks moisture away from the body

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 18. wick = to absorb liquid from something and remove it
19. retailers
20. at the forefront of bringing bamboo clothing into the mainstream
21. accessories
22. products that are not only soft to the touch but have the green footprint

Activity 3

Watch the video again and interpret it into Vietnamese.

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All around the world, there are hundreds of thousands of different plant species, but
there is one plant that stands above the rest in terms of usefulness and speed of growth.
That plant is bamboo.
Bamboo is one of the most fascinating, useful plants in the world. Although it may
look like a tree, it’s actually considered to be a grass. Scientists have documented over
1,000 different species of bamboo growing in various regions around the world.
Bamboo forests grow naturally and stretch across large expanses throughout
Southeast Asia, Hawaii, and many parts of South America.
For centuries, bamboo has been a miracle plant used by many as a sturdy building
material and a viable source of food. More recently, new processes in bamboo
manufacturing have made it possible to take an extremely hard substance such as
bamboo, and transform it into an ultra-soft fabric that rivals the softness of luxury
fabrics like silk and cashmere.
In a time when global warming, depletion of resources and deforestation threatens
the balance of the delicate natural world and its diverse ecosystems, bamboo is making
a name for itself as a viable solution and resource that’s both remarkably useful and
environmentally friendly.
Bamboo horticulturists from all over the world consider bamboo to be one of the
most sustainable, renewable resources known on the planet. This is evidenced in
some species of bamboo that have been known to grow up to four feet a day and reach
maturity within two years, a mere fraction of the 50 to 60 years it takes for traditional
timber to grow to maturity and become ready for harvesting.
After harvesting bamboo, it rapidly self-propagates and new bamboo forests quickly
spring up, preventing deforestation and soil erosion that is common with other types of
timber harvests.
Unlike other plants, bamboo is naturally antibacterial and has no need for harmful
pesticides and fertilizers that can be detrimental to the environment. With carbon
dioxide levels in the atmosphere on the rise, bamboo becomes a highly beneficial tool
to clean the air we breathe. Bamboo and other plants convert carbon dioxide into clean,
breathable oxygen.
However, bamboo does it much better than your average tree. Stands of bamboo can
produce 35% more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees, helping each of us breathe
a little bit easier.
Bamboo is a unique product. Here at Bamboo Giant, we have over 50 varieties from a
foot tall to 50 feet tall, but it all shares the same growth method which is totally
unique.
A bamboo shoot comes out of the ground at full diameter. It grows to full height in a
matter of weeks. It branches, it leaves, and it finishes. The canes are incredibly useful

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to make all manner of products from the shirt I’m wearing to bamboo flooring,
furniture, fencing in numerable products. The canes are stronger than steel by weight.
Thomas Edison used bamboo as reinforcing in concrete in some of his experimental
swimming pools and house structures because it was cheaper than steel for the same
strength and lightweight. And so you know from building to food source, all parts of
the bamboo can be used.
One of the more intriguing uses of bamboo is the recent production of bamboo into
ultra-soft and comfortable eco-friendly fabric.
How can a material that has the tensile strength of steel be transformed into an ultra-
soft fabric?
The answer lies in the incredibly unique manufacturing process that allows us to wear
this remarkable plant. It begins with the harvest of mature bamboo that is merely 2
years old. Getting the cut as clean as possible makes it possible for new shoots to grow
and naturally replenish for the next harvest in 2 years’ time. The bamboo is then taken
and chopped into pieces resulting in piles of raw bamboo chips. The chips are then
soaked in a solution which has been approved by the Global Organic Textile Standard
to ensure that this process is as environmentally friendly as the bamboo it soaks. This
solution breaks down the bamboo fibers, extracting the bamboo pulp that is then
dried into parchment-like sheets.
Once thoroughly dried, these sheets are ready to be ground and spun into a soft
fluffy material referred to as bamboo fiber. The fiber is then separated and spun into
thread which is used to create yarn for weaving. The result is a cloth that is twice as
soft as cotton and is compared to luxury fabrics like silk. It can be made into products
from T-shirts to luxurious king size bed sheets. Bamboo fabric is a remarkable
material with properties that are unique and fascinating.
One such property is that the cloth is naturally thermal regulating, keeping the body
cooler when the weather is hot and warmer when it’s cold. It also wicks moisture
away from the body, keeping the wearer dry and 3 degrees cooler than other
conventional fabrics.
When made into bedsheets, they are softer than 1,000 thread count Egyptian cotton.
Bamboo sheets are truly a comfortable, yet eco-friendly way to enjoy a good night’s
sleep.
Bamboo fabric is quickly becoming a viable resource for several retailers. One such
retailer that is at the forefront of bringing bamboo clothing into the mainstream is
CariLoha.
In starting CariLoha, we went down to Southern California, worked at one of our
factories to create our first bamboo shirt. And as we did that we created 5,000, took the

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5,000, put them in our stores in St. Thomas and Sefa Chayanne, Cozumel Mexico, and
in Jamaica. The shirts sold out, all 5,000 in a week and a half.
And we set out to create bedsheets, bath towels, socks, as well as purses that were
lined ultra-soft bamboo fabrics. This shirt that I’m wearing is made of bamboo. The
socks that I have are made of bamboo.
I’ve been able to incorporate ultra-soft, eco-friendly bamboo fabrics that are twice as
soft as cotton, three degrees cooler than cotton, and comes with the most sustainable
resource on the planet in bamboo and incorporate those into my daily life.
Today CariLoha is the world’s only retail brand with stores that are completely
merchandised with ultra-soft comfortable clothing and accessories made of bamboo.
An ever-growing rich supply of bamboo makes it possible for CariLoha to offer
products that are not only soft to the touch but have the green footprint of this
renewable resource.
Aside from clothing, bamboo can be transformed into a countless number of useful,
environmentally friendly products that will help the world be a little greener. As
resources continue to deplete, bamboo stands strong as a renewable resource that
regrows almost as quickly as it can be consumed. It is truly a miracle plant that will
eventually grow its way into all of our futures and become a reliable resource for
centuries to come.

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