The Secret of the Mountain

Old Peter lived at the foot of a very high mountain. Every day, he walked a little way up the mountain and carried back a small stone. He put the stones in his garden. His neighbors laughed at him. "Peter, why do you carry stones?" they asked. "The mountain is too big. You are too old. You cannot move a mountain."

Peter smiled and said, "I am not moving the mountain. I am building a path."

A young girl named Rose watched him. She saw that Peter was working even when it was hot or cold. He never stopped. He was always patient.

"Can I help you, Peter?" Rose asked one day.

"Of course," Peter said. "Take a small stone and put it next to mine."

Days became months. Months became years. Rose grew up, and Peter became very old. One day, Peter could not walk anymore. He sat in his garden and looked at the mountain.

Rose came to see him. She was now a strong young woman. "Look, Peter," she said. She pointed to the mountain.

There was a beautiful, smooth path going high into the clouds. People from the town were using the path to see the world from above. They were not laughing anymore. They were happy because they could see the beautiful sun and the green trees from the top.

Peter closed his eyes with a smile. He knew that a big dream starts with a small stone.

Grammar Structures (Cấu trúc ngữ pháp)

1. Past Simple (Thì Quá khứ đơn)

Dùng để kể lại các sự kiện đã kết thúc trong quá khứ.

• Cấu trúc: S + V-ed / V2

• Ví dụ: Peter lived at the foot of a mountain. (Peter đã sống ở chân một ngọn núi.)

• Ví dụ: He said, "I am building a path." (Ông ấy đã nói, "Tôi đang xây một con đường.")

2. Past Continuous (Thì Quá khứ tiếp diễn)

Dùng để miêu tả một hành động đang diễn ra tại một thời điểm hoặc bối cảnh trong quá khứ.

• Cấu trúc: S + was/were + V-ing

• Ví dụ: Peter was working even when it was hot. (Peter đã đang làm việc ngay cả khi trời nóng.)

• Ví dụ: People were using the path. (Mọi người lúc đó đang sử dụng con đường.)

3. Present Simple (Thì Hiện tại đơn)

Dùng trong lời thoại để nói về sự thật hoặc ý định hiện tại.

• Cấu trúc: S + V(s/es)

• Ví dụ: "I am not moving the mountain." (Tôi không đang di dời ngọn núi - Present Continuous).

• Ví dụ: "A big dream starts with a small stone." (Một giấc mơ lớn bắt đầu từ một hòn đá nhỏ.)

4. Can/Cannot (Động từ khuyết thiếu)

Dùng để nói về khả năng.

• Cấu trúc: S + can/cannot + V-inf

• Ví dụ: "You cannot move a mountain." (Bạn không thể dời một ngọn núi.)

• Ví dụ: "I can help." (Cháu có thể giúp.)