Top 6 Bài soạn "Hành động nói" lớp 8 hay nhất

A. MAIN KNOWLEDGE

I. What is a speech act?

Read the following excerpt and answer the questions:

Mother and son Lí Thông were asleep when suddenly they heard a knock at the door. They thought it was the vengeful ghost of Thạch Sanh returning, and they panicked, begging for mercy. When Thạch Sanh entered and told them about killing the chằn tinh, they regained their composure. However, Lí Thông suddenly came up with another plan. He said:

- That snake has been raised by the king for a long time. Now that you have killed it, you’ll certainly be sentenced to death. So, while it’s still dark, you should run away. Leave it to me to take care of everything here.

Thạch Sanh, being honest, believed him immediately. He bid farewell to Lí Thông’s family and returned to his old hut under the banyan tree, where he continued to chop firewood to sustain himself.

(Thạch Sanh)

1. What was Lí Thông's purpose in speaking to Thạch Sanh? Which sentence expresses that purpose most clearly? 2. Did Lí Thông achieve his goal? What detail indicates this? 3. How did Lí Thông accomplish his goal? 4. If we understand an action as "a specific task carried out by a person for a definite purpose," is Lí Thông’s act considered an action? Why or why not?

Answer:

Lí Thông spoke to Thạch Sanh with the intention of stealing his credit for killing the chằn tinh. The sentence that clearly reflects this goal is: “So, while it’s still dark, you should run away.”
Lí Thông succeeded in his goal. The detail that shows this is: Thạch Sanh hurriedly left Lí Thông’s family and returned to his hut under the banyan tree, where he chopped wood to survive.
Lí Thông achieved his goal by using the tool of speech.
Lí Thông's actions can be considered as a speech act, because they are specific tasks performed with an intention.

II. Common Types of Speech Acts

Question 1. In the excerpt from Part I, apart from the analyzed sentence, each of Lí Thông’s other statements also serves a particular purpose. What are those purposes?

The sentence “That snake has been raised by the king for a long time” serves the purpose of informing.
The sentence “Now that you have killed it, you’ll certainly be sentenced to death” serves the purpose of threatening.
The sentence “So, while it’s still dark, you should run away” serves the purpose of advising.
The sentence “Leave it to me to take care of everything here” serves the purpose of making a promise.

Question 2. Identify the speech acts in the following excerpt and explain the purpose of each action.

Cái Tí didn’t fully understand his mother’s words. He turned pale and asked in a flustered tone:

- So where will I eat next time?

After a brief sob, chị Dậu looked at her son with sympathy and replied:

- You will eat at the house of Mr. Nghị from Thôn Đoài.

Cái Tí cried out in a voice as if struck by lightning. He threw the potato into the basket and burst into tears.

...Earlier, when he saw both big and small dogs being caught, Cái Tí thought that the animals would take his place. He had bravely stayed quiet. But now, when his mother urged him to go, he cried and complained:

- Are you really selling me? Aren’t you going to let me stay at home anymore? My miserable life! Oh my God!

(Ngô Tất Tố, Tắt đèn)

The speech act of asking serves the purpose of inquiring: “So where will I eat next time?”
The speech act of stating serves the purpose of informing: “You will eat at the house of Mr. Nghị from Thôn Đoài.”
The speech act of begging serves the purpose of pleading: “Are you really selling me? Aren’t you going to let me stay at home anymore?”
The speech act of expressing emotion serves the purpose of lamenting: “My miserable life! Oh my God!”

Question 3. List the speech acts that you identified through analyzing the two excerpts in Part I and Part II.

From the analysis of the two excerpts in Parts I and II, we have identified the following types of speech acts: asking, stating, promising, expressing emotion, requesting, threatening, and so on.

B. EXERCISES AND GUIDELINES

Question 1: Page 63, Textbook, Literature 8, Volume 2

What was Trần Quốc Tuấn’s purpose in writing "Hịch tướng sĩ"? Identify the purpose of the speech act in one sentence from the text and explain the role of that sentence in achieving the overall goal.

Answer:
Trần Quốc Tuấn wrote "Hịch tướng sĩ" with the purpose of:
Encouraging the patriotism of the generals.
Motivating the generals to actively study the military strategy in the Binh thư yếu lược that he had compiled.
We can observe this through the following sentence: "Now, you see your master in disgrace and you don’t care, you see the country in disgrace and you don’t feel angry; you, as generals of the court, should fight against the enemy, but you don't feel enraged; you hear the music of the imperial court playing to entertain the foreign ambassadors, and you don’t feel outraged."
First of all, this sentence serves as an introduction, pointing out the wrongdoings of the generals at that time. Previously, Trần Quốc Tuấn had cited examples of generals who had sacrificed themselves for the king and the country. He had also expressed his own feelings, particularly how he treated the soldiers and generals under his command.
This sentence reveals the current situation faced by the soldiers, including the officials in the court. The author uses strong, harsh words to directly attack the self-respect of the people, awakening them to the reality of what was happening.
This sentence also serves as a strong reminder from the leader to his generals, encouraging them to recognize the situation and motivating them to act accordingly.

Question 2: Page 63, Textbook, Literature 8, Volume 2
Identify the speech acts and the purposes of each speech act in the following excerpts:
a) The dogs are barking all over the neighborhood.
The elderly neighbor quickly runs over and asks:
- How is your husband now?
- Thank you, he's fine, but he’s still a bit weak.
- Tell your husband that if he wants to escape, he can. But if he lies there, when they come to collect taxes, they will beat him if he can’t pay.
- Yes, I was planning that, but I need to let the soup cool first. I haven’t eaten since yesterday.
- Then you should hurry and get him to eat. They are coming soon!

b) Lê Thận raises his sword and speaks to Lê Lợi:
- This is the will of Heaven that you, the Lord, take on this great task. We pledge to offer our lives and the sacred sword to serve the country!

c) The next day, lão Hạc comes to my house. Upon seeing me, he immediately informs me:
- Cậu Vàng has passed away!
- Did you sell him?
- Yes, I sold him. They just caught him…
- Did he go willingly?
And suddenly, the wrinkles on his face contract, tears begin to flow, and his head tilts to one side, his mouth trembling with sorrow.
He cries out: "What a miserable fate!"

Answer:
Speech act in excerpt a:
Question: "How is your husband now?" Purpose: to inquire.
Statement: "Thank you, he's fine, but he’s still a bit weak." Purpose: to inform.
Command: "Tell your husband that if he wants to escape, he can." Purpose: to advise.
Statement: "If he lies there, when they come to collect taxes, they will beat him if he can’t pay." Purpose: to warn.
Statement: "I need to let the soup cool first. I haven’t eaten since yesterday." Purpose: to explain.
Advisory: "You should hurry and get him to eat." Purpose: to advise.
Speech act in excerpt b:
Statement: "This is the will of Heaven..." Purpose: to present the purpose.
Promise: "We pledge to offer our lives..." Purpose: to vow.
Speech act in excerpt c:
Announcement: "Cậu Vàng has passed away!" Purpose: to inform.
Question: "Did you sell him?" Purpose: to confirm.
Question: "Did he go willingly?" Purpose: to inquire.
Expression of grief: "What a miserable fate!" Purpose: to express sorrow.

Question 3: Page 65, Textbook, Literature 8, Volume 2
In the following excerpt, there are three sentences containing the word "promise." Identify the type of speech act performed in each of these sentences.

You quickly went to the bed and put the little one in the arms of the guard.
- You have to promise me that you will never let them sit apart. Do you understand? Promise me.
- I promise.
I answered in tears and stood still, watching the small shadow of my little sister climb into the car.

Answer:
"You have to promise me..." – Speech act: request.
"Promise me." – Speech act: request.
"I promise." – Speech act: promise.

Question 1. Exercise 1, page 63, Textbook.

Answer:

This exercise consists of two tasks. The first task is to determine the general purpose of the Hịch tướng sĩ. The second task is to find the speech act in one sentence from the speech and explain its role in achieving the overall purpose of the text.

- The main purpose of Trần Quốc Tuấn in writing Hịch tướng sĩ was to encourage the patriotic spirit of the generals and to motivate them to study the Binh thư yếu lược.

- Choose a sentence that reflects a speech act closely aligned with the overall purpose, then analyze its role in fulfilling the general objective of the speech.

Question 2. Exercise 2, pages 63 - 64, Textbook.

Answer:

The given excerpts contain several dialogues, each reflecting a specific speech act among those we have studied. For example: The statement by lão Hạc to the teacher (Cậu Vàng đi đời rồi, ông giáo ạ !) represents an act of reporting (presentation).

Question 3. Exercise 3, page 65, Textbook.

Answer:

Note that the word 'hứa' can be used to express a promise, but it can also appear in sentences representing other speech acts.

Question 4. Hịch tướng sĩ is a call from Trần Quốc Tuấn to his generals to train in military tactics to fight foreign invaders. So, was the following sentence used by Trần Quốc Tuấn to ask, to command (issue an order), or to state his actions?

Nay ta chọn binh pháp các nhà hợp làm một quyển gọi là Binh thư yếu lược.

(Trần Quốc Tuấn, Hịch tướng sĩ)

Answer:

A question used for asking typically requires the listener to provide information the speaker needs. A sentence used for commanding (giving an order) usually contains a request for an action the listener must perform. A sentence used for stating describes something that is either true or false.

Question 5. In Hịch tướng sĩ, there is a sentence: Lúc bây giờ, ta cùng các ngươi sẽ bị bắt, đau xót biết chừng nào !

a) What was Trần Quốc Tuấn's purpose in using this sentence? Choose the correct answer from the options below:

- To state a thought

- To ask someone else

- To command someone else

- To promise to do something

- To express sorrow

b) Which word in the sentence helped you choose the answer you selected?

Answer:

Refer to the hints in Exercise 4 to complete your response. Note:

A sentence with the purpose of making a promise usually mentions something the speaker will do in the future. A sentence expressing emotion typically contains words that convey 'lament'.

A. GUIDELINES FOR UNDERSTANDING THE LESSON

I. What is a Speech Act?

A speech act is an action performed through speech with a specific purpose. For example:

"Let go of her, go child! You’re so good, huh! Oh, let go of her, please! Let her go with me, don’t hold her any longer. I can only go if she does, so I can pay the tax, and then Dần can return to you! How they tied Dần up like that, don’t you care? If Dần doesn't let her go, soon Mr. Lí will come in and tie you both up, too!"

(Ngô Tất Tố, Tắt đèn)

Read the excerpt and answer the questions:

1. Lí Thông speaks to Thạch Sanh to claim credit for killing the snake spirit. The statement that clearly shows this intention is: "The snake is raised by the king and has been for a long time."

2. Lí Thông achieved his goal. The detail that reveals this is: "Thạch Sanh believed him and hastily left to return to his hut, cutting firewood to live on."

3. Lí Thông successfully fulfilled his goal with his speech act.

4. If we understand a speech act as "an action aimed at a specific goal," then Lí Thông's action can be considered a speech act because he achieved his goal: to take credit for killing the snake spirit.

II. Common Types of Speech Acts

The classification of speech acts mainly depends on their purpose. The names of speech acts are given according to the intended objective of each act.

Common types of speech acts include asking, presenting (informing, narrating, describing, giving opinions, predicting...), commanding (requesting, threatening, challenging...), promising, and expressing emotions.

- A question is an act where the speaker wants the listener to provide information or express an opinion.

Example:

He turned to ask the teacher:

"What kind of card did you draw?"
(Phạm Duy Tốn, Sống chết mặc bay)

A command is an act where the speaker wants the listener to do something.
Example:

The headmaster smiled patiently and waited for us:

"Don’t cry, children. You can go home at noon and have tomorrow off as well."
(Thanh Tịnh, Tôi đi học)

A promise is an act where the speaker commits to doing something.
Example:

"Lão Hạc! Please rest assured and close your eyes! Don’t worry about your garden. I’ll take care of it for you. When your son returns, I’ll hand it over to him and tell him: 'This garden was kept intact by your father. He preferred to die rather than sell even a small portion..."

(Nam Cao, Lão Hạc)

A presentation is an act where the speaker conveys their thoughts or arguments for the listener to understand and believe. Example:
Poetry is the beauty of eternity. It is the fragrance and colors of flowers. It is the fragrant clay of rice that must be "one sun and two rains." It is the vast blue sky, the endless river, the expansive sea. It is the sweetness of fruit, the swallow of spring, the rooster's crowing at dawn. Poetry contains the smiles of children, the sighs of elderly mothers, the songs of young men, and the glances of young women. Poetry is the treasure of humanity, intellect, and dignity. It is purity...

Those who have shallow learning and poor character should not speak on poetry or attempt to write it. Who said, "Poetry is the queen of the arts?"

(Quoted from Tạ Đức Liền).

Affective expression is an act of revealing emotions and attitudes toward a thing or situation, such as sadness, joy, anger, love, worry, hope... which are often shown through language and gestures.
Example:

I love Saigon passionately, like a man holding onto the memory of a first love full of heartbreaks. I love it in the morning sun, a sweet sunshine; in the afternoon wind, filled with longing, under the unexpected tropical rain. I love the contrasting weather, with the sky once gloomy, then suddenly clear like crystal. I love the quietness at night, with distant sounds. I love the busy streets, cars and people rushing through peak hours. I love the serenity of the early morning with the cool, fresh air on streets shaded by many trees.

(Minh Hương, Sài Gòn tôi yêu)

Question 1. In the excerpt from Section I of the textbook (page 62), besides the analyzed sentence, every other sentence in Lí Thông's speech serves a specific purpose. These purposes are as follows:

"Now, if you kill it, you will certainly be sentenced to death": Lí Thông threatens Thạch Sanh.
"Okay, it’s not dawn yet, you should run away immediately": Lí Thông demands that Thạch Sanh escape.
"I’ll take care of things at home": Lí Thông promises to handle everything for Thạch Sanh.

Question 2. Identify the speech acts in the excerpt from the work Tắt đèn and the purpose of each speech act:

"Where will you eat next time?" This is a question, and its purpose is for Cái Tí to ask Chị Dậu where he will eat next time.
"I’ll eat at Mr. Nghị's house in Thôn Đoài." This is a statement, and its purpose is for Chị Dậu to inform Cái Tí where he will eat next time.
"Are you really going to sell me? You won’t let me stay at home anymore?" This is a question, and its purpose is for Cái Tí to ask Chị Dậu about his fate.
"My life is miserable! Oh, God!" This is an emotional expression, and its purpose is for Cái Tí to express pity for himself as he is being sold and separated from his family.

Question 3. List the types of speech acts (refer to the section above).

B. GUIDELINES FOR PRACTICE
Question 1. This exercise has two tasks:
1. What was Trần Quốc Tuấn's goal in writing "Hịch tướng sĩ"?
2. Identify the purpose of the speech act in one sentence from the "Hịch" and explain its role in fulfilling the overall goal of the text.
Trần Quốc Tuấn wrote "Hịch tướng sĩ" with the purpose of:
Encouraging the patriotism of his generals.
Motivating the generals to actively study the "Binh thư yếu lược" he compiled.
The purpose of the speech act: "I often forget to eat, I wake up at midnight, my stomach aches, and tears pour down, I just hate not having the chance to rip the flesh off, peel the skin, swallow the liver, drink the blood of the enemy" is to express his sorrow for the loss of the country and to show his deep patriotism and hatred for the enemy.
Through this sentence: "I often forget to eat... drink the blood of the enemy," the image of a patriotic hero is vividly depicted. This sentence plays a key role in expressing the overall goal of the "Hịch tướng sĩ": the passionate words of the general inspire the soldiers with a deep sense of patriotism and hatred for the enemy.

Question 2. This exercise asks students to identify the speech acts and their purposes in the excerpts from the textbook.

a) Excerpt from the work "Tắt đèn" by Ngô Tất Tố:
"Is the old man okay now?" (speech act: question)
"Thank you, but I’m very tired." (speech act: statement)
"Tell him to come here... so he can get better." (speech act: command)
"Yes, I’ll come... there’s no time left." (speech act: promise)
"Then, you should go inside now!" (speech act: command)
b) Excerpt from the legend "Sự tích Hồ Gươm":
"This is Heaven’s will for the King to do great work." (speech act: statement)
"We vow to use our lives... to repay the Fatherland!" (speech act: promise)
c) Excerpt from the work "Lão Hạc" by Nam Cao:
"Cậu Vàng is dead, sir!" (speech act: statement)
"Did you sell him?" (speech act: question)
"He’s been sold! They just caught him." (speech act: statement)
"Did he allow them to catch him?" (speech act: question)
"What a miserable... flip him over." (speech act: emotional expression mixed with statement)
This exercise requires students to identify the speech act types that contain the word 'promise'.
In the excerpt from "Cuộc chia tay của những con búp bê", three speech acts use the word 'promise' but with different purposes:
"You must promise me you’ll never let them sit far apart." (speech act: command)
"Promise me." (speech act: command)
"I promise." (speech act: promise).

I. What are Speech Acts?

1. Lý Thông speaks to Thạch Sanh to deceive him, causing him fear and making him run away. The sentence that most clearly illustrates this intention is: "Now, while it’s still dark, you should run away immediately."

2. Lý Thông achieves his objective. The sentence that expresses this is: "Thạch Sanh hurriedly bid farewell to Lý Thông's mother and son, returned to his old hut under the banyan tree, and gathered firewood for a living."

3. Lý Thông fulfilled his goal with his words.

4. If we interpret "a specific action by a person with a set purpose," then Lý Thông's action is indeed a speech act, as it directly leads to Thạch Sanh’s running away.

II. Common Types of Speech Acts

1. The sentence "That snake is the king’s pet for many years" serves to inform.

The sentence "If you kill it now, you will certainly face a death sentence." → serves to threaten.

The sentence "Now, while it’s still dark, you should run away immediately." → serves to threaten.

The sentence "Is there something for me to handle at home?" → serves to make a promise.

2. "So where will you eat next time?" → speech act of questioning.

"I will eat at Mr. Nghị’s house in Đoài village" → speech act of providing an answer.

"Will you really sell me? Won’t you let me stay at home anymore?" → serves to question.

"What a miserable life I have! Oh my God!" → serves to express sorrow and frustration.

3. The speech acts discussed in parts I and II include acts of presentation, questioning, and emotional expression.

III. Exercises

Exercise 1 (page 63, 8th-grade Literature Textbook, Volume 2):

Trần Quốc Tuấn writes "Hịch Tướng Sĩ" with the aim of:

+ Expressing anger and outrage over the invaders' blatant pillaging of our people.

+ The second goal: Inspiring patriotism and the will to resist the invaders in the soldiers.

- Speech act: Presentation (declarative sentence) – "We often forget to eat, staying up late, stomach pains like tearing, tears flowing; we only wish to tear their flesh, peel their skin, and drink the blood of the enemy."

- Speech act: Presentation, threat, request – "Now, we choose the military tactics... to confront the enemy."

Exercise 2 (page 64, 8th-grade Literature Textbook, Volume 2):

a. Excerpt from "Tắt Đèn"

- "Has uncle recovered?" – speech act of asking.

- "Thank you, sir… I’m exhausted." – speech act of presenting.

- "Tell him... to rest and recover." – speech act of commanding, promising.

- "Yes, I must... it’s time." – speech act of promising, expressing feelings.

- "Then we must hurry... it’s time to go." – speech act of commanding.

b. Excerpt from "The Legend of Lake Sword"

- "This is Heaven’s will, entrusting the great task to our hero." – speech act of presenting.

- "We swear to repay our homeland!" – speech act of promising.

c. Excerpt from "Lão Hạc"

- "Cậu Vàng has passed away, Teacher!" – speech act of presenting.

- "Did they sell it?" – speech act of asking.

- "Sold! They just caught it." – speech act of presenting.

- "Did they really let them catch it?" – speech act of asking.

- "Damn it… flip it upside down!" – Speech act expressing emotions mixed with presentation.

Exercise 3 (page 65, 8th-grade Literature Textbook, Volume 2):

- "You must promise me that we will never sit apart again, do you understand?" – speech act of commanding.

- "Promise me!" – speech act of commanding.

- "I swear." – speech act of promising and committing.

Part I: WHAT IS A SPEECH ACT?

(page 62, Vietnamese Literature 8, volume 2)

Read the excerpt below and answer the questions.

Mother and son Lí Thông were sleeping when they suddenly heard a knock at the door. Thinking it was the vengeful spirit of Thạch Sanh returning, they were terrified and begged for mercy. When Thạch Sanh entered and told them the story of killing the serpent demon, they regained their composure. However, Lí Thông suddenly devised another plan. He said:

- The serpent is a pet of the king's, and if you kill it, you will surely be sentenced to death. Now, while it's still dark, you should escape immediately. Let me handle things here.

Thạch Sanh, naive, immediately believed him. He hurriedly bade farewell to Lí Thông and his mother, returning to his old hut under the banyan tree to gather firewood and live on.

(Thạch Sanh)

1. What is Lí Thông's primary intention when speaking to Thạch Sanh? Which sentence most clearly expresses this intention?

2. Did Lí Thông achieve his goal? What detail reveals this?

3. How did Lí Thông fulfill his goal?

4. If we define an action as "a specific task carried out by a person for a certain purpose," is Lí Thông's action considered an act? Why or why not?

Answer:

1. Lí Thông speaks to Thạch Sanh with the primary goal of stealing credit for the deed. The sentence that most clearly conveys this goal is: "Now, while it's still dark, you should escape immediately. Let me handle things here."

2. Lí Thông achieved his objective, as Thạch Sanh, after hearing Lí Thông's words, hurriedly left to go on his own.

3. Lí Thông achieved his goal through speech.

4. Lí Thông's act can indeed be considered an action because it is a task done with a specific purpose in mind.

Part II: COMMON TYPES OF SPEECH ACTS

Question 1 (page 62, Vietnamese Literature 8, volume 2)

In the excerpt from Part I, each sentence in Lí Thông's speech serves a specific purpose. What are these purposes?

Answer:

The sentence "The serpent is the king's pet" serves the purpose of informing.

The sentence "If you kill it, you will surely be sentenced to death" serves the purpose of threatening.

The sentence "Now, while it's still dark, you should escape immediately" serves the purpose of threatening.

The sentence "Let me handle things here" serves the purpose of promising.

Question 2 (page 63, Vietnamese Literature 8, volume 2)

Identify the speech acts in the following excerpt and explain the purpose of each speech act.

Cái Tí didn’t fully understand his mother’s words, his face turned pale, and he asked in a panicked voice:

- Then where will I eat tomorrow?

After a brief sob, Chị Dậu looked at her son with a sorrowful gaze:

- You will eat at the house of the Nghị in Thôn Đoài.

Cái Tí, hearing this, jumped up as if struck by lightning, threw a piece of yam into the basket, and burst into tears.

[...] Earlier, when he saw the large and small dogs being caught, Cái Tí thought they would take their place for him. So, he sat still with some reassurance. Now, hearing his mother urge him to go, he looked disheveled and cried out:

- Mother, you really want to sell me, don’t you? You’re not letting me stay home anymore? My poor life! Oh, my God!...

(Ngô Tất Tố, Tắt đèn)

Answer:

- The speech acts in this excerpt are performed by Chị Dậu and Cái Tí (note the sentences in bold).

- Cái Tí’s speech: one question, one expression of despair and sorrow. Chị Dậu’s speech serves to inform.

Question 3 (page 63, Vietnamese Literature 8, volume 2)

List the types of speech acts in the two excerpts above.

Answer:

Reporting (giving news), threatening, advising, promising, questioning, expressing emotion,...

Part III: PRACTICE

Question 1 (page 63, Vietnamese Literature 8, volume 2)

What was the purpose of Trần Quốc Tuấn writing the Hịch tướng sĩ? Identify the purpose of the speech act in a sentence from the document and explain its role in achieving the overall objective.

Answer:

Trần Quốc Tuấn wrote the Hịch tướng sĩ to encourage the generals to study the book Binh thư yếu lược (written by him) and to foster patriotism and the resolve to resist foreign invaders.

- The sentence that expresses this purpose is: "Now I have compiled the military strategies from various schools into a single volume called Binh thư yếu lược. If you study this book diligently and follow my teachings, you will fulfill the duty of serving the king; if you neglect it, you are an enemy to the state."

- This sentence serves both to inform and to urge, threatening disobedience. It directly reflects the broader goal of the whole document.

Question 2 (page 64, Vietnamese Literature 8, volume 2)

Identify the speech acts and their purposes in the following excerpts:

a) The barking of dogs echoes through the village.

The neighbor lady hurriedly ran over:

- Has the husband recovered yet?

- Thank you, he's as alert as usual. But he still seems a bit weak and exhausted.

- Well, if he’s going to run away, let him. But he can’t stay here; otherwise, they’ll come to demand taxes and might even beat him. He’s so weak now that if he gets hit, it will take months to recover.

- Yes, I thought of that too. But first, let me feed him a bit. He hasn’t had anything since yesterday.

- In that case, hurry him to eat, or the others will come for him soon!

Then, the neighbor hurriedly returned, looking worried.

(Ngô Tất Tố, Tắt đèn)

b) Lê Thận raised his sword and spoke to Lê Lợi:

- This is Heaven’s will, entrusting you, Minh Công, with the great task. We are willing to fight alongside you and offer our lives, along with this sacred sword, to repay our country!

(Sự tích Hồ Gươm)

c) The next day, Lão Hạc came to my house. As soon as he saw me, he immediately said:

- Cậu Vàng is gone, Mr. Teacher!

- Did you sell him?

- Yes, I did! They just took him away.

- Did it agree to be taken?

Suddenly, Lão’s face twisted, his wrinkles deepened, forcing tears to flow. His head tilted, and his mouth puckered as he sobbed like a child. He wailed...

- Poor thing... Mr. Teacher... It didn't know anything! It didn't know! It saw me call, ran over, wagging its tail. I fed it. It was eating when Mục snuck from the house, grabbed it by the legs, and lifted it up.

(Nam Cao, Lão Hạc)

Answer:

- The speech acts in these excerpts belong to the characters: the neighbor lady and Chị Dậu (in (a)), Lê Thận (in (b)), Mr. Teacher and Lão Hạc (in (c)).

- Their speech serves the following purposes:

+ The neighbor lady: questioning, advising.

+ Chị Dậu: answering, informing, promising.

+ Lê Thận: presenting, expressing emotion.

+ Mr. Teacher: questioning.

+ Lão Hạc: informing, expressing emotion.

Question 3 (page 65, Vietnamese Literature 8, volume 2)
The following excerpt contains three sentences with the word "promise." Identify the type of speech act performed in each of these sentences.
Em hurriedly went back to the bed, placing Little Em’s arm around the Protector’s arm.
- Leave it here – she said flatly – You have to promise me you’ll never let them sit apart (a). Remember? Promise me (b).
- I promise (c).
Answer:

The types of speech acts in the sentences are:
- Sentence (a): presenting (stating the reminder).
- Sentence (b): requesting (insisting).
- Sentence (c): promising.

I. What is a Speech Act?

- Li Thong speaks to Thach Sanh with the aim of stealing credit. The phrase that best expresses this purpose is: 'Now, since the sky hasn’t dawned yet, you should escape immediately. I will handle things at home.'

- Li Thong’s action can be considered a speech act because it is an action with a purpose.

II. Common Types of Speech Acts

Example 1:

- The sentence 'The snake has... for a long time' serves the purpose of informing.

- The sentence 'Today, if you kill it, you will surely face the death penalty' serves the purpose of threatening.

- The sentence 'Stop... run away now' serves the purpose of advising.

- The sentence 'I will... handle it' serves the purpose of promising.

Example 2:

- Questioning to inquire: 'Where is it?'

- Presenting information to notify: 'I will... the East'.

- Asking for a favor: 'Will you... for me?'

- Expressing emotion to lament: 'How awful... this is! Oh my god...!'.

Example 3: From the analysis of the excerpts in sections I and II, the following speech acts can be identified: questioning, presenting, promising, expressing emotion, requesting, and threatening…

III. Exercises

Exercise 1:

Tran Quoc Tuan wrote the General’s Command to encourage the generals to study the Military Treatise (which he authored) and to inspire patriotism and resistance to foreign invaders.

- The sentence that reflects this purpose is: 'Now we have selected the military strategies from various schools and compiled them into one book called the Military Treatise. If you know and specialize in this book, following my guidance, you will be true to your duties; if you neglect it and disregard my advice, you will be my enemy.'

- This sentence serves as both a notification and a warning, clearly reflecting the overall purpose of the message.

Exercise 2:

a. Questioning and asking about someone’s well-being: 'How is the uncle?'

- Presenting information to notify: 'Thank you… as usual… but… very much'.

- Ordering with the purpose of requesting: 'Now… run away.'

- Presenting and persuading: 'Why keep lying there… it’s painful. An ill person… will recover.'

- Presenting and agreeing: 'Gold… will be yours.'

- Explaining and clarifying: 'But just wait… it’s nothing'.

- Giving advice and urging: 'Then this is… it'.

b.

- Giving an opinion and expressing agreement (sentence 1).

- Promising and affirming resolve (sentence 2).

c.

- Informing and seeking sympathy: 'Cau Vang...! Sold…! Caught!'

- Questioning to confirm: 'Is it sold?'

- Expressing surprise: 'Really…?'

- Exposing emotion and regret: 'What a scoundrel…! Oh my god…!'

- Narrating to release guilt and pain over deceiving a dog.