English Text

Comprehension: Going to the moon

Learning From The Past

Dara: Would you like to attend Pchum Ben in my village, Susan?
Susan: Thank you, Dara. Is that when you go to the pagoda to pay your respects to your ancestors?
Dara: Yes, that's right. I want to pay my respects to my ancestors and especially to those who died during the Khmer Rouge regime. I believe you worked in the border camps during that time?
Susan: Yes, that's right..
Dara: So you must have known what was happening?
Susan: Yes. Many people told me about their experiences. I remember trying to calm their feelings. It was difficult, but if I were them, how would I have felt? Sometimes I found their stories really hard to bear.

Dara: When I look back, it's like remembering a nightmare.
Susan: If I were you, I think I'd try to forget about it.
Dara : Yes, but if we forget, it's like closing our eyes while a dangerous animal creeps up on us. We must know about the past in order to learn from it, otherwise more people will be killed and our society, culture and traditions will be turned upside down again. So I would rather remember that past than forget or ignore it.

Vocabulary

1. Bear (V) អត់ធន់
2. Calm (v) ធ្វើឱ្យចិត្តស្ងប់
3. Camp ជំរុំ
4. Creep(V) ដើរថ្នមៗមិនឲ្យលឺ
5. Nightmareសុបិន្តអាក្រក់
6. Regime (n) សម័យ/ របប
7. Upside-down ( Phrase) ប្រែក្រឡាប់