A MOTHER’S DAY SURPRISE

The twins were filled with excitement as they thought of the surprise they were planning for Mother’s Day. How pleased and proud Mother would be when they brought her breakfast in bed. They planned to make French toast and chicken porridge. They had watched their mother in the kitchen. There was nothing to it. Jenna and Jeff knew exactly what to do.

The big day came at last. The alarm rang at 6 a.m. The pair went down the stairs quietly to the kitchen. They decided to boil the porridge first. They put some rice into a pot of water and left it to boil while they made the French toast. Jeff broke two eggs into a plate and added in some milk. Jenna found the bread and put two slices into the egg mixture. Next, Jeff turned on the second stove burner to heat up the frying pan. Everything was going smoothly until Jeff started frying the bread. The pan was too hot and the bread turned black within seconds. Jenna threw the burnt piece into the sink and put in the other slice of bread. This time, she turned down the fire so it cooked nicely.

Then Jeff noticed steam shooting out of the pot and the lid starting to shake. The next minute, the porridge boiled over and put out the fire. Jenna panicked. Thankfully, Jeff stayed calm and turned off the gas quickly. But the stove was a mess now. Jenna told Jeff to clean it up so they could continue to cook the rest of the porridge. But Jeff’s hand touched the hot burner and he gave a cry of pain. Jenna made him put his hand in cold water. Then she caught the smell of burning. Oh dear! The piece of bread in the pan had turned black as well.

As the twins looked around them in disappointment, their father appeared. Father’s appearing was like a savior to the two children. ________________,（在父亲的指导下） they took positive actions and started all over again. ________________（他们做了面包然后还煮了粥）Father helped them adjust the fire, ________________.（这是成功的关键）It was all right this time. ________________.（美味的早餐准备好了。）________________!（她们非常的高兴！）

The twins carried the breakfast upstairs and woke their mother up.

Joe was 75-year-old. His children grew up and moved to different cities in pursue of better career and future. However, he chose to lead a simple yet satisfying life in the small village carrying the memories of his deceased wife. Joe had four lovely grandchildren, Adam, Mary, Kate and Bill, who would make regular visits to him during their holidays.

With the vacation time around the comer, Joe was eagerly waiting for the arrival of his grandchildren. To well prepare his home for the kids, Joe was as busy as a bee, occupying himself cleaning the home, harvesting the garden, rearranging the household items, buying the favourite gifts for the children, etc. It was in such busy arrangements that he lost his beloved watch. The watch was gifted by his wife when their first child was born. Joe treasured the watch and it became his only companion after his wife’s death.

However, Joe was unaware of the missing watch and was joyful receiving the kids at home. When he was about to take a bath the next day, it struck him that the watch was missing. He recalled that the last time he saw the watch, he was arranging things in the barn（谷仓）. Heartbroken, Joe stood still in silence. Noticing his dullness, all the grandchildren gathered around and asked what troubled him.

“Dear children, I lost the most precious watch I have ever had and I ever got in my life. It was gifted by your grandma and I lost it while cleaning the home! I feel like I’m missing my heart,” Joe said in tears. Figuring out what had happened, the children promised Joe that they would search for the old watch for him.

The children decided to search for the watch in the bam.

One grandson Adam then said that he would like to go to the bam again. _

Many couples who already have one healthy, happy child, are facing a dilemma（困境），that is, the issue of whether to have a second child or not. They have hard jobs and limited time and money, but they want to make sure that their only child does not become a lonely child. So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of having a second child? That is what so many couples are very much concerned about and eager to understand.

One popular saying is that one child means a lonely child. That's why many single- child parents plan to have a second child. They feel guilty about their decision to have only one child, because there are no other children in the family for their only child to play with, which may make the child feel lonely at times, especially during vacations.

Another common argument against having just one child is that an only child may be more spoiled than one with brothers or sisters. If one couple have only one child, the child can't learn to share things with others and is less capable of getting along well with other children than one who grows up with brothers or sisters.

However, in many parts of the world, more and more parents are still choosing not to have a second child because they argue that there are advantages for the child as well as the parents. With just one child, they suggest, there is little chance of family arguments concerned with children. Besides, as an only child in the family, the child can receive more quality time and attention. This often leads to increased self-respect and independence, which can lead to the child being more confident.

Unluckily, there is no simple answer to the question of whether or not to have a second child. Every family is different, and what is suitable for one family may not be for another. The important thing, in the end, is to make a decision that both you and your spouse（配偶）feel confident about.

Yours,

Li Hua