In western countries, many children do chores to get pocket money. _________ usually start to do chores at the age of 10.

School students have to do homework and study _________ tests on weekdays. So they often do chores on _________.

Young kids only do _________ chores. So they don’t get much money. But that’s all right. Many of them only want to _________ candies. And candies are cheap! They help wash the dishes after dinner, and _________ the family cat or dog.

When kids get _________, they want to buy more and more things. They want things that are more expensive than candies. Then they have to work harder! They often _________ the family car, cut the grass, walk the dog or cook dinner.

Doing chores is a good _________ for kids to learn new things. For example, they can learn how to use a lawn mower (割草机) or __________ to cook. Of course, their parents help them at first.

It was half past five in the evening when Nancy came home from work. She walked into the living room and looked at her three children.

The children were fourteen, eleven and eight years old. They were watching TV happily.

The room was dirty and untidy. There were empty glasses and dirty clothes on the floor. Toys were here and there.

Nancy got angry. “What a mess” she said to her children. “I work all day and have to do housework all evening. I’m very tired. I need to have a good rest. I won’t do the housework any more!”

Nancy did as she said. She didn’t do any housework. Every evening she sat on the sofa and watched TV. A week later, every dish in the kitchen was dirty. All the children’s clothes were dirty, too. Every rubbish bag was full.

Then one day Nancy got very surprised when she came home from work. The kitchen was clean. The children had cleaned it!

The next day, when Nancy got home, she found the living room was clean, and the children were washing their clothes. Nancy was happy and went to help them.

Now Nancy and her three children do the housework together. Then they all sit on the sofa and watch TV.

My mother is a doctor. She is so busy     38     she isn’t able to get back home on time every day. And she has to work on weekends sometimes. So it’s hard for her to do all the chores after work. As     39     member of the family, I think it’s my duty to share some housework. Though Mother always says she doesn’t need any help, there are always things I can do. For example, I can help take out the r    40     and wash the dishes. I’m sure I can do them     41    （good）.

What’s more, I’m trying to be     42    （independence）. I wash my own clothes, tidy up my bedroom and put away my things. I’m old enough to do these things. And I can’t d    43     on my parents forever.

I think she is the     44    （one）person I should thank. So show your     45    （thank）to your mom for everything she     46    （do）. Just try your b    47     to help her. I believe she will feel happy. Try it now.