I was home with my two young kids, when my mind started to wander. I was reflecting on my past and couldn’t help but think: Whatever happened to Kathy?
Kathy lived in a tiny Canadian town and she became my pen pal when I was 13. As a girl growing up in New Zealand, I was curious to learn more about the world and Kathy’s letters certainly showed me how different life could be in another country.
When I was 18, the letters had petered out(逐渐减少) and we lost contact. I’d gone on to marry my husband, Paul, and start a family, but the more I thought about it, the more I missed news of Kathy’s adventures. I decided to write to Kathy and knowing that her parents lived in such a small town, I addressed the letter to them and hoped for the best.
Three weeks later, my heart leapt when I got an envelope postmarked from Canada. “I recognized your handwriting straightaway,” Kathy wrote to me. It turned out that, like me, she’d also married but due to health problems, she was unable to have children. Her job as a nurse kept her busy and she enjoyed helping others.
Realizing how quickly life could change. I promised to keep writing to her no matter what. Her letters soon became a highlight for me, giving me the same excitement I’d felt as a 13-year-old.
One day, when Paul was using the saw(锯子) to cut some wood, a splinter(尖细条) flew into the center of my right eye and I lost my sight permanently. Paul felt terrible and while it was a huge blow(打击) for me, I tried to carry on as best I could. Soon, I needed an artificial eye(义眼, 假眼) and received financial compensation(赔偿) as a result of the accident in our yard.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
One day, Paul advised, “Gayel, you should use the money to do something for yourself.”
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So I left Paul and the kids to travel 30 hours to reach Kathy.
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