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M: Martha, did you hear about the storm that is happening in the south of the country? W: Yes, how could I not hear about it? It's all over the news. M: But have you heard about Martin Harris? W: No. Who is that?
M: Well, his story is in today's paper. Listen：“Trouble in the south as rains continues to fall and the water continues to rise. One man fights not only for his life but for others as well. Martin Harris is a local man who owns a small boat. With water levels rising above the tops of most houses in the area, people are in great danger. Harris has been using his boat to go around help people in need. He picks them up in his boat and takes them to safety. His actions are winning praise from people all over the country. If any of you readers find yourselves stuck in the flood, the best advice is to try to get to a high, dry place before the water gets too high. If you cannot swim, find something that floats and hold on until you are found.”
W: Wow, Martin Harris is an amazing man. M: We can all learn a lesson from him.
W: I think I will write him a letter to thank him for his service. M: That is a great idea. I am sure he will appreciate that. Text 9
W: So Marvin, what do you want to be when you grow up? M: I don't know.
W: Come on, Marvin, everyone else in the class told us about their dreams. We all want to hear about yours.
M: OK. I want to be a．.. a．.., oh, I don't want to say it. W: Go on. It's OK, really. M: OK. I want to be a nurse.
W: Oh... well, that's a wonderful job. Now class, being a nurse isn't just for women, you know.
There are a lot of male nurses in some of the best hospitals in the country.
M: Right, that's what my uncle told me. He wanted to be a doctor, but he realized that he cared more about getting to know his patients and helping them on a daily basis instead of arguing with insurance companies and trying to earn the most money. So, he became a nurse instead.
W: When did you decide that you wanted to be a nurse, Marvin?
M: I think it was when I visited my uncle at work in St. Mary's Hospital. He got permission from the hospital to show me around, and I even got to meet some of his patients! It was really cool to see him working there. I want to be just like him.
W: Good for you, Marvin! Text 10
Dear Monica，
It was so wonderful to spend the weekend with you and your parents! That was the first time I had ever seen snow! Well, I guess I had seen it in movies, but the real thing was just magical! And I loved skating on the frozen lake. I have to admit I was a little scared at first, but after a while, it felt totally natural. The cabin was beautiful, and I must say that your mom is probably the best cook ever. Beef stew and potatoes has been my favorite meals since I was a kid, but your mom's version was definitely the best I've ever tasted! And the stars! I've never seen stars like that back
home in the city. I suppose the only bad thing about the trip was that it was a little hard to fall asleep because of the sound of the wild animals outside. It really sounded like the whole animal kingdom was singing at once! Well, I guess that's what you get when you're in their backyard. I really hope that you can come by my house next weekend and stay with us. My parents have all kinds of activities planned for us—I think my dad even got tickets to a basketball game! Let me know if you can come. It would be my honor to return the favor for this last weekend.
Yours, Cullers