They say that blood is thicker than water, that our relatives are more important to us than others. Everyone was so kind to the old lady on her birthday. Surely her daughter would make an even bigger effort to please he?

The Present

It was the old lady's birthday.

She got up early to be ready for the post. From the second floor flat she could see the postman when he came down the street, and the little boy from the ground floor brought up her letters on the rare occasions when anything came.

Today she was sure the would be something. Myra wouldn't forget her mother's birthday, even if she seldom wrote at other times. Of course Myra was busy. Her husband had been made Mayor, and Myra herself had got a medal for her work the aged.

NEW WORDS

relative =relation
n. 亲属，亲戚 adj 相对的 n相对性relatively
present
n. gift 礼物，赠品
postman mailman
n. 邮递员
rare
a. not happening often 罕见的；不常发生的 rare-book 孤本
occasion
n. special time; time when sth. happens 时刻，时机；场合 adj. 偶然的occasional
mayor
n. chief official of a city or town 市长