Some things can carry messages, for example, a sign at the bus stop helps you to know which bus to take. Signs on the door tell you where to go in or out. Have you ever noticed that there are a lot of signs around you and that you receive messages from them all the time?

    People can communicate on many other ways. An artist can use his drawing to tell about beautiful mountains, about the blue sea and many other things. Books are written to tell you about all the wonderful things in the world and also about people and their ideas.

    Books, magazines, TVs, radios and films all help us to communicate with others. They all help us to know what is going on in the world and what other people are thinking about.

    Mr. Tanaka is a teacher in a city of Japan. He usually visits many countries during his holidays. He speaks English very well. Then he wants to learn Chinese and goes to China. So he goes to evening classes and has Chinese lessons. He studies very hard.

    He has a lot of friends. They often talk with each other and help each other. He often tells his friends that he does not have any trouble with Chinese but the Chinese have a lot.

    December 21 was Becky's fourteenth birthday. When she got home after school, she saw her parents in the living room. They said to her, "Happy birthday, dear! We have a present for you, Becky. Go and look for it in your bedroom."

    Becky ran quickly to her room. On her bed she saw a bright red box. She thought that her present must be in the box. She opened it. There was nothing but a card in it. The girl took it out and read.

    "Dear Becky, I'm your present. My first three letters are the same as in the word 'come'. My last two letters are the same as in the word 'water'. My middle three letters are in the word 'put'. What am I?"

    Becky thought hard and soon smiled. She then went back to the living room and shouted. "Aha, I know what present it is. Thank you very much, Mum and Dad! But where is it?" Her mother answered, "Look at the back of the card." Becky turned it over and read, "Come and look for me in the study."

    Becky hurried to the study. There on the desk she found her present. What was it? Do you know?