Hi Jake,

    How's it going? Sorry I haven't been in touch for a while, but couldn't use my computer for a few days. You'll never guess what happened to me!

    A couple of weeks ago, I decided to take up yoga. Yoga is a combination of physical and breathing exercises. It's supposed to be good for relaxation and {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. I've been feeling a bit stressed about my school work recently and I thought yoga might help.

    My dad couldn't give me a lift to the first lesson, so I decided to {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. The lesson was great and I felt really relaxed afterwards. On the way home, though, it started raining and I got very wet! The next day, I woke up with a bad cold. I couldn't stop {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    I couldn't go to school {#blank#}4{#/blank#}I also had a high temperature. We were having a math test that day so it was great that I could stay at home. I didn't really {#blank#}5{#/blank#}, though. I felt awful and stayed in bed. Mum brought me cups of hot tea for my sore throat(and you know how much I hate tea! ). She {#blank#}6{#/blank#}went to the chemist's and got me some vitamin pills. I have to keep taking these for a while {#blank#}7{#/blank#}I can get stronger.

    That afternoon Robbie came to visit me. He said he'd got something to {#blank#}8{#/blank#}and pretended it was the math test that I'd missed "Mr Bank says you can do it at home instead,” he said, but I knew he was joking. I didn't think it was very {#blank#}9{#/blank#}, but he did!

    The next day, I was still a bit pale and didn't have much energy, but I was feeling better. The day after that, I was able to go back to school.

    Can you believe my luck? I went to the yoga class to feel {#blank#}10{#/blank#}and instead I caught a cold!

    Anyway, I hope you're OK. Write and let me know what you've been up to!

    Bye for now!

Kate

    If you visit a Chinese family you should knock at the door first. When the door {#blank#}1{#/blank#} you will not move before the host says: Come in, please." After you {#blank#}2{#/blank#} the room you will not sit down until the host asks you{#blank#}3{#/blank#} a seat. When a cup of tea is {#blank#}4{#/blank#} on a tea table before you, you will say "Thank you" and take it with your two {#blank#}5{#/blank#}, or they will think you are not polite. Before entering the house in Japan, you should take off your shoes. In European {#blank#}6{#/blank#}, even if your shoes become very dirty, this is not {#blank#}7{#/blank#}. In a Malay house, a guest never {#blank#}8{#/blank#} the food on the table. He leaves a little to show that he has {#blank#}9{#/blank#} enough. In England, a guest always finishes a drink or the food to show that he has {#blank#}10{#/blank#} it. This will make the host very pleased.

Dear Xia Yu,

    Do you know that there are two special days for parents in America? One is Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May, and the other is Father's Day on the {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Sunday of June. On these two days, {#blank#}2{#/blank#} children often give gifts to their parents or take {#blank#}3{#/blank#} for lunch or dinner. Common gifts are flowers and cards for mothers and shirts or ties for fathers. I heard that it is {#blank#}4{#/blank#} more and more popular to celebrate Mother's Day and Father's Day in China. I wonder if children over there also give similar gifts to their parents. I believe that there are many ways to show our love. Actually, we don't have to spend a lot of money. It is also a good idea to help parents {#blank#}5{#/blank#} something instead.

June