Dear Abby,

I'm a helpless mother. My son Tom is 15 years old. I find that the older he grows, the less we talk. I feel very sad and I really need help.

My first problem is about his hobbies. He spends almost all his spare time on computer games. When he gets home, he always turns on the computer and closes the door. I'm getting worried about him, especially when his English teacher tells me he always gets low marks in the English exams.

Second, he likes new technology, but I don't have enough money and I can't afford all the things he wants.

Recently, I've found that he is always alone. I've never seen him talking to his friends on the phone or going out with anyone on weekends. That is the last problem I have.

What should I do to help him? Please give me some advice.

A helpless mother

1.The helpless mother has         problems.

2.Tom           for almost all his spare time at home.

3.From the passage we know that Tom's mother           .

4.The helpless mother asks Abby to             

5.Which of the following is TRUE about Tom？

Dear Abby,
I’m a helpless mother. My son Tom is 15 years old. I find that the older he grows, the less we talk. I feel very sad and I really need help.
My first problem is about his hobbies. He spends almost all his spare time on computer games. When he gets home, he always turns on the computer and closes the door. I’m getting worried about him, especially when his English teacher tells me he always gets low marks in the English exams.
Recently, I’ve found that he is always alone. I’ve never seen him talking to his friends on the phone or going out with anyone on weekends. That is the last problem I have.
What should I do to help him? Please give me some advice.
【小题1】 The helpless mother has         problems.

Jenny mixed up the letters with the replies. Read the three letters and the replies A, B, C, then match each letter with the correct reply.

A.  You should discuss this problem with your parents. Have you talked to your father? Surely he misses you, too. Tell him how you feel, and perhaps he can spend more time with you. You can also ask your mother to make something special when your father isn’t working.

B. You shouldn’t worry so much. If you study hard, you’ll do well. Try to relax, find time to go for walks and eat three healthy meals every day. Don’t drink coffee or tea because you won’t be able to sleep. You should drink a glass of hot milk before you go to bed and think in a positive（积极的）way. Good luck.

C. Can you afford it? Can you pay for the huge bills（帐单）to run the mobile phone? Maybe you should save your pocket money. Anyway, you are still at school and you should concentrate on your study. Why not give up this idea?

1. Match each letter with the correct reply. Which of the following is RIGHT?

   A. 1-A; 2-C; 3-B                                  B. 1-B; 2-C; 3-A

   C. 1-B; 2-A; 3-C                                       D. 1-C; 2-B; 3-A

2. What’s Mary’s problem?

   A. She worries so much about her exams.

   B.  She does badly in some important exams.

   C.  She can’t do her homework very well.

   D.  She isn’t allowed to have a mobile phone.

3. What shouldn’t Mary do?

   A. Drink a glass of hot milk.

   B. Find more time to relax than before.

   C. Drink coffee or tea before going to bed.

   D. Do sports and think in a positive way.

4. Jenny advised that Nina should     ____      .

   A. not buy a mobile phone                 B. pay the bills all by herself

   C. not ask her parents to pay the bills        D. ask her parents for more pocket money

5. Why can’t Jim spend much time with his father?

   A. He dislikes his father.                     B. He has a lot of homework to do.

   C. His father works a lot every day.           D. His father has got a now job in another city.

A lady has a problem with her daughter:
My nine-year-old daughter, Maria, is in Year Four. Every evening we get into homework battles(争执). Three afternoons a week, she has activities(netball, singing) after school and by the time we get home early, we argue(争论) about whether she should do her homework right after school, or if she should have some time to rest and play first. When Maria at last sits down to do her homework, she seems to want me there helping all the time, I do want to help her, but I’m sure that she is going to need to be able to do it on her own. And in fact, most of the time, I have other things I need to be doing. It seems that children these days have much more homework than we did, and some of it is really beyond(超越) their abilities(能力). As you can see, I’m really worried about homework and I really don’t know what I should do. Any ideas?
【小题1】The woman’s daughter is          .