It’s always happy when children get some pocket money (零花钱). But how do they get pocket money from their parents? In the USA, many children do housework to get pocket money.

School students have to do homework and study for tests. They don’t have a lot of free time on weekdays. They often do housework on the weekend.

Young children only do easy housework. So they don’t get much money. But that’s all right. Many of them only want to buy candy. And candy is cheap! They help do the dishes after dinner and feed the family pets.

When they get older (年长的), at the age of 10, children want to buy model cars, CDs and computer games. They want expensive things. Then they have to do more work, like washing the family car, cutting the grass, walking the dog or cooking dinner.

For children, doing some housework is a good way to get pocket money. It is a good way to learn new things, too. Of course, parents often help them at first.

Reading is a very good habit. But how do you develop (形成) a reading habit? Here’re some tips.

【小题1】

It may be just 5 to 10 minutes. Reading before going to bed is also a great way to keep your reading habit. If you can, read at the same time every day.

【小题2】

If the book is fun to you, then you wouldn’t like to put it down.

【小题3】

This is easy in today’s world when you can take a book on your phone or on a small e-reader. Make sure (确保) you can read at all times.

【小题4】

A reading group gives you some reading tasks (任务). You can read with these tasks. You can also join the club with your friends.

【小题5】

It may be a coffee shop or your bed, just make sure it is comfortable (舒服的). Have a cup of tea or coffee when you read.

Oh, the rain! How Sara hates the rain! She cannot go outside to meet her friends for a game. Her mother says to her, “You may catch a cold if you play in the rain.” But Sara shouts, “It’s raining, but it’s very hot outside!” Her mother still doesn’t let her out in the rain.

Sara goes up to her room and lies down in front of her window. In fact, she has many things to do in her room. There is a TV, some books and toys. But she doesn’t like any of them. She opens the window so the rain can hear her. She wishes the rain away but that doesn’t work. “Well, if you’re going to be here and ruin my day, please find something interesting for me to do.” She shouts and again gets no answer. So she sits back down on the window. It is still raining. “Fine,” she thinks. “I can go swimming, ride my bike and play with my friends when the rain stops.” She thinks about her ideas again and again. How she wishes the sun to come out! Soon she falls asleep on the window. She hopes to do all she wants in her dream.