What can bring people luck?

Nick and his friends were talking about things that could bring them luck “I have a lucky red pen,” said Andy.   “I have a lucky coin,” said Peter. “____1____”Nick thought for a moment and said. “My blue socks.” the boys were surprised and asked together. Nick said that every time he wore his blue socks to school before a test, he got a good mark.

The next day, Nick had a Chinese test. He was sad because he couldn’t find his blue socks. “Mom!” shouted Nick. ____2____   I have a Chinese test today, and I need to wear them."

“Don't be silly” Nick's mom said. “Your socks are dirty. They need to be washed.” “Too bad! I can only get a good mark when I wear them,” Nick said. “Did you prepare for your test?” asked Mom.

“Yes.”

“Then don’t worry about it. ____3____ ” Mom encouraged.

A few days later, Nick's teacher told him that he got A+ in his test. Nick was very excited and couldn’t wait to tell Mom he did well in his test.   Mom said, “It wasn't the blue socks that made you a success of the test. ____4____”

There are many elderly people in Erdingford living on their own. Most of them find it difficult to go out and to look after themselves. Yet most of them love their homes and want to go on living in them as long as possible. Helping Hand is an organization and it helps such people to live independent lives in their own homes.

But our work depends on volunteers. They visit our clients (客户) and help them with daily activities, or just stay together with them for an hour or so. Some of the elderly clients we help have poor eyesight and often they need someone to read to them. Others just want to enjoy some friendly talks or playing cards or chess.

What you do for your client depends on three sides — you, your Volunteer Support Officer and the person you are helping. If you are not happy to do something, you can say no freely.

Working in Helping Hand is a win-win on both sides. On one hand, the volunteer can help to keep our elderly clients independent. On the other hand, volunteers learn so much from their clients’ life experience. As the 18-year-old volunteer Roy said, “I thought voluntary work would be a matter of doing little jobs for an old person I didn’t know, and then feeling glad with myself because I’d done something good. But it wasn’t really like that. It was more like a friendship: I learnt so much from Margaret about her generation (一代) , how things were in the past, and about life itself. And she took me seriously and always listened to what I said carefully. ”

Saturday is Mary’s favorite day of the week. On Saturday, after cleaning her room. Mary can go out.

It’s a nice Saturday morning. Mary wants to go to the park with her friend Helen. Before she gets out of the house, little Joe says, “Mom, Mary will go out without (没有) cleaning her room.”

Mary stops and looks back at her little brother unhappily.

“Mary, is it true (真的)?” asks Mom.

“Well,” Mary says, “I just forgot (忘记). It’s a beautiful day and you know I ________ sunny days.”

Mom says, “Mary, I know you love sunny days. But you need to clean your room first. I must teach you about responsibility (责任).”

“OK, I’ll do the cleaning.” Mary says.