My mother is a policewoman in our town, and she usually works from seven in the morning until after nine at night. My father, who works at home as a writer, can choose his own hours, (11) he cooks dinner and helps me (12) my lessons before a test. Some of my friends believe that a woman should not do such a dangerous job. (13) In her opinion, keeping our town safe matters more than anything else. Last month she found an old lady who was lost and drove her home. (14), the lady's son came to thank her with a box of cakes. Because of moments like this, I am very proud of my mother.
Last Sunday my uncle Sam got married. The wedding was held in a small church near the sea, (15) is so far from our city that we had to drive for three hours. His wife, Mary, wore a long white dress and looked like a model. Nineteen of our relatives came, many from other parts of Taiwan. (16) Each time someone new walked in, my mother had to tell me who it was. At the party, she told me a secret: Uncle Sam had first asked Mary to (17) him two years ago, but she said she was not ready. When he asked again last spring, he waited a whole month for her answer. (18), she said yes.
Mom: Tom, your little sister has been coughing badly since lunch, so she stayed home from school. Can you stop at the drugstore on your way home?
Tom: Sure, I pass one near the bus stop every day. What should I buy?
Mom: Your uncle, who lives next to the store, sent me this picture.
| GREEN DRUGSTORE | |
|---|---|
| Cough medicine (children) | $180 |
| Cough medicine (adults) | $220 |
| Hand soap | $60 |
| Cough candy | $50 |
| Open 9:00 in the morning to 10:00 at night | |
Mom: Please get the medicine for children and two bottles of hand soap, because she must wash her hands often. She does not need cough candy, since Grandma brought her some.
Tom: OK, but I have only $300 with me. Is that enough?
Mom: Just enough, if you don't buy a drink for yourself. Thank you!
Parents' Night at Sunshine Junior High School
Dear parents,
Our school will hold Parents' Night on Friday, March 14, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Teachers will review what your child has learned this semester and show you examples of the work that the class has done. You will also have a chance to talk with each teacher for ten minutes about your child's progress.
When you arrive, please go to your child's classroom first. The meeting in the school hall, where our principal will speak, starts at 7:30. Either a mother or a father may come, but please do not bring small children, because the classrooms are quite small.
You may park your car behind the gym for free. If you have any questions, please call the school office at 04-2345-6789.
Dear Aunt Jenny,
Thank you for the birthday card, which arrived on the right day. I am sorry that I did not write back sooner, but things at home have been different since my baby brother was born in May. He is a cute boy, but he cries at night, so my parents are always busy with him. At first I felt jealous, because nobody seemed to have time for me anymore.
Last week my mother, who was cooking dinner, asked me to read a story to him. He stopped crying and smiled at me as if he understood every word! Since then I have helped her after school every day, and I really feel like a big sister.
Please come and see him when you pass through Taichung next month.
Best regards,
Amy
Thirty years ago, most women in Taiwan stayed home after they got married, while their husbands went out to work. They cooked, washed clothes, and took care of the children, and few people asked whether this was fair. Today, things are quite different, because many wives have jobs of their own and many husbands share the work at home.
A study that compared families in 1995 and 2025 shows how big the change has been. In 1995, only one father in ten cooked dinner for his family, but now almost four in ten do. For example, Chen Wei, a bus driver, makes breakfast for his two sons every morning before work.
Many people regard this as a good change. When parents share the work, children learn that cooking and cleaning are not only a woman's job.