We should learn to understand our mother well. Here are the best ways towards a better relationship with her. They are:

    ·Remember your mother's age

    As children, we often forget our mother's age. Knowing our mother's age, not just in numbers of years but in terms of her psychological(心理的)and physical state often helps us to understand her better.

    ·Listen to your mother

    I have found that sometimes the things my mother told me long ago are pretty useful. If you respect her point of view, it will help your mother feel close to you.

    ·Ask your mother about your childhood(童年的）history

    If you are lucky enough to have a living family, think of your life as jigsaw puzzle(拼图游戏)and ask as many questions as you can to put the picture together. Under- standing your childhood history can help you know more clearly who you are, as part of a family which you share with your mother.

    Trying to understand our mother is the topic of how we understand ourselves. We should follow the way of her life. When we are able to accept our mother-with all her failings, we can understand her better and it can also help us to know about our shortcomings. Remember that under- standing our mother is really about understanding ourselves.

    Do you have a pet? Owning a pet is becoming very common(常见的) in China these days. And pet owners are now willing to spend more money on their pets than before.

    According to a report from Goumin.com and Pet Fair Asia, Chinese people living in cities spent a total of 202.4 billion yuan on their pets in 2019. Most pet owners are people born after 1990. Most of them have high incomes and are well educated. Pet owners in China are spending more on pet food, clothing and furniture, according to report from Euro monitor International.

    Miss Hou, 28, lives in the city of Chengdu. She spent 6,000 yuan on her two cats last year. I bought tinned cat food from the United States, New Zealand, Japan and Thailand, Hou said to Xinhua. If I have time, I also cook for them, she said.

    An aging society and fewer people having children are among the main reasons for keeping pets, said Liu Xiaoxia, CEO of Goumin.com. Keeping pets has met the emotional(感情的) needs of many people. Almost 60 percent of pet owners see their animal friends as their own children, Liu said.

    Beating loneliness might be another reason. Many young people are leaving their hometowns to make a living in big cities. They are suffering(忍受) from great loneliness and pressure, as they have few friends and face a high cost of living. Keeping pets will help them feel relaxed, the 2019 Chinese Pet Industry White Paper said.

Dear Jane and Bob,

    I'mwriting to invite both of you to my fifteenth birthday party on SaturdayNovember 13th.

    We'rehaving dinner at a restaurant and then having a party at my house. As goodfriends, I would like both of you to come if you can. If you need a place tostay for the night, you can sleep on the floor in our sitting room, but bring asleeping bag, please! Ha! Ha! It's only a joke. If you want to stay at my homefor night, please tell me.

    Thedinner is at Mama Mia. We can eat Italian food there. It will start at 7:30p.m. You can take the train at 5:00 p.m. and arrive in my city at 6:45 p.m.Then go to the restaurant by taxi. After dinner, we will have the birthdayparty at about 9:00 p.m. My mother will make a birthday cake and some snacksfor us. I'm sure they will be very delicious. I heard that you have some niceCDs. Could you please bring them to my party? Then we can enjoy some goodmusic. I think we will have a good time. Hope you can come!

Yours,

Debbie