15.A day in the life
Well, finally something is happening, Kim thought. So far, it had been the most boring summer ever. Suddenly, loud beeps (哔哔声), warning that a truck is backing up, broke the afternoon silence. Kim walked over to the bushes (灌木) that separated her house from the one next door.
"I hope the new neighbours are cool," she thought as she looked at the stacks of boxes outside the truck. Let's see. Lots of boxes! That one says, "Kitchen stuff" and that one says, "Jane's stuff". Wow, what a huge TV!Oh, a piano. Hmm. I wonder who Jane is. And look at that, a water bowl with the name Cupcake on it.
Maybe they have a cat, thought Kim. She stepped around the bushes to get a better look. "Here, Cupcake. Come here, girl!" she called. She poured some of her water into the bowl and called again. "Here, Cupcake. Come on out, girl."
Kim heard something move. A large dog crawled (爬) out from under the truck and then stood up and shook itself. "Well, look at you," Kim said. "You are not a little girl, are you?But you look so sweet!Are you thirsty? Here, have some water."
It was after the dog had finished the water and was happily licking (舔) Kim's hand that she looked up.
"I see you've met Cupcake," said a girl she had never met before. "I'm Jane."
They had hardly started talking when Kim heard her mum shouting, "Be careful with the dog, Kim. Get over here right now."
"Mum," Kim said. "Relax. She's so friendly and sweet. Her name is Cupcake!"
"I don't care what its name is. Come home now!"
Kim looked at Jane, and then looked down her feet, not sure of what to say next.
"Go ahead," Jane said. "We can talk later. And maybe you can show me how to get to school."
"Sure, Jane. I'd like that. And maybe we can take Cupcake for a walk."
Well, Kim thought as she returned home. Maybe the rest of the summer won't be boring after all.