CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.

A PECULIAR CONFIDANT--MORE DIFFICULTIES, AND VARIOUS PLANS TO OVERCOME THEM.

When Alice Mason was a little child, there was a certain tree near her father's house to which, in her hours of sorrow, she was wont to run and tell it all the grief of her overflowing heart. She firmly believed that this tree heard and understood and sympathised with all that she said. There was a hole in the stem into which she was wont to pour her complaints, and when she had thus unburthened her heart to her silent confidant she felt comforted, as one feels when a human friend has shared one's sorrows.

When the child became older, and her sorrows were heavier and, perhaps, more real, her well-nurtured mind began to rise to a higher source for comfort. Habit and inclination led her indeed to the same tree, but when she kneeled upon its roots and leaned against its stem, she poured out her heart into the bosom of Him who is ever present, and who can be touched with a feeling of our infirmities.

Almost immediately after landing on the island Alice sought the umbrageous shelter of her old friend and favourite, and on her knees thanked God for restoring her to her father and her home.

To the same place the missionary directed his steps, for he knew it well, and doubtless expected to find his daughter there.

"Alice, dear, I have good news to tell you," said the missionary, sitting down beside her. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Did Alice have a human friend to tell about her worries?
2. When she was little, what did she tell instead?
3. What part would she speak into?
4. True or False: Later she would go to the same tree but tell her problems to God instead.
5. Is the tree on an island?
6. What is her father's job?
7. What did he have to tell her?
8. What is the girl's name?
9. What is the father's name?
10. What did the tree grow near?
11. Did she believe the tree could hear her?
12. What else did she believe it did?
13. What made her pick the same tree when she was older?
14. What did she kneel on?
15. What did she do at its stem?
16. True or False: The narrator says that God can sympathize with our weaknesses.
17. Did the father know about the tree?
18. Where did he sit?
19. Was he surprised to see her there?
20. What had she thanked God for?
Answer: 1. No
2. A tree
3. A hole in the stem
4. True
5. Yes
6. Missionary
7. Good news
8. Alice Mason
9. unknown
10. Her father's house
11. Yes
12. It understood and sympathised with all that she said
13. Habit and inclination
14. Its roots
15. Leaned against it
16. True
17. Yes
18. Beside her
19. No
20. Restoring her to her father and her home

Once upon a time there was a fish that lived in a bowl. The fish wanted to give a kid a party. But the fish was sad. The fish had no present to give to the kid. The fish would give the kid a spoon. But the fish had no spoon. The fish was a cutie. The fish had an idea. The fish had a stone in the bowl. The fish could give the kid the stone! The fish took the stone from the bowl. The fish put the stone in a bag. The fish gave the kid a party and gave the kid the stone as a gift. The kid told his granddaddy and his mommy that the fish was a cutie. The kid gave the fish a banana. The fish ate the banana and was very happy. The fish and the kid are friends and they love each other. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Where did the fish live?
2. What did the fish want to do?
3. How did he feel?
4. Why?
5. What did he have?
6. What was that?
7. Did he place it into a bucket?
Answer: 1. in a bowl
2. party
3. sad
4. he had no present to give
5. an idea
6. he could give the kid a stone!
7. no

Young people can have problems with their minds.Some students become worried because they have to study very hard.Others have trouble getting on well with people like their parents and classmates. Liu Wei,a junior 2 student from Hefei,could not understand his teacher and was doing badly in his lessons.He became so worried about it that he started to cut his finger with a knife. Another student,14-year-old Yan Fang from Guangzhou,was afraid of exams.She got very worried when she looked at the exam paper.She couldn't think of anything to write. A recent report from Jiefang Daily says about 18% of Shanghai teenagers have mental problems.Their troubles include being worried and very unhappy.And they have problems in learning and getting on with people.Many students who have problems won't ask others for advice or help.Some think they will look stupid if they go to see a doctor.Others don't want to talk about their secret. Liang Yuezhu,an expert on teenagers from Beijing Anding Hospital has the following advice for teenagers: * Talk to your parents or teachers often * Take part in group activities and play sports * Go to see a doctor if you feel unhappy or unwell What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. What do young people have problems with?
2. Give me an example?
3. Any other mentioned?
4. What's that?
5. Who is Liu Wei?
6. What was his problem?
7. Was he very worried?
8. what did he end up doing?
9. How old is Yan Fang?
10. Where from?
Answer:
1. their minds
2. Some students become worried because they have to study very hard
3. yes
4. Others have trouble getting on well with people
5. student
6. doing badly in his lessons
7. yes
8. cut his finger
9. 14
10. Guangzhou