Dear Reader,

　　Imagine an 11-year-old child whose days are often spent washing clothes, looking after a baby, working hard in the fields.

　　Imagine a little girl who knows there will not be enough food for dinner, who can't fill her stomach with water because it's polluted, and who has watched life slip away from her father and little brother and sister because the family is too poor to see a doctor.

　　Is it hard to believe? For Maria Pastora, these are the real life.

　　Maria would gladly walk miles to school, but her mother, now alone, needs her badly at home. Maria will grow up without any schooling. What will be her future? In many ways, it will be disastrous.

　　But for just 52 pennies a day, you can sponsor a child like Maria. Show her that somewhere, someone cares about her. Through “Save the Children”, you can help Maria's mother get the tools and ways she needs to turn their poor food into a good dinner and get the money she needs to buy clothes and school things for Maria.

　　To help Maria most, your money is put together with that of other sponsors, so hard-working people can help themselves.Build a school, a hospital, bring in clean water. This is what “Save the Children” has been about since 1932.

　　For you there are many rewards. Have the chance to write to or hear from your sponsored child. Receive photos or progress reports. Know you are reaching out to another person. Not with a hand out, but a hand up. That's how “Save the Children” works.But with-out you, it can't work. Please take a moment now to fill in and post the form below to help a child like Ma-ria and her village.

　　It can make such a difference in her life and yours.

For the children,

David L. Guyer

President

(1) This letter is to ________.

[　　]

(2) We can read. the letter in ________.

[　　]

(3) What is Maria's most serious problem?

[　　]

A．She has no chance to go to school.

B．Her father died of a serious disease.

C．Hard work has made her suffer a lot.

D．Her mother needs her badly at home.

(4) What is “Save the Children”?

[　　]

A．An activity to help poor children go to school.

B．An office of the government to collect money.

C．A program shown at theaters to help the poor.

D．A group who works for children in poor places.

(5) The last sentence in the letter means ________.

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A．if Maria goes to school, you will be rewarded

B．what you give is more than what you take

C．both Maria's life and yours will change a lot

D．Maria and you can help each other at school