Never give up
      Since I was young, my mother has always spent lots of time sitting be-hind a sewing machine (缝纫机)
with a happy look on her face. For all the three kids in our family, she has made all the clothes.
      My mother makes it look so easy, but the first time I tried to make something, I just couldn't do it. I
worked too quickly, and when I finished, it looked bad. Soon, I just gave up.
      This summer, I really wanted to make a dress to wear at a party. I picked out some nice cloth, and I
found a nice style in a book. I got so excited about sewing that I couldn't even sleep.
       I started early the next morning. My mother was at a meeting, so if I had questions, there could be no
one to ask.
       I started sewing slowly and carefully, and I tried to do everything right. When I was sewing the top, I
made the neck too small. But the rest was fine.
      "I finally made it!" I shouted two hours later. And it fit! For the first time, I couldn't wear something I
had made with my own hands!
      If you want to learn something, my advice is: Don't give up when you can't do it well. Start with
something easy, and try your best.

1. How many children are there in the writer's family?
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2. Why did the writer want to make a dress that summer?
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3. Did her mother help her to make the dress?
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4. What was the small problem about her dress?
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5. What's the writer's advice? 
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