The Pen Pal

When I was ten years old, my teacher asked everyone in the class to write a letter to a student in another country. I was given the name of a girl called Yuki, who lived in Japan. — choose for gap 1 —1. Yuki's English was so poor that I could barely understand her letters2. We wrote about much more than just our daily routines3. I wrote my first letter that evening, filling two pages with everything I could think of4. I was excited to read about a life so different from my own5. Yuki told me she was moving to my country6. She felt like someone I already knew deeply, even though we had never met in person7. We stopped writing because it had become too difficult to find the time8. My teacher regretted setting up the pen pal project I told her about my school, my pet dog, and what I liked to eat for breakfast. A few weeks later, I received a reply. Yuki's letter was written in careful English, and she had decorated the envelope with small drawings of cherry blossoms. — choose for gap 2 —1. Yuki's English was so poor that I could barely understand her letters2. We wrote about much more than just our daily routines3. I wrote my first letter that evening, filling two pages with everything I could think of4. I was excited to read about a life so different from my own5. Yuki told me she was moving to my country6. She felt like someone I already knew deeply, even though we had never met in person7. We stopped writing because it had become too difficult to find the time8. My teacher regretted setting up the pen pal project She described her daily life — walking to school through narrow streets, eating rice for lunch, and practising calligraphy after dinner. We continued writing to each other for years. As we grew older, our letters became longer and more personal. — choose for gap 3 —1. Yuki's English was so poor that I could barely understand her letters2. We wrote about much more than just our daily routines3. I wrote my first letter that evening, filling two pages with everything I could think of4. I was excited to read about a life so different from my own5. Yuki told me she was moving to my country6. She felt like someone I already knew deeply, even though we had never met in person7. We stopped writing because it had become too difficult to find the time8. My teacher regretted setting up the pen pal project We shared our worries about exams, our dreams for the future, and even our problems with friends. The letters always arrived at exactly the right moment, as if the other person knew when they were needed most. When we were both eighteen, something exciting happened. — choose for gap 4 —1. Yuki's English was so poor that I could barely understand her letters2. We wrote about much more than just our daily routines3. I wrote my first letter that evening, filling two pages with everything I could think of4. I was excited to read about a life so different from my own5. Yuki told me she was moving to my country6. She felt like someone I already knew deeply, even though we had never met in person7. We stopped writing because it had become too difficult to find the time8. My teacher regretted setting up the pen pal project She was coming to study English at a university near my town. We arranged to meet at a café on her first weekend. I was incredibly nervous — after eight years of letters, I was finally going to see her face to face. The moment Yuki walked into the café, all my nervousness disappeared. — choose for gap 5 —1. Yuki's English was so poor that I could barely understand her letters2. We wrote about much more than just our daily routines3. I wrote my first letter that evening, filling two pages with everything I could think of4. I was excited to read about a life so different from my own5. Yuki told me she was moving to my country6. She felt like someone I already knew deeply, even though we had never met in person7. We stopped writing because it had become too difficult to find the time8. My teacher regretted setting up the pen pal project We talked for three hours without a single awkward pause. It felt as though we had known each other our whole lives, which in a way, we had.