INFORMAL LETTER

Dear Alison, Thanks very much for your letter. Im sorry I havent been in touch for ages, but Ive had to work really hard at school the exams are in two weeks time and Im really nervous this time. It was so nice to hear from you and Im glad your party went so well. I did have a weekend off from studying last month Dad insisted I take a break and we all went up into the mountains and did some walking together. Very healthy! But apart from that I havent done much except work and sleep. Im getting very bored. Im really looking forward to seeing you in the holidays.Good luck with your exams! Give my love to your parents. Love from, Antonia

(125 words)

NARRATIVE COMPOSITION

One Sunday afternoon last winter, in early February, I think, I decided to go with a friend of mine, Antonia, for a bike ride. It was very cold. There was still some snow on the ground and lots of icicles from the roofs. We could see our breath in the air. We were cycling along a country lane when we saw some children playing on a frozen pond. They were only about seven or eight years old and they were kicking a football about on the ice. They kept sliding about and laughing when they fell over. Suddenly we heard a shout. To our horror, one of the boys, I think he was the youngest, had fallen through the ice! He had gone too far from the edge of the pond and the ice was thin and broke under him. We immediately rushed over to help but it was too dangerous to walk across the ice. The little boy was trying to climb out of the water and shouting for help. My friend and I ran to borrow a ladder from a garden near the pond. I put the ladder on the ice and crawled very slowly and carefully across it towards the boy. He had stopped trying to move now and was just holding the edge of the ice and crying. I caught hold of his hand and finally managed to pull him out of the icy water. Luckily the boy wasnt hurt, just very frightened. His parents turned up about ten minutes later. When they saw him, standing by the pond shivering and dripping with icy water, they were shocked and very angry with him! I felt a bit sorry for the boy. He had certainly learnt a lesson the hard way!
( 294 words)