M: Once a week. We always have dinner on Wednesdays. He hasn't missed one in over a year.

W: Did you try calling him?

M: Yes, and I left him a voicemail. (9) He doesn't have a cell phone, so I can't send him a text.

W: I'm sure he's fine. Sometimes things come up at the last minute. Your brother sounds like a very responsible person, so I don't think you have anything to worry about.

M: OK, you're probably right. Thanks.

★ come up：发生

Sometimes things come up at the last minute. 有时一些事会在最后一刻发生。

Text 8

M: I've noticed that you have been having trouble in one of your classes. Is there anything I can do to help?

W: Well, Mr. Hobart, I'm struggling to keep up with my math homework. I'm also studying history and chemistry for my other midterms, and math just doesn't come easy for me. (10)

M: That's normal. I wasn't the greatest math student when I was young. You do have some choices, though.

W: Like what?

M: One of them is to take an afterschool class with Mr. Jennings. He's in charge of the math department.

W: I've heard of that. The problem is that I have volleyball practice on Tuesdays and Fridays. It's really important to me.

M: I see. The other choice is to find a tutor. We have a number of students from our Gifted Program who tutor various subjects for extra credit. (11) It's during the lunch hour.

W: That would be great. When can I do that? (11)

M: Every Monday and Thursday. Go see Mrs. Lee, and she'll sign you up. (11) (12)

★ come easy for sb.：对某人而言容易

Math just doesn't come easy for me. 对我来说，原来数学并非易事。

★ sign sb. up：报名（参加课程）

Go see Mrs. Lee, and she'll sign you up. 去找李老师，她会为你报名。

Text 9

M: I saw you on the news! You're a hero! Come on, tell me all the details.

W: Well, I was watching the pool from my chair, like I always do. (13) There was a group of kids taking diving lessons in the deep end. (14)

M: Go on...

W: I guess one of the students hit their head on the diving board, because I saw that someone was sinking to the bottom of the pool.

M: So, what did you do next?

W: I jumped in the pool after their instructor jumped in and brought the kid back to the surface. It was a young girl, and she had swallowed a lot of water.

M: Wow. Did you give her mouth-to-mouth?

W: Of course. Then I told one of the kids to call for an ambulance. (14)

M: Quick thinking!

W: The girl coughed the water up almost immediately, and just like that, it was over. We cleaned the