The letter begins thus, 'By all means follow that dream'. What do you think Ming must have written to her mother about?
Ming must have written to her mother about a dream or aspiration she wishes to pursue. She likely shared her ambition and may have expressed some hesitation or doubt about whether to chase it, seeking her mother's guidance.
The mother's encouraging response, 'By all means follow that dream,' suggests Ming was uncertain about committing to her goal. She might have written about the challenges she anticipated or her fear of the effort and sacrifice required.
The mother's detailed advice about perseverance, overcoming obstacles, and needing a 'burning conviction' indicates that Ming shared a significant dream that would demand dedication and resilience to achieve.
Explanation
The question requires students to infer what Ming wrote based on the mother's response. The mother begins with encouragement ('By all means follow that dream') and then discusses effort, sacrifice, obstacles, and conviction — suggesting Ming wrote about a dream she wanted to pursue but was perhaps doubtful about. The mother also mentions people who 'trade their dream for security' and circumstances that change lives, indicating Ming may have expressed concerns about the challenges ahead. This is an inferential question that tests the student's ability to read between the lines using contextual clues from the letter.
Solution Steps
Step 1: Analyze the mother's opening statement 'By all means follow that dream' — this is a direct response to something Ming wrote.
Step 2: Examine the content of the mother's advice — she discusses effort, sacrifice, obstacles, and conviction, suggesting Ming shared concerns about pursuing her dream.
Step 3: Draw the inference that Ming wrote about a personal aspiration/dream, likely expressing both her desire to pursue it and her uncertainties about doing so.