It’s Emily’s birthday today. In the morning the whole family except Harry is waiting for her downstairs.
Michael: She is coming!
All together: Good morning, Emily. Many happy returns of your birthday!
Emily: Thank you everybody. Oh, what’s that? My presents? May I open them just now?
Mother: Yes, dear, we won’t be able to have breakfast until you have done it.
Emily: Thank you, mum. I’ll begin with this parcel. There is a note on. “With love from Mum”. Oh, it’s a Barbie-doll, just as I wanted.
Mother: I knew that. You are a clever girl, but still you play with dolls. You cut and sew dresses for them, arrange furniture in their house …
Kitty: Oh, just to the doll’s house. Open my parcel, please.
Emily: This one?
Kitty: Yes, the one with the red ribbon.
Emily: Oh, a little couch for my dolls!
Kitty: Does it suit to your two armchairs?
Emily: Sure. I’ll be able to furnish the doll’s sitting-room completely. And what a nice card with the best wishes!
Kitty: I knew you would like it. I was looking for this couch two weeks long. There were always other colors on sale or I didn’t like the design itself.
Emily: Thank you very much, Kitty, we’ll put it in the doll’s sitting-room after breakfast. Whose parcel is that?
Michael: Don’t you see the note? It’s mine, with lots of good wishes. Open it; I’m eager to hear what you say.
Emily: Great! A pen with four colors: blue, black, green and red. Oh, Michael, it’s so kind of you to give it to me. Now I won’t ask you for one of your pens.
Michael: That was one of the reasons to make such a present.
Grandmother: Michael, you are awful. Behave yourself! Now, Emily, what will you say about my present?
Emily: Oh, is it yours? I like it even packed. It looks so lovely. I must be careful unpacking it. I’ll try to retain the paper. Oh, it’s jeans! My size, and blue – just what I wanted. Granny, you are the best!
Mother: And now this one. It’s from your daddy. He’d bought it for you before he went to Russia.
Emily: Such a tiny box! I wonder what there is in it. Oh, it’s a camera! No, I can’t believe it. I can take it with me for my school trip to France.
Mother: There is a film in it. You can take pictures of your birthday just now.
Emily: Sure. But what is this? A parcel from Uncle Tom, square and flat. Oh, the last Harry Porter book. I guess nobody in our class has got the book yet. I’m ashamed. I haven’t written Uncle Tom for ages and he always remembers me. I must send a detailed letter to him tomorrow.
Grandmother: And now I’d like to know what my sister and your grandaunt gave you.
Emily: Wow, a cake with fourteen candles, one for each year. I’ll blow out the candles tonight when my friends come and all of you will get a piece of cake. The cake is a masterpiece; I’m sure, Aunt Nora bakes excellently.
Mother: Here is a box of chocolates and a bunch of roses from our neighbours, Jane and John. There is a note with their best wishes. And there are all the birthday cards that the postman has brought this morning.
Kitty: How kind of them to write cards. People prefer it to send e-mails or to phone up each other nowadays.
Mother: Now let’s make a small circle and sing “Happy Birthday”.
Kitty: And I’ll take a picture of you all.
Emily: That will be good, Daddy will be able to see, how happy I am. Thank you for all your presents and for the wonderful beginning of my birthday.
Michael: It’s time to give a tasty accent to this beginning. I’m hungry and I’d like to be alive to see your birthday party tonight.