Four letter words and their linguistic properties

¶ … Josh,

Thank you so much for your gift! I was just finishing up a Stephen King book and was hoping to find something good to read after that. I've heard so much about The DaVinci Code and have been meaning to check it out. I'm not sure I would have ever gotten around to buying a copy for myself so I really appreciate your gesture.

You have always seemed to know exactly what I want. I guess we have shared some of the same interests since childhood. Do you remember when we thought that empty house across the street from me was haunted? I remember watching it for an hour at a time, sure that we saw a ghost in the window. It was really creepy. I heard some family moved in there recently. I wonder if the ghosts are bothering them?

Anyway, I'm already halfway done with The DaVinci Code and I love it so far. I'm really surprised at how fast I'm tearing through it. The book is pretty easy to read -- it's a page-turner! It's like an action-adventure-mystery book but it also talks about secret societies so it's really cool. The author totally picks apart history and talks about the real life of Jesus. It's kind of inspiring me to do some research on secret societies on the Internet. I think there is just tons of information out there. By the way, have you read The DaVinci Code yourself? I think you would definitely like it. I heard they are making a movie out of it, I will definitely see that when it comes out. Too bad you live so far away now, we could go together.

When I told my mom that you bought me the book she told me she wants to read it afterward. I think that's the first time I read a book before she did. It's hilarious. Anyway, thank you so much again, and I hope we can get together soon.

Thanks, Lance

Dear Julie

How are you? I haven't heard from you in a while. I was just thinking about you because my brother and I just got a kitten. She is so adorable -- white and fluffy with blue eyes. All she wants to do is play. Toilet training is a pain, but I think she is catching on pretty fast. Anyway, I remembered how your family always had lots of pets so I was wondering what your favorite pets are. My family always had dogs before this, so having a cat is going to be a whole new experience.

I've noticed already that cats are pretty cool. They love to play but they're also really independent so you don't have to pay attention to them all the time. They can take care of themselves, unlike dogs. So I think I might actually like cats better. After our dog died my parents thought about getting another one right away but when my brother and I found the kitten my parents fell in love with her too. Having a cat around will be a new experience for all of us.

By the way, I heard that if you want both a cat and a dog that it's better to have a cat first because they become really territorial. Did you find that was true? If so, I'm glad we got the kitten now, in case we do decide to get a dog later on. Tell me what you like best about cats and dogs. Also try to warn me about what I need to know about taking care of a cat! I want to know how to avoid being scratched all the time and also how to prevent the cat from tearing up the furniture. I promised my mom that I would help train the cat because she told me that if the cat tore anything up I would have to pay for it. Also, once the cat is trained what is the best place for the litter because I heard it stinks. And finally I was wondering if your cats are indoor cats or outdoor cats, and do you train them that way? Sorry for all the questions, but I knew I could count on your advice!

Dear Mr. Hong,

Thank you for your time. I am writing this letter to ask for details about vacations to China. My family and I are interested in going there next year, in 2006. What would be the best time of year to go? I know the weather will be variable, but are there certain times of year that are better than others in terms of travel bargains, or cultural festivals? My family can travel for two months in the summer. Is summer a good time to go to China? I thought two months might be a good amount of time for us to explore the country.

Also, we don't really want to take too many guided tours. Is it possible to see China on our own, or is it too difficult with the language barrier? What would you recommend a family of four for their first trip to China? We are looking for a travel experience that is not too difficult but also not too organized. In other words, we like to experience life first-hand, eating street foods and just walking around cities on our own. On the other hand, I heard that China can be difficult to travel around with the language barrier.

Also, I was wondering if you could recommend any special itineraries. We are interested in cultural activities and historical sites. We would really like to see the Yangtze River before the dam is in place. Can your agency arrange a trip down the river? What kind of prices are we looking at? If we want to stay for a full two months, we will obviously want to stay in relatively cheap hotels. Can you arrange for a culturally-oriented family trip within our budget for sometime in 2006? You have handled our travel plans so well in the past, and we really feel like we can trust your agency!

Thank you, Lance

Hey Rick