Dear Fred,

I am very sorry that I was unable to attend your birthday party last Saturday afternoon. I had been looking (21)________to your party for weeks and I would definitely have gone to it if I had not (22)________a terrible cold on the evening before the party. When I woke up late Saturday morning, I felt really weak. I didn’t even have enough strength to get out of bed by myself. Around 11 a.m. mother came to my room to see why I hadn’t come out for breakfast yet. When she saw how pale my face looked, she was very (23)________. She immediately went to the bathroom, got a thermometer from the medicine-chest and came back and took my temperature. When she found that I was (24)________a temperature of 40oC, she immediately sent for the family doctor. After the doctor had seen me and given me an injection and some medicine, he advised me to stay in bed for the next few days and so although I very much wanted to celebrate your birthday with you, I could not. I hope that you and all your guests enjoyed yourselves at the party. I’ll visit you as soon as I’m (25)________and about again.

Yours sincerely,

Martin

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