HITTING THE JACKPOT
A couple of years ago a dear friend of 1 won the lottery. As it happened, we had bought our lottery tickets together but I wasn’t as lucky as Kate. As soon as I found out that she had hit the jackpot, I rang Kate to congratulate her 2 winning quite a large amount of money. At first, she didn’t want anybody to know about it and she insisted on me accompanying her to pick up the cheque. When we arrived, there were loads of reporters and she agreed to 3
her photo taken, which later appeared in all the tabloids. Since then, she has received hundreds of begging letters which really get her down. Her life is a bit easier now but I know she still 4 she had kept her privacy.

Hello students! Today we are going to discuss a very interesting story about winning the lottery. The story revolves around a person named Kate who was lucky enough to win a large amount of money. Let's dive into the details step by step.

First of all, let's understand the context of the story. The narrator of the story tells us that a couple of years ago, their dear friend won the lottery. The narrator and Kate had bought their lottery tickets together, but unfortunately, the narrator wasn't lucky enough to win. So, when the narrator found out about Kate's big win, they immediately called her to congratulate her on her success.

Kate, however, didn't want anyone to know about her win initially. She wanted to keep it a secret. She even insisted that the narrator accompany her to collect the prize money, which was presented as a cheque.

When they arrived to collect the cheque, they were surprised to find a lot of reporters and journalists present at the location. Despite her initial desire for privacy, Kate agreed to have her photo taken. Eventually, the photo appeared in all the tabloids, which are a type of newspaper that focuses on sensational stories.

Since then, Kate has been receiving hundreds of begging letters, which really bring her down emotionally. While her life has become a bit easier thanks to the money she won, she regrets not being able to maintain her privacy.

Now, let's analyze the situation and look at some possible reasons for Kate's actions and feelings.

1. Why did Kate want to keep her win a secret?
- Winning a large amount of money can sometimes attract unnecessary attention and unwanted expectations from others.
- Kate may have wanted to avoid changing dynamics in her relationships or being treated differently by her friends and family.
- She might have also wanted to protect herself from people who might take advantage of her newfound wealth.

2. Why did Kate agree to have her photo taken, despite wanting to keep her win a secret?
- At times, people might feel pressurized or overwhelmed in public situations, especially in the presence of reporters and journalists.
- Kate might have felt obliged to cooperate, as she didn't want to create unnecessary conflicts or disappoint people.
- It is also possible that Kate didn't fully anticipate the consequences of having her photo in the tabloids, as the narrator mentions that she insisted on secrecy initially.

3. Why does Kate feel down about receiving begging letters?
- Receiving begging letters indicates that Kate's win has become public knowledge and that people, even strangers, are aware of her wealth.
- These letters might remind her of the pressures that come with having money and the expectation of helping others.
- It is possible that Kate feels burdened by the responsibility of deciding who to help and who not to help.

To summarize, winning the lottery can bring both joy and challenges. While the money can make life easier, it can also attract unwanted attention and pressures. In this story, Kate's desire for privacy clashed with the reality of her win becoming public, leading to mixed emotions.