初一关于长城的英语作文简单精选20篇

Last year,I had a good holiday in Dalian,I went to the summer camp with my brother.It was such a wonderf journey.I played the water with my brother.And in the afternoon,we had lunch on the grass.Our food was made in the fast food restaurant.It was so delicious that my brother and I all liked it.And in the evening,I finished my homework,then I helped my brother study the English grammar.Then we went to bed .

What a beautiful day!But we couldnt stay there for a long time.So I decided that I must study hard and then go into the universities in Dalian.

Hello! My name is Tom,I’m a student of NO.7 Middle school,I like my school,because my school life is very interesting.I like my classmates and teachers.They are very friendly.

Classes begin at 8:00.I have four classes in the morning.I study English,Chinaese,math,biology,history and some other subject.I like English very much,I also like music.But I dont like geography at all.Because it’s very boring. Do you think so?I often have lunch at school,in the afternoon.I have four classes,too.

After school,we have outdoor actives.I usually play basketball with my classmates and sometimes I read books at school library.You must keep quiet at school library.There are so many beautiful flowers and trees in school gardens.And there are some apples on the trees,they are very delicious.I often go home on foot with my friends.

This is my school life. Do you like my school life? I think you must like it very much!

I used to be fond of skating. But now things have changed because of a horrible experience.

One winter, the weather was so cold that water turned into ice. One day on my way home, when seeing a frozen lake, I thought that the ice must be thick enough to support me. Being so interested in skating, I couldnt help going down and sliding on the ice. Suddenly, I heard a sound of crack. Looking down, I saw the crack on the ice surface. I was frightened out of my life and didnt dare to move. But nobody could help me. I had to move toward the bank carefully.

As soon as I got onto the bank, the ice broke. How horrible it was! Even ifit has been a long time since then, I can still feel the fear. And I no longer like skating since then.

我曾经非常喜欢滑冰。但现在事情发生了变化,因为一次可怕的经历。

一年冬天,天气太冷,水变成冰。有一天在我回家的路上,看到一个冻湖的时候,我认为必须冰厚度足以支持我。因为喜欢滑冰,我忍不住跑下来,在冰上滑行。突然,我听到一个裂缝的声音。向下一看,我看到冰面上的裂缝。我吓坏了,不敢移动。但是没有人能帮助我。我不得不小心翼翼地向岸边挪动。

我一到银行,冰了。这一切是多么的可怕!即使过去了很久,我仍然可以感觉到恐惧。从那时起,我不再喜欢滑冰了。

My mother is a good woman. She is very good for me. Everyday she gives me a good breakfast. Then we go to my school, when I go to my class, she goes to work.

I love my mother!

Every night, she and I go to my room. She says: “Good night! Jenny.” “Good night!” I say. Then she goes to her room.

I love my mother!

During her work time, she does not rest. But she still picks me up at school everyday. When we get home, she gives me some milk and some beak. Then I go to my bed.

I love my mother very much!

[初一英语暑假作文：I love my mother

I have a happy family, this family is very warm. Family members have father, mother, and very naughty to me.

Mother sometimes tough, sometimes gentle, just something about her tough time!!!! One day, my mother and I was watching TV, I put the sofa of the ribbon to pull down, to see the mother said: "ice ice, I know its you pull, I ask you, why want to drag off the ribbon?" I was afraid, he said: "mom, not me, is it fell off." Mother said: "his pen will walk? Clothes move?" That I was afraid. Finally, dont have to and mother noisy up. Noisy for a while, I will back to his room. Wanted to think, feel should not lie. So, I then walked out of the room and said to mother: "Im sorry, but I pulled ribbon is." Mom smiled and said to me: "brave admit a mistake, it is a good boy, later should do an honest boy."

My father is a serious person, sometimes I write my homework is not serious, my father fire emit three zhangs, and said, "hurry to do homework cant half-hearted." As soon as I heard the stern voice I do quickly, good father also accompany me to go downstairs to play or watch cartoons. Look, this is my father.

Naughty I very love make little damaged, mother in the home clean and tidy, let me get very disorderly, mom and dad gave me up a nickname is a rascal.

Mom and dad to me is tough, but I know they are teaching me how to do a good boy, I for myself and proud to have such a good family. Mom and dad you gave me love, I also dont finish the rest of my life. If the next life god give me the chance, you are my mom and dad. Mom and dad I want to say to you: "I love you."

我有一个快乐的家庭，这个家庭很温馨。家庭里的成员有爸爸、妈妈，还有很调皮的我。

妈妈有时严厉，有时温和，就讲一讲她严厉的时候吧!有一天，我和妈妈在看电视的时候，我把沙发上的丝带给拽下来了，妈妈看见了就说：“冰冰，我就知道是你拽的，我问你，为什么要拽掉丝带呢?”我心里很害怕，就说：“妈妈，不是我拽的，是它自己掉下来的。”妈妈便说：“钢笔会自己走呀?衣服自己能动啊?”这一下我就害怕了。最后，没办法只好和妈妈吵起来了。吵了一会儿，我就回到了自己的房间。想了想，感觉自己不应该说谎。于是，我便走出房间，对妈妈说：“对不起，丝带是我拽的。”妈妈笑着对我说：“勇敢的承认错误，真是个好孩子，以后应该做一个诚实的好孩子。”

我的爸爸是个严肃的人，我有时候写作业不认真，爸爸就火冒三丈地说：“快点做，写作业不能三心二意的。”我一听到这严厉的声音就赶快做，表现好的时候爸爸还陪我下楼玩或看动画片。看，这就是我的爸爸。

调皮的我就很爱搞小破坏了，家里妈妈收拾整齐的东西，让我弄的很乱，妈妈和爸爸便给我起了一个外号叫捣蛋鬼。

爸爸、妈妈对我严厉，但我心里知道他们是在教我怎样做一个好孩子，我为我自己有一个这么好的家庭而骄傲。妈妈、爸爸你们给我的爱，我一辈子都还不完。如果下辈子上天再给我机会的话，你们还是我的爸爸和妈妈。爸爸、妈妈我要对你们说一声：“我爱你们。”

How time flies ,It has past half an month since beginning of the summer

holiday .

As the weather getting hotter and hotter ,my parent and me go to the

seaside .Last week we are go to the Xiamen.Its a beautiful city , bule sky and

bule sea .The Xiamen is an island neal the Taiwan .From top of the Riguan rock

we can see jinmen island .

We spent a happy day in Xiamen .

Look this is my English teacher .Hes tall and fat .Hes very fanny !

He has two small eyes ,and a big mouth.I tell you, he looks like a big bear.

So,If I meet him I often said :Hello,Mr bear .And he said :Hell ,small bear.Because my classmates think I look like a bear too.

My English teacher works very hard .And he often tell us :You must

very hard to leron English .

I like my English

teacher very mueh!!!!

Welcome to meet my English!!!!

Diet and Health

【范文】Last night, I ate a lot of food, such as KFC and ice cream, before I slept, I ate some cold food in the fridge. At midnight, I felt my stomach hurt badly, my family was woke up, they sent me to the hospital. After seeing the doctor, he told me that I had eaten too much food, what’s more, the food was not healthy, so it hurt my stomach. Since then, I realized that I should not eat the rubbish food often, I should keep the healthy diet. Now my diet is regular, I won’t take in much food before sleeping, my body is becoming healthy. In the morning, I eat an egg and make sure I take in enough vitamins. Even when I see the rubbish food is tempting, I take no hesitation to say no to them. I am so proud of myself.

【翻译】昨晚，我吃了很多事物，比如肯德基和冰淇淋，在睡觉前，我吃了一些在冰箱里面的冷食物。半夜里，我觉得胃疼得厉害，我的家人被吵醒了，他们把我送到了医院。看过了医生以后，医生告诉我吃了太多的东西，而且，吃的都是不健康的食物，因此我的胃才会那么疼。打从那时起，我意识到自己不能经常吃垃圾食品，我应该保持健康的饮食。现在我的饮食很健康，我不会在睡觉前吃很多东西，我的身体变得健康。早上，我吃了一个鸡蛋，确保我吸收足够的营养。即使当我看到很诱惑的垃圾食品时，我也毫不犹豫地说不。我为自己感到自豪。

We have a lot of people in the village all superstition ghosts and gods, including my grandma and grandpa. I often quarrel with them, I said there was no ghost in the world, there is no god, the old man not only not letter, also against me.

On one occasion, some monks came to our village, I thought to myself, "charlatan" is again, they have come to no good. The monk said: "we know you have a horse, to look for person to die for him. There is a very precious medicinal materials, we ate can prevent ghosts come to you, you can live for five hundred and sixty years." After the old man heard the news to the monks to buy quickly. The monk said: "this is a good medicine, value 23000 yuan, but mercy, we only sell one hundred yuan." The old man went to buy, my grandfather also to buy, others say: "give me a box." Grandpa said: "I want two boxes."

Grandpa to buy back, I a bullish on like a mushroom, I say: "is a mushroom." Grandpa said: "you know what? Its a baby." I have nothing to say, the in the mind think, I must find the evidence.

Soon, there is an eight more than ten - year - old man died, I thought to myself: "these I can find the evidence." I am grandpa said: "this bottom believe?" Grandpa said: "how am sure that if he didnt buy the medicine?" So I ask, insider said: "buy." Later, grandpa although have nothing to say, but he still didnt believe me.

我们村子里有很多人都迷信鬼神，包括我的爷爷奶奶在内。我经常和他们争吵，我说世界上根本没有鬼，也没有神，那些老人不但不信，还反对我。

有一次，有些和尚来到我们村，我心想：肯定又是“江湖骗子”，他们来准没好事。那些和尚说：“我们知道你们这里有替死鬼，来找人替他去死。我们这里有一种药材非常珍贵，吃了可以防止鬼来找你，你还可以多活五六十年。”那些老人一听到消息后赶紧到和尚那里去买。那些和尚说：“这个是上好的药材，价值两三千元，可是我们大发慈悲，只卖一百元。”那些老人都去买了，我爷爷也去买了，别人说：“给我一盒。”爷爷说：“我要两盒。”

爷爷买回来，我一看好像是香菇，我说：“是香菇。”爷爷说：“你懂什么?这可是宝贝。”我无话可说，心里想，我一定要找到证据。

不久，有一个八十几岁的老人死了，我心里想：“这些我可找到证据了吧。”我对爷爷说：“这下相信了吧?”爷爷说：“怎么敢肯定,如果他没买那药呢?”于是我去问，知情人说：“买了的。”后来，爷爷虽然无话可说，但他还是不相信我的话。

Hello, everyone!Let me introduce myself, I was a student in the *** school, seven Eight, my good grades, teachers, students and I are good, I like them, my after school with mystudents to play together, we are very happy together, we learn subjects: geography, politics, history, language, mathematics, English, computer and science as well as some other subjects, class schedule and at eight at night school at five 40a week eight lessons, we learned a very hard, has an extra-curricular activities after school, some students to participate, some students go home every day we had a wonderful time.

[初一英语自我介绍优秀作文

Health is far more important than wealth and wisdom. Good health enables us to enjoy our life and achieve what we hope for in our career. On the contrary, poor health tends to deprive us of our interest in everything around us. How to stay healthy concerns everyone, though we have advanced medicine. When we discuss this, some fundamental principles should be brought in mind.

健康比财富和智慧更重要。良好的健康使我们能够享受我们的生活，实现我们的事业。相反，健康状况不佳往往剥夺了我们对周围一切事物的兴趣。如何保持健康的关注每一个人，尽管我们拥有先进的药物。当我们讨论这个问题，一些基本原则应牢记。

Firstly, it is very important for us to take more fruits and vegetables because they provide vitamins and they help in the process of digestion. Secondly, we have to keep a balanced diet and maintain regular eating habits. Proper nutrition is important for good health. Avoid food with lots of sugar and fat. Eat plenty of foods high in protein. Thirdly, we?d better do morning exercise every day, do sports frequently to make our bodies strong. Besides, we have to avoid too much work pressure. Getting too tired all the time may definitely weaken our defense system, making us get sick easily. Finally, we have to get rid of those bad habits that damage our health, such as drinking and smoking.

首先，它对我们采取更多的水果和蔬菜是非常重要的因为他们提供维生素和他们帮助消化的过程。其次，我们要保持均衡的饮食和正常的饮食习惯。适当的营养对健康很重要。避免与大量的糖和脂肪的食物。多吃高蛋白的食物。再次，我们?最好每天做早操，经常做运动，使我们的身体强壮。此外，我们要避免太多的工作压力。太累了所有的时间肯定会削弱我们的防御系统，使我们很容易生病。最后，我们必须摆脱这些坏习惯会损害我们的健康，如饮酒和吸烟。

In conclusion, if we stick to things according to the aspects mentioned above, we?ll lead a healthy life and become as fit as a fiddle.

总之，如果我们坚持的东西根据上面提到的方面，我们?要过健康的生活，成为健康。

Inow living in a small house with my parents. Life for us is hard but

happy. I must study hard so that I can buy a big new house some day. I call it a

dream house.

It has three floors with five bedrooms, three bathrooms, two big dining

rooms and two living rooms. When my friends come to visit me, I will have enough

bedrooms for them. Well have a good time. Besides that, we will have a swimming

pool behind the house and a garden in front of the house. In the morning, my

parents can do some exercise in the garden. The air must be very fresh. When we

feel tired, we can have a swim in the swimming pool. Life will be easy for

us.

Ill study harder than before so that the dream can come true.

With the communication between nations, Christmas Day is more and more popular among people. Christmas Day is on 25th, December, which is the biggest and best-loved holiday in the United States.

Christmas Day celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity religion. “Christmas” means “celebration of Christ”. On that day, people decorate Christmas tree with candies and presents. There is a popular saying about Christmas tree. A farmer served a poor child with delicious food. When the child left, he put a branch into soil and the branch turned into a big tree at once. He pointed at the tree and said that the tree will be full of presents to reward you on that day every year.

Santa Claus is the most popular people on that day. It is a custom to act Santa Claus. Before children go to bed on Christmas Eve, they will put a sock on stove and wait the Santa Claus to put presents into it. So Christmas Day is one of the favorable festivals for children.

On Christmas Day, the whole families sit at a big table under Christmas tree to eat dinner. They value it very much. Christmas songs mainly include three songs: Jingle Bells, Silent Night and Hark! The Herald Angles sing.

Jingle Bells, Silent Night and Hark! The Herald Angles sing.

Now, we know more about the Christmas Day. Do you like that day?

Someone says: are you a silkworm, spit of the continuous filament and die. Someone says: you are the candle, to the best of the last drop of tears to illuminate the dark night sky; Someone said, you are the morning dew, often before dawn, moistens the land silently all things... You, is my respected teacher, non-existent.

Non-existent with tall, round face, with two arch eyebrows on his forehead, under the arch eyebrows with a pair of bright and sharp eyes, she has a plausible mouth, a smile, mouth petal meniscus as quiet.

Non-existent at ordinary times is very strict with our requirements. Each lesson learned to write the book of copying, will ask us to write the word is very good, to write bad words will never let go, until it is written. Words because some students in our class wrote too fast and some bad, non-existent will let them change to come over, we all have greatly improved.

Non-existent also care about us. Remember once, I was a bit uncomfortable, go to the clinic under temperature, amount of 37.5 degrees, non-existent just said to me: "if uncomfortable, he said to the teacher, the teacher will and parents said." Non-existent for we really care about.

Teacher, I salute you! Is that you get ignorant we into the space of knowledge, sowing love with you that like the sound of a song! Like a candle, burn yourself, you give we lit the fire of hope, with your persistent enthusiasm to guide us to open our science maze! Thank you, teacher!

有人说：你是春蚕，吐不尽那绵绵的细丝至死方休!有人说：你是蜡烛，洒尽最后一滴泪去照亮漆黑的夜空;还有人说：你是朝露，常在黎明到来之前，默默地滋润着大地万物……你，就是我敬爱的老师——汤老师。

汤老师长着高高的个子，圆圆的脸蛋，额上长着两道柳眉，柳眉下嵌着一双明亮而又锐利的眼睛，她还有一张能说会道的嘴巴，一笑起来，嘴瓣儿像恬静的弯月。

汤老师平时对我们的要求很严格。每次学完课写《习字册》的时候，都会要求我们把字写得非常端正，对写的不好的字决不放过，直到写好为止。班里有几个同学的字因为写得太快而有些不好，汤老师就会让他们改过来，使我们都有很大的提高。

汤老师还很关心我们。记得有一次，我有点不舒服，去医务室量了下温度，37.5度，汤老师就跟我说：“如果不舒服，就跟老师说，老师就会和家长说的。”汤老师对我们真的非常关心。

老师，我向您致敬!是您把懵懂的我们领进知识的太空，用您那如歌的声音把爱播种!您像蜡烛一样燃烧了自己，给我们点燃希望的火种，用您那执著热情指引我们打开科学的迷宫!谢谢您，老师!

My sister is a lovely girl. She has a nice English Name, “Elsa”. She is very clever and pretty. She is eight years old so she is old enough to go to school. This year, she tells me that she is a student now.

One day, my aunt took her to my home. My aunt had something important to do and had no time to look after her, so she told me to take care of her. First, I played with her for a short time. I thought the game was boring, so I taught her some polite words, such as hello, please, sorry… She listened carefully. Suddenly, there was a person knocking on the door. Elsa went to the door to open it. Afterwards, she was polite to say, “Please come in.”

Do you think she is lovely and clever? I think you will say, “Yes, I do.”

We wish to show our gratitude and thanks with a small gift. Happy Teacher‘s Day！

我们送您一件小礼物，以表我们对您的感激之情。教师节愉快！

You are like a third parent. We all love you and respect you.您就像我们的家长，我们都敬爱您。

We all like having you as our teacher. You have our respect and gratefulness.我们喜欢您做我们的老师，我们尊敬您、感激您。

This is Teachers‘Day and a time to be grateful to all teachers. This profession deserves the special recognition and respect. There is no more appropriate time than this to honour you and others in your chosen field. You have my eternal gratefulness.

We are more thankful than we can express.对您的谢意，我们无法用语言来表达。

You have been a qualified teachers and even better friend. Thank you for all that you have done.您不仅是一位合格的教师，更是一位好朋友，谢谢您所做的一切。

Education is not the filling of a pail， but the lighting of a fire.教育不是灌满一桶水，而是点燃一团生命的火焰。

The man who can make hard things easy is the educator.能使艰难之事变得容易的人是教育者。

Send you our everlasting feeling of gratefulness and thankfulness on this special day.在这特别的日子谨向您致以我们永恒的感激之情。

A teacher affects eternity； he can never tell where his influence stops.一个教师对人的影响是永恒的。

It is the most appropriate time to show you our thanks.现在是向您表达感激之情最为恰当的时刻。

This small gift is only a tiny token of our gratefulness. We all want to thank you.这件小小的礼物略表我们的感激之情。我们大家都很感谢您。

I am truly grateful to you for what you have done.我深深地感激您所做的一切。

Dear teacher， thank you for illuminating my voyage of life with your own light of life. My grateful sentiments come from the bottom of my heart.老师，感谢您用自己的生命之光，照亮了我人生的旅途，对您我满怀感谢之情。

The whole secret of the teacher‘s force lies in the conviction that men are convertible.教师力量的全部秘密，就在于深信人是可以改变的。

No one deserves a bigger thank you than you. One day is hardly enough to show our gratitude.没有人比您更值得如此深厚的谢意。仅这一天远不足以表达我们对您的感激之情.

Thank you for making learning not a dull thing but a great joy.感谢您使我们把枯燥的学习变成了巨大的乐趣。

We all pitched to buy this gift. We are all grateful to you. Without your unselfish dedication could we achieve no success today.这是我们买给您的礼物，谢谢您，老师。没有您无私的奉献，就不会有我们今天 的成功。

Our beloved teacher， you are the spring shower that moistens our hearts. The love and care you have given us will encourage us to go through a long and arduous journey.亲爱的老师，您就像那春天的细雨，滋润着我们的心田。您给予我们的爱和关怀 将鼓舞着我们走过艰难困苦。

You are not only a good teacher but our close friend. Thank you for helping us make something of our lives.您不仅是一位好老师，也是我们亲密的朋友，谢谢您帮助我们奋发有为。

My heart felt thanks to you， dear teacher. On the voyage of life， you have kindled the light of hope for me. What you have done enriches my mind and broadens my view. On this day I honour you sincerely.亲爱的老师，向您表达我最衷心的感谢。在人生旅途上，您为我点燃了希望之光 ，您所做的一切润泽了我

I wish to express my thanks to you for instructing my child.谢谢您对我孩子的教诲。

My sincere thanks to you for being my child‘s teacher.衷心感谢您，我孩子的恩师。

My child speaks highly of you. Thank you very much.我的孩子很崇敬您。谢谢。

As parents we recognize the value of you in our child‘s development. Thank you for what you have done.作为父母，我们深知您在我们孩子成长道路中的重要。谢谢您所做的一切。

One good teacher in a lifetime may sometimes change a delinquent into a solid citizen.一个好教师具有化腐朽为神奇的力量。

Teacher， who educate children， deserve more honor than parents， who merely gave them birth； for the latter provided more life， while the former ensure a good life.教育儿童的教师应当享有比父母更多的荣誉，父母只给孩子生命，而教师则创造 了一个完善的生命。

At the beginning of the summer vacation, our family of three returned to my

hometown, Shehong.

Back in Shehong, we stayed at my grandmothers house. One Friday morning,

my brother and I made an appointment to catch cicadas in the bushes downstairs

at their house because they have a lot of cicadas there. Before night, I rushed

over and saw that my brother was already there waiting for me, with a prepared

pocket in his hand.

We walked cautiously into the bushes, for fear that our every move would

disturb the cicadas on the trees. At this time, the cicada was screaming

"knowing" and "knowing", as if they were holding a wonderful concert. I walked

very carefully under a big tree and found a cicada lying in the middle of the

tree pole, screaming happily! I grabbed it after thinking about it, and covered

it with my hands. I wasnt nervous before, but at this time I was extremely

nervous, and my heart was jumping like a little rabbit, for fear that the cicada

would fly away all of a sudden. As a result, as soon as my hand touched the

branch, the cicada flapped its wings and flew away nimbly. The elder brother

said: "Look at me! I can definitely catch the cicada." While talking, the elder

brother found another cicada on the tree. He raised his hand high, moved his arm

gently, and when he was about a decimeter from the cicada, his brother suddenly

covered it, and suddenly he covered the cicada in the palm of his hand and put

it in a bag. Next, my brother caught five cicadas in the same way. I really envy

my brothers ability to catch cicadas.

Watching my brother catch so many cicadas, can I not feel itchy? So I said

to my brother: "Brother, you can rest for a while, Ill catch it." I handed the

bag to my brother and learned his method. After a while, I caught one. Before

long, we had more than twenty cicadas in our bags.

Watching these cicadas stay in the bag obediently, my brother and I both

laughed happily, and the cheerful laughter echoed in the trees for a long

time.

Do you have any hobbies? If not ,what do you do in the holidays ? I have

many hobbies .On weekdays ,when I study in school ,I play with my classmates

.Sometimes I play volleyball with them,sometimes I play football with them .I

think playing football is very interesting and exciting .But when I get home ,I

like listening to music alone .Also I like reading story books.When I am not

happy about something ,I usually draw some pictures though I am not good at

drawing .On weekends ,there is no class ,I like shopping with my friends and my

parents .

I live in Hangzhou.It is a beautigul city.It’s my hometown.Every year it attracts large number of tourists come here all over the world.We have Xihu here and many places of interest.I think you will love it when you see it oneday.I want to grow up quickly.Andj I will try my best to protect our city and make a contribution to it.I think if everyone protects it ,my city will becone much more beautiful.I love my city!

我住在杭州。这是一个漂亮的城市。这是我的家乡。每年都吸引大量游客来这里世界各地。我们在这里拥有西湖和许多名胜古迹。我想你会爱它，当你看到这一天。我想快点长大。与我会尝试为保护自己的城市作出最大的贡献。我想，如果每个人都能保护它，我的城市将变得更加美丽。我爱我的城市！

My dream home is very big and nice.I have a house and it has at least three floors.On the first floor,there is a big dining room and we can have dinner together.There is also a nice kitchen and a big sitting room.On the second floor,there are all the bedrooms,so all my friends can stay in my house.There are computers,TVs and videos in each bedroom,so everyone can have fun.My own room is on the third floor.I can put the dolls,the posters and other things in it.I also have a balcony and I can see the whole city from it.

What a wonderful home!I hope I can live in it someday.

Computers are changing our life. You can do a lot of things with a

computer. Such as, you can use a computer to write articles, watch video CDs,

play games and do office work. But the most important use of a computer is to

join the Internet. By joining a computer to Internet, we can get the latest

information in all fields. We don’t need to leave home to borrow books from a

library or to do shopping in a supermarket.

Computers help us live a more convenient life. With the development of

computers, the word is becoming a large family.