初中英语作文预测【优秀20篇】

A letter of thanks

Dear mother ,

The mothers day is coming and I would like to say “Happy mothers day” in

this letter. I love you and thank you so much for everything you did for me.

This day，I will stay away and cant give you my appreciation at home. I know I

will watch myself，so dont worry about me. I am doing very well on my study. My

schoolmates and teachers are all very nice. Though I cant be at home， I hope

you will have a wonderful mothers day.

Your son,

Li ming

No matter the day is how to spend endless， the sun always rises and falls，

flowers always bloom and wither， around heavy traffic is always fleeting， stand

at the time of the tail， we kept after the mist as ignorant of the future.

Too many people always sigh the cruelty of time and the helpless of growing

up。 In fact， growth is really a caterpillar into a butterfly process， always

undergo a metamorphosis of pain， you can better meet the chocolate as unknown

world。 All that let go or no one saw tears in a few years back， you can get

unexpected! The road of the future， whether rugged or smooth， requires you to go

and taste it alone.

Eileen Chang wrote an article about "road"， referring to the way of growth。

This road is a road that everyone must take。 Those who pass by advise the people

who are going this way not to choose the road， because it is so rough and long

that it is refuted： "since you can walk this way， how can I not go out?"。" Thus，

one after another people go through this road full of hardships， perhaps this is

the true meaning of growth。 Knowing that he might fall into it， he obstinately

persisted in his choice.

I think that the child will never grow up Peter Pam， who said he had no

regrets can not grow， we are always sad to miss the past endlessly all say

"dont grow up， never grow up， if you really can not grow up， you really dont

care? Every time there is a time of happiness。 In any case， we will grow up as

time goes by from the palm of the palm.

Growing up is like a mysterious fruit。 Some people resist it hysterically，

and some people cant wait to taste it。 But only when we grow up can we get more

and better world.

1.关于……人们有不同的观点。一些人认为……

Therearedifferentopinionsamongpeopleasto____.Somepeoplesuggestthat____.

2.俗话说（常言道）……，它是我们前辈的经历，但是，即使在今天，它在许多场合仍然适用。

Thereisanoldsaying______.Itstheexperienceofourforefathers，however，itiscorrectinmanycaseseventoday.

3.现在，……，它们给我们的日常生活带来了许多危害。首先，……；其次，……。更为糟糕的是……。

Today,____,whichhavebroughtalotofharmsinourdailylife.First,____Second,____.Whatmakesthingsworseisthat______.

4.现在，……很普遍，许多人喜欢……，因为……，另外（而且）……。

Nowadays，itiscommonto______.Manypeoplelike______because______.Besides，______.

5.任何事物都是有两面性，……也不例外。它既有有利的一面，也有不利的一面。

Everythinghastwosidesand______isnotanexception，ithasbothadvantagesanddisadvantages.

6.关于……人们的观点各不相同，一些人认为（说）……，在他们看来，……

People’sopinionsabout______varyfrompersontoperson.Somepeoplesaythat______.Tothem,_____.

任何事物都是有两面性，…也不例外。它既有有利的一面，也有不利的一面。

Everythinghastwosidesand()isnotanexception，ithasbothadvantagesanddisadvantages.

…已成为人的关注的热门话题，特别是在年青人当中，将引发激烈的辩论。

……hasbecomeahottopicamongpeople，especiallyamongtheyoungandheateddebatesarerightontheirway.

…在我们的日常生活中起着越来越重要的作用它给我们带来了许多好处，但同时也引发一些严重的问题。

……hasbeenplayinganincreasinglyimportantroleinourday-to-daylife.ithasbroughtusalotofbenefitsbuthascreatedsomeseriousproblemsaswell

人类正面临着一个严重的问题…，这个问题变得越来越严重。

Manisnowfacingabigproblem()whichisbecomingmoreandmoreserious.

根据图表/数字/统计数字/表格中的百分比/图表/条形图/成形图可以看出…。很显然…，但是为什么呢？

Accordingtothefigure/number/statistics/percentagesinthe/chart/bargraph/line/graph，itcanbeseenthat……while.Obviously，……，butwhy?

1、“如今，人们普遍认为...,但是我怀疑...。

Nowadays，itisgenerally/commonlybelievedthat...,butIwonderthat...

2、“如同硬币的正反面，...也有积极的一面和消极的一面。

Likeacoinhastwosides,thereisapositiveaspectandanegativeaspectto...

3、“近来，...的问题已经成为人们注目的焦点。”

Currently,theissueof...hasbeenbroughttopublicattention

4、“随着...的快速增长，...在日常生活中已经变得越来越重要。

Alongwiththerapidgrowthof...,...hasbecomeincreasinglyimportantinourdaily

5、“由汽车(或xx）引起的空气和噪音污染对我们的健康造成了危害。”

Airpollutionandnoisepollutioncausedbyautomobilesdoharmtoourhealth.

1.Wereoftentoldthat......Butisthisreallythecase?

我们经常被告知......但事实真是这样吗？

2.Peopleusedto......however,thingsarequitedifferenttoday.

过去，人们习惯......但,今天的情况有很大的不同。

3.somepeoplethinkthat......Othersbelievethattheoppositeistrue.Thereisprobablysometruthinbothsides．Butwemustrealizethat......

一些人认为......另一些人持相反意见。也许双方的观点都有一定道理。但是我们必须认识到......

4.Recognizingaproblemisthefirststepinfindingasolution.

认识到问题是找到解决办法的第一步。

5.Itisanothernewandbittertruthwemustlearntoface.

这是一个我们必须学会面对的痛苦的新情况。

6.Inshort,wemustworkhardtomaketheworldabetterplace.

简而言之，为了把世界变成更美好的地方，我们必须勤奋工作。

7.Losttimeisneverfoundagain.

岁月既往，一去不回。

8.Everybodyshouldhaveadream.

每个人都该有个梦想.

9.Hopeforthebest,butpreparefortheworst.

抱最好的愿望,做最坏的打算。

10.Failureisthemotherofsuccess.

失败乃成功之母。

11.Letslookonthebrightside.

让我们往好处想吧。

[初中英语作文开头结尾好词好句

My name is Beth。 Im 14 years old， and I study in No。 1 Middle School of Hangzhou。 My school is very big and beautiful。 Im very happy in the school。

I usually get up at 6：15 in the morning。 Then I do morning exercises in the playground。 At 6：40， I have my breakfast。 You can see many students and teachers in the dinning room。 After breakfast， I often read English with my classmates。

We have six classes every day。 The first class begins at 7：50 am。 I like all the classes for my teachers can make the classes lively and interesting。 My favorite subject is English， so I join English Corner every week。 I can speak English with many other students there。 Its very interesting and exciting。 I think its helpful for me to learn English well。 After class， I always play games with my friends。 We play soccer ball，basketball， volleyball， ping—pong and so on。 They are very relaxing。

I like my lessons， my friends and my teachers。 In a word， I love my school。 I find my school life more and more meaningful and colorful。 My school life is wonderful， isnt it？

My mother forty years ago, the years of the wind and frost in her face carved a deep road wrinkles. Mother is a national cadre. Brother and sister six, grandfather is not wealthy, she did not go to high school, seventeen years old in the county a factory in the workers. Mother work very well, many times was rated as a model worker.

While working, while learning, she also passed the adult self-examination. Later, my mother was honored to be recruited as an official cadre. Mother from small body weakness, has been sick, life is very hard. At that time, my father in the township when the leadership, work very busy, poor traffic conditions, away from home and far. My mother to take care of her sister to primary school, but also to help grandparents and grandfather care for some housework, their work and can not escape the body.

Mom said to me: "work and life, although a little tired, but the days of the very full." In recent years, my mother finally got rid of the disease plagued, but she lived is not easy. Dads work transferred to the outside county, my sister and I went to school in Taiyuan, the old age of the elderly are big. She returned home to visit the elderly, running Taiyuan to take care of me and my sister, usually in the stone but also cooking fathers life.

I had to leave for the whole family. When I saw my mother running around, hey! My mother is so hard ah! Last year, winter vacation, my mother did not come to me, I really do not know what happened? Later, my father told me, my mother made a Small surgery. My father and I hurried back to the stone, all the way my heart is about to jump out.

When I took the certificate to the mothers bed before the eyes full of tears suddenly burst out, I do not know what to say with my mother! Mom looked at me, tears, put me tightly in my arms , With her hard-working hands stroking me. My mother is kind and kind. I love my mom!

Everyone has a dream，Everyone‘s dreams are great, happy and distant，My dream is that my family and friends can be happy .Although this is not realistic.We nevitably experience suffering and failure in the real life.But because of this,We become strong and courageous.although some dream is unrealistic,we have dream,we live significative!whether or not the dream come ture,we should hard work,Let this life without any regrets.

谁都有梦想。每一个人的梦想都是伟大的,幸福的,遥远的.我的梦想是身边的每一个人都能够开心幸福的生活。尽管这不太现实。毕竟在现实的生活里难免会经历坎坷与心酸，但正因为这样，我们才变得更加坚强和勇敢。虽然有些梦想是不切实际的，但因为心中有梦想，我们才生活得更有意义！不管梦想能不能够实现，我们都要努力奋斗，让今生无悔！

[写我的梦想初中英语作文

My school life is very common. I get up at six o’clock every morning from Monday to Friday. And the I would go running with my classmates, as our head teacher says health is the most important thing. After running I have to do morning exercises on the playground. Then I can have breakfast. Having breakfast, I need to have morning reading. Oh, I almost forget that all of the students have to do some cleaning before breakfast. There come the various classes. Then noon comes. Having lunch, I will go to sleep. I often read twenty minutes before I fall asleep. I have class in the afternoon. And I still have classes at night. It’s boring, right? But I have got used to it and enjoy myself at school.

The night of November 12th, 2010 was indeed a glorious night for our Chines, because the Opening Ceremony of Asian Games was held on Haixinsha Island in Guangzhou. Over 7000 people took part in it.

All of the performances were impressive, but the most interesting one was Sail on Cloud. During that programme, 180 performers were hung in the air to dance. How wonderful it was! Every audience burst out praise. I couldn’t help shouting. But it was a pity that I just watched it from TV. How I wish I were there!

my father bought a computer as a birthday present for me last year. it becomes my best friend in my room. id like to play on the computer as soon as i get home. at weekends, i often play games on line with my friends.

ive made a lot of friends on the intenet. but my eyesight becomes poorer and poorer, and i am not able to finish my homework on time. its terrible that my father will remove the computer. from now on, i should pay more attention to my study.

We can live in this beautiful， wonderful world， because our parents raised

us. They taught us the life every one of the first， is the first step they

taught us to walk， is they taught us that the first sentence， is they taught us

to recognize the first word... If without our dear parents， there is no us.

One time， I got acute disease， just the heavy rain that day， mom and dad

are very worried， they take me to the hospital together， dad behind my back that

day， mother behind his umbrella to us， because it was late， we only have to walk

to the hospital， the mother to the hospital to register， with my dad， waiting

for the doctor to see a doctor for me， that we always stay up till midnight， see

I don‘t have anything， mom and dad with a smile， but my tears blurred my eyes.

So I told mom and dad said： “I will study hard repay you later.” They said： “as

long as you are healthy and happy， good performance， is the best for us in

return.” I nodded solemnly. From then on， I told myself I must good good study，

don’t let parents worry about， because I want to use results to repay their

parents.

I am very grateful to my parents， I want to learn to be grateful. Have

words to say well “who made the heart-inch grass， at a three chunhui”.

Therefore， in order to repay hard raising my parents， I must study hard now，

when I grow up， find a good job， let parents abetted. Parents paid for me， I

will thank you ten times， one hundred times， return them， let them give

valuable.

The most successful person may not be the smartest ones.According to a survey conducted among a group of people who were in the same university ten years ago , those whose grade-point average was in the middle fifty percent , all become rich or managers of different fields , while not a single young man of the upper ten percent becomes an executive or boss.

Why the smartest kids in the classwill not end up the richest? Why those who are not excellent in studies tend to be managers or own their own enterprise in their later life? And what factors lead to success in career and life if brains are not the only answer? According to my observation , academic brightness is only part of the story , the other factors are very important.

One ingredient , among other things , is good interpersonal skills. There is stong evidence that friendship can help to tide you over a period of difficulty. With a wide circle of friends who can be trusted yo provide

information and resources, your chances of success are much higher. On the contrary , if you are competent in profession , but have difficulty in getting along with your colleagues and even your boss, you can hardly survive the corporation.

Another component is the ability to express oneself . In today s world , what really counts is the ability to express oneself rather than technical competence or professional knowledge . The larger the orgnization of which you are an employee , and th fiercer the competition , the more important it will be that you know how to convey your thoughts and convince others of your ideas.

Personality is also an important factor. Whatever difficulty or situation , those who appear relaxed and confident are nearer to success. Obviously , among the ingredients for success , intelligence counts for the half , the rest depends on your personality , and other abilities.

最成功的人可能不是最聪明的人。据一项调查中,一群人在同一个大学十年前,那些中间的百分之五十,平均分数都变得富有或经理不同的领域,而没有一个年轻人的百分之十成为高管或老板。

为什么最聪明的孩子最终不是最富有的?为什么那些不优秀的研究往往是经理或者拥有自己的企业,他们未来的生活吗?和什么因素导致成功的职业生涯和生活如果大脑并不是唯一答案?根据我的观察,学术亮度只是故事的一部分,其他因素是非常重要的。

一个成分,除此之外,就是良好的人际关系技巧。斯通有证据表明,友谊可以帮助你渡过难关一个困难的时期。大圈的朋友可以信任你

信息和资源,你成功的机会更高。相反,如果你是胜任的职业,但在与你的同事相处有困难,甚至你的老板,你很难生存。

另一个组件是表达自己的能力。在当今世界,真正重要的是表达自己的能力而不是技术能力或专业知识。组织越大,你是一个雇员,th更激烈的竞争,更重要的是它将会让你知道如何表达你的想法和说服别人的你的想法。

性格也是一个重要因素。不管困难情况下,显得放松和自信的人接近成功。显然,成功的要素之一,智能计数的一半,其余的取决于你的个性,和其他能力。

I dream a lot, teacher, a flight attendant, a doctor, astronaut... Dream too much but I was very contradictory, I didnt change.

Stewardess polite, elegant gesture, beautiful smile makes me very yearning, if one day I can when on a flight attendant I also like their gentleness. There is a flight attendant can travel around the world, enjoy the beautiful scenery in all over the world, eye-opening, long knowledge, good job!

Make a respected teacher, filled with the whole country is my dream. The teacher with hard sweat in the us, let us grow, and he is slowly getting old. But I think when the teacher can make me proud, because the teacher life is composed of a beautiful piece of music with life.

Saving lives, to heal the wounded and rescue the dying is the first duty of a doctor, the doctor is a noble profession. I dream of becoming white angels, save lives. Chinese medicine has a long history, special and profound culture of traditional Chinese medicine, I will study hard, carry forward the fine traditions of the motherland, in the future to study TCM took Chinese medicine to the world, using Chinese medicine to help more people in need of help.

Recently learned some knowledge about the universe, I have a great interest in the distant universe. If I could be an astronaut, taking Chinas shenzhou spacecraft, arrived in Chinas own space station. Can freely like a bus arrived at Mars, the moon. That is what a fascinating thing ah! It is best to live on the moon in a few years, experience life in the sky, and can bring to us from heaven to earth is useful.

Dream a lot, it is difficult to achieve. It needs hard efforts and clever mind!

我的梦想很多，老师，空姐，医生，宇航员……. 梦想太多却让我很矛盾，我又没有变身术。

空姐的彬彬有礼，优雅的姿态，美丽的笑容让我很是向往，如果有一天我能当上空姐我也一定像她们一样温文尔雅。还有空姐可以周游世界，欣赏世界各地美丽的风景，开眼界，长见识，多么美好的职业呀!

做一位令人尊敬的老师，桃李满天下是我的梦想。老师用辛勤的汗水浇灌着我们，让我们茁壮成长，而他自己却慢慢变老。但我觉得当老师却能令我自豪，因老师一生是用生命谱写的一曲优美的乐章。

治病救人，救死扶伤是医生的天职，医生是高尚的职业。我梦想成为白衣天使，拯救生命。中华医学历史悠久，特别中医文化博大精深，我要认真学习，将来学习中医弘扬祖国优良传统，把中医带向全世界，用中医学帮助更多需要帮助的人。

最近学了一些关于浩瀚宇宙的知识，令我对遥远的宇宙有了极大的兴趣。如果我能成为一名宇航员，搭乘中国的神舟飞船，到达中国自己的空间站。可以像坐公交一样自如地到达火星，月球。那是一件多么令人神往的事呀!最好能在月球住上几年，体验一下天上的生活，并且能从天上带点对咱们地球有用的东西下来。

梦想很多，实现很难。那需要辛勤的努力加上聪明的头脑!

Lucy once was my classmate, but now she has moved to another city. However, we communicate with each other all the time, sharing our lives with each other. When she firstly moved to the new city and went to the new school, she did not adapt very well. But she is outgoing and talkative, it did not take very long time for her to get on well with others. She is so kind that people are likely to make friends with her. Therefore, I do not worry about her in the new environment. I hope she will have a new start in the new city and school and I am sure she certainly will.

露西曾经是我的同学，但现在她已经搬到另一个城市。然而，我们彼此交流，彼此分享我们的生活。当她第一搬到新的城市，去了新学校，她并没有很好地适应。但她是外向和健谈，这并没有花很长的时间让她与别人相处。她很善良，人们很可能和她交朋友。因此，我不担心她在新的环境。我希望她在新的城市和学校有一个新的开始，我相信她一定会。

[初中英语作文：我的朋友

A Present For Mother’s Birthday.

Everyone should give his mother a present when his mother’s birthday is

coming. It is 25th May Sunday. Today is Han Mei’s mother’s birthday. So she

wanted to give her mother a special present. What present should she give? Maybe

a bunch of flowers a birthday card are the best presents. A card is cheaper. But

it is bad for trees. The more I buy cards, the more trees will be cut by people.

So what another present should she give? Let me tell you this present.

It was five o’clock. It was time to surprise her mother. When Han Mei’s

mother came home, Han Mei said Happy Birthday to her mother. Then she cleaned

her mother’s feet. As you can see, her mother was very surprise.

Why do you think it was a good present?

Last evening, we had a power cut at eight oclock.

At that moment, Mr.Zhang was watching an NBA match. Its really exciting!

But he missed the end, because of the power cut.

And there was also something terrible with Mrs. Zhang. She was

in the lift and couldnt get out. She was afraid of the dark and began to

shouting, but no one answered.

When the power cut, Judy, the daughter of Mr. Zhang and Mrs. Zhang, was

sleeping. As a result, she didnt know about it.

Last evening Tom, Judys brother, was having a birthday party with his

classmates. They were lighting the candles when the power cut. But they thought

that it was a trick by one of them. So they felt more exciting and began to sing

and dance. Was a great wonderful party!

Childrens day is coming. I decided to do many things on that day.

First of all. That day we will get up early, came to the school, because we now is a junior high school student, so the school wont for us as the primary that give us after 61, although just top junior high school of time, but a little habits, half year after will probably already accustomed to junior middle school life. 61 will be here soon, and now we are facing tests sports add try. Also is in the June 1 day, I hope we can take an examination of teenager years is a good grades.

[儿童节初中英语作文

The autumn is coming, and the rice in the field is golden and sprinkled with a layer of gold. Flower beds in the chrysanthemum opened, chrysanthemums started a golden yellow, smiling smile, really lovable. The fruit of the orchard is fragrant and fragrant. People in the orchard to help pick the fruit! The leaves become old, the leaves were forced to leave the tree mothers side. Leaves dancing in the air, beautiful posture, like a dancer.

The air in the morning is very fresh. I opened the window, enjoy the fragrance of the morning, but also enjoy the people particularly like the smell, that is, fruit and fruit fragrance. Grass greedily admire the crystal dew, I revel in this autumn to send cool. Fruit and charming autumn scenery, I began to like the autumn girl, the autumn girl sprinkled the life on the rice, sprinkled in every corner of the world ... ...

Suddenly, the wind, the lightning cross, I have expected to be the next heavy rain. Rumbling, mine that possession of a long drum, heavy knocking up. The wind blows hard. Bored for a long time the rain finally fell under. Rain "crashed crashed" underground, as a child was criticized by their parents, tears can not help but flow down.

The spider is afraid to hide in the leaves, the geese insist for their own dreams, braving the rain, flying in the air ... ...

The rain was still falling from the sky, and the house was surrounded by rain. From the window, the window seemed to be surrounded by a layer of gauze, and I looked like a waterfall.

After a while, the rain was getting smaller. From the window looked, and a new look, misty rain, like a needle like, I am good to observe, the rain stopped, the field was restored calm, the streets painted a long river. Open the window to see, like in the sea, the air is particularly fresh, the spider hanging from the tree. A rainbow hanging in the sky, that scenery do not mention the United States.

I like the fall, prefer the rain of autumn.

【My Summer Vacation】

At college, I missed my parents a lot. As the term was drawing to an end, I eagerly looked forward to going home. And I planned to do a thousand and one things during the vacation. Above all, I wanted to help my mother with housework. I also wished to read many hooks which my teachers had recommended.

[我的暑假初中英语日记

初三的下半学期，我突然肩负了一种使命，一种为自己付出的使命。在初三中考动员大会上，我更加坚信了自己的理由，成功和失败是一念之间的，十年磨一剑，霜刃未曾试。我们寒窗苦读9年366乘以9年的时间，换来的是什么，我们没有头悬梁，锥刺股的精神；没有如负薪，如挂角的毅力，但是我们同样付出的是时间，是生命，是我们年轻的光阴，我们也曾为了考差事而流泪，为了失败而难过，为了坚持而自豪，为了成功而自信。

但同样的时间不同的效率造就了不同的人生。当我听到全级最多只能考200多时，我感到了一种从未有过的心寒，600多人的竞赛，200多人的成功，那种比例让我为人的努力腹水东流而伤心，老师，你不是说：“没有经过大学的人生是有缺憾的人生吗？”那三分之二的人呢？如果我也是那三分之二的人的话我也会为自己的命运所感到不公。

今天的政治课，老师精彩的讲课，让我明白成功与失败是那么的靠近，努力与放弃是那么的相似，一个人有梦想是好事，可是理想是什么？理想是目标。梦想是什么？梦想是不可能，是破格，是百分之一的希望。1.65的扣篮王，小学毕业的研究生，没上过学的演员，那是什么？那是奇迹，是天才。我们的梦想被老师收藏着，不——）是理想。我的理想呢？我现在也不知道，好多的理想，要我决定一个，我真的难以回答，第一次让我这样的犹豫。

我肩负着使命，肩负着责任，不知什么时候，我已经知道我丢不掉那个包袱了，虽然背着他好重，压着我想飞都飞不起来。对家人的承诺，对老师的报答，对同学的感谢，很多很多的事，让我慢慢忘记了自己的梦想。

那么多的事，让我的希望渐渐失去，那百分之一的希望也丢掉了，为自己留下的幻想，也随着时间的消失渐渐失去，因为那无聊的承诺，锁住了我千年的梦想。我坚信，在以后的人生路上，不管有多么艰辛，我多会付出百分之百的努力。去迎接挑战！

Lifeis a mirror. If we smile to her, she would also return the happiness to us. Butif we cry, she would be disappointed. Therefore, we should be positive towardlife, so as to get happiness.

生活就是一面镜子。如果我们对她微笑，她也会回报我们幸福。但如果我们哭泣，她会很失望。因此，我们应该积极的态度对待生活，从而得到幸福。

Actually,happiness is everywhere if we keep a good attitude. As we keep a good mood, ourworld will be a sunny land, which is resounded with soft music. However, if weare pessimists, well find our world is full of darkness.

其实，如果我们保持良好的心态幸福无处不在。如果我们保持一个好心情，我们的世界将是一个充满阳光的地方，充满了柔和的音乐。然而，如果我们是悲观主义者，我们会发现我们的世界充满了黑暗。

Whileon the other side, happiness is not a destination but a journey. Because theres no paradise at all, but wecan make a paradise if were hard-working and intelligent. So we should worklike we dont need money, smile like weve never been hurt, and perform ourselveslike no one can see us.

而另一方面，幸福不是目的地，而是一段旅程。因为根本就没有天堂，但如果我们勤劳有智慧，我们可以自己弄一个天堂。所以我们应该就像我们不需要钱一样工作，就像从未受伤过一样微笑，就像没有人能看到我们一样表演。

[初中英语作文：快乐来自乐观和奋斗

When memory began for me, my grandfather was past sixty-a great tall man

with thick hair becoming gray. He had black eyes and a straight nose which ended

in a slightly flattened tip. Once he explained seriously to me that he got that

flattened tip as a small child when he fell down and stepped on his nose.

The little marks of laughter at the corners of his eyes were the prodnct of

a kindly and humorous nature. The years of work which had bent his shoulders had

never dulled his humour nor his love of a joke.

Everywhere he went, "Gramp" made friends easily. At the end of half an hour

you felt you had known him all your life. I soon learned that he hated to give

orders , but that when he had to, he tried to make his orders sound like

suggestions.

One July morning, as he was leaving to go to the cornfield, he said :

"Edwin, you can pick up the potatoes in the field today if you want to do that.

" Then he drove away with his horses.

The day passed, and I did not have any desire to pick up potatoes. Evening

came and the potatoes were still in the field. Gramp, dusty and tired, led the

horses to get their drink.

"How many bags of potatoes were there?" Gramp inquired. "I dont know.

"

"How many potatoes did you pick up?"

"I didnt pick any. " "Not any! Why not?"

"You said I could pick, them up if I wanted to. You didnt say I had to.

"

In the next few minutes I learned a lesson I would not forget: when Gramp

said I could if I wanted to, he meant that I should want to.

Gram hated cruelty and injustice. The injustices of history, even those of

a thousand years before, angered her as much as the injustices of her own

day.

She also had a deep love of beauty. When she was almost seventy-five, and

had gone to live with one of her daughters, she spent a delightful morning

washing dishes because, as she said, the beautiful patterns on the dishes gave

her pleasure. The bird, the flowers, the clouds-all that was beautiful around

her- pleased her. She was like the father of the French painter, Millet, who

used to gather grass and show it to his son , saying , "See how beautif ul this

is ! "

In a pioneer society it is the harder qualities of mind and character that

are of value. The softer virtues are considered unnecessary. Men and women

struggling daily to earn a living are unable, even for a moment, to forget the

business of preserving their lives. Only unusual people, like my grandparents,

manage to keep the softer qualities in a world of daily struggle.

Such were the two people with whom I spent the months from June to

September in the wonderful days of summer and youth.