高中英语作文框架结构【汇总20篇】

Yesterday, my parents were not home. And I had to stay at home by myself for one day and one night. I was very happy at first, because there wouldnt be anyone criticizes my behavior. I can do whatever I want. But later I felt desperate. There was nobody cook for me, asked me to do things or criticized me. I felt empty and desperate as the house is only me. When the night fell, I was afraid. The computer games or the cartoons couldn’t attract my attention. I hate living alone.

昨天，我的父母不在家。我得自己一个人呆上一天一夜。我一开始很开心，因为没人会批评我的行为了。我可以做任何我想做的事。但后来我感到很郁闷。没人给我做饭，没人叫我做事情也没有人批评我。整个房子只有我一个人，我感到很空虚和郁闷。当夜幕降临的时候，我就开始很害怕了。电脑游戏或动画片都无法吸引我的注意。我讨厌一个人生活。

The Importance of Details

"The devil is always in the details" is a proverb which means that details determine our success. Therefore, this quotation aims to tell us that every detail is important enough to be paid attention to.

Some people may think that one who wants to achieve great success shouldnt pay much attention to details，but those who desire to do something big at once will constantly be haunted by disappointment, frustration or even failures，as when something big " shows up，they can hardly seize the opportunity because of the lack of ability to deal with small things. Keeping an eye on details may help us in many ways. For instance, when we were small children, we were sometimes very careless and there were many lapses in our homework, but if we could pay much more attention to these trifles, we would get a higher mark in the exam. Whats more, when we make decisions, making every detail clear will reduce risks.

To sum up，under no circumstances should we undervalue the importance of details, for paying attention to small things is the first step of success and will lay root for doing something big.

会议感想结构框架

开头的文章：年月日地点在哪里召开什么什么人招什么会议，谁主持，展开以什么为中心的会议 ，针对什么问题，有什么发展前景。

第二段：会议上，对主要内容详细复述，给谁鼓励了批评谁了 对本年度总结，指出发展方向。

第三段：除了领导以外的人员说了什么，各部门的报告。表了什么态度决心。和今后发展的建议。

第四段：这次会议，就我个人而言，感触很多。首先，作为新员工，感受到了领导对员工的关爱，深刻体会到了一个大家庭的团结力和向心力。其次，作为员工，必须把公司的利益放在首位，以公司和集体的利益为重，注重自己的一言一行，努力工作坚守自己的岗位 作为公司一员，工作上我们必须勤勤恳恳兢兢业业，从自身做起，敬业务实，要有责任心和事业心，为公司同时也为自己而不懈努力。严格律己，遵守职业道德规范，认真坚守自己的岗位，并努力学习专业知识，掌握好职业技能，2011年过去了，虽然初入岗位，但是通过领导和同事们的帮助下，我学会了很多东西。2012年我会更加严格律己，努力学习，争取成为公司中合格的员工，努力为公司的发展贡献自己最大的力量。

一、根据衔接词本身在文章中起到的作用，主要分为以下四类，即“起”、“承”、“转”、“合”。

(一)表示“起”的词/词组：用于开篇引出扩展句。

at first 最初 for one thing?(for another)

at present 现在;当今 首先?(其次)?

currently 目前;最后 recently 最近

first(ly)第一 in general 一般说来

in the beginning 起初 one the one hand?(on the other hand)

to begin with 首先;第一 一方面?(另一方面)

first of all 首先;第一 generally speaking 一般地说

in the first place 首先;第一 on the whole 总起来说

lately 最近 to start with 首先;第一

presently 现在;此刻 now 现在

(二)有关“承”的常用词语：用来承接上文。

after/after that/afterwards此后 by this time 此时

after a few days 几天以后 certainly 无疑地;当然地

after a while过了一会儿 therefore 因此;结果

also/too 并且;又 for example 例如

at the same time 同时 for instance 例如

beside 此外 for this purpose 为了这个目的

Besides/what,s more 而且;此外 from now on 从此

in addition 此外 second 第二;第二点

in addition to? 除?之外 secondly 第二

in fact 事实上 similarly 同样地

in other words 换句话说 so 所以

in particular 特别(地) soon 不久

in the same way 同样地 still 仍然

by the way 顺便提一句 then 然后

indeed 的确 third 第三;第三点

meanwhile 与此同时 thirdly 第三

moreover 而且，此外 for another 其次

no doubt 无疑地 such as 正如

obviously 明显地 later 后来

of course当然 truly 事实上;真实地

particularly特别地 unlike ?不像??;和??不同

what is more 而且;此外

(三)有关“转”的常用词语：用来表示不同或相反的意见。

after all 毕竟 fortunately 幸运地

all the same 依然;照样 however 然而;无论如何

anyway 无论如何 in spite of 尽管??;虽然??

at the same time同时;然而 luckily 幸运地

but 但是 by this time 此时

though/although 尽管 no doubt 无疑地

in/by contrast 对比之下 on the contrary 相反地

even though即使 otherwise 否则

still 仍然 unfortunately 不幸地

in fact 事实上 unlike 不像??;和??不同

as a matter of fact 事实上 yet仍;然而;但是

especially 特别地

(四)有关“合”的常用词语：用于小结上文或结束本段落的内容。

above all 最重要的是 accordingly 于是

as a result结果 in sum 总之，简而言之

as has been noted 如前所述 in summary 简要地说

as I have said 如我所述 on the whole 总体来说;整个看来

at last 最后 therefore 因此

by and large 一般说来 thus 因此

briefly 简单扼要地 to speak frankly 坦白地说

by doing so 如此 to sum up 总而言之

eventually 最后 surely 无疑

finally 最后 to conclude 总而言之

in brief 简言之 no doubt 毫无疑问

in conclusion 总之，最后 undoubtedly 无疑

in short 简而言之 truly 的确

in a word 总之 so 所以

certainly 当然地;无疑地 obviously 显然

all in all 总之

二、根据衔接词本身的意思和文章连接所需要的逻辑意义，可分为以下14类。

(一)表示因果关系

as a result

He never studied hard, and as a result he failed in the last examination. as a result of

He is late for work as a result of traffic accident.

accordingly

He wanted to buy a radio for study English, and accordingly her mother bought it for him.

because(of)

We are delayed because of a traffic jam.

due to

His success is due to his excellent work.

owing to

Owing to his absence, our meeting is not held.

thanks to

Thanks to a good teacher, she passed the examination.

now that

Now that you have grown up, you must earn for yourself.

so long as

You could realize your dream so long as you try it again and again.

since

Since you are here now, you,d better give a hand.

in that

The policy is harmful in that it may encourage people to give up.

so that

The office speaks at the top of his voice so that every soldier could hear him. therefore

There is a calculating mistakes there, therefore, the answer is wrong.

(二)表示解释关系

as a matter of fact

I will go there this morning, as a matter of fact, I am only 10 minutes, drive from you.

as well

I will go there. My friend will go with me as well.

frankly speaking

Frankly speaking, I am not very satisfactory with your words.

in this case

In this case, I will go there as soon as possible.

(三)表示推理关系

or else

Hurry up, or else you,ll be late.

otherwise

You must carry this passport, otherwise you will be stopped by the guard. if so

If so, it will make a great difference.

Today, the world is globalized and more and more foreigners come to China

to seek for business cooperation. Many years ago, a non-profit organization

named the second Saturday of July as the International Day of Cooperatives. Its

purpose is to call for more cooperations between countries.

With the development of Internet, the world gets smaller, because the

communication between countries has increased. America is the superpower all the

time, but during recent times, there are so many business cooperation between

Chinese people and American people. It is known to all that China’s market is

full of vitality, so there is no doubt that cooperation between countries will

be the main trend.

The cooperation happens all the time and it promotes the working

efficiency. People can share the information and technology. They learn from

each other, so as to gain the precious experience and make progress. China is

the future, so more and more foreigners learn mandarin. They want to find a

place here and make their achievement. We also can gain a lot when we work with

them.

However mean your life is, meet it and live it; do not shun it and call it

hard names. It is not as bad as you are.

It looks poorest when you are richest. The fault-finder will find faults in

paradise. Love your life, poor as it is.

You may perhaps have some pleasant, thrilling, glorious hours, even in a

poor-house. The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the alms-house as

brightly as from the rich mans abode; the snow melts before its door as early

in the spring. I do not see but a quiet mind may live as contentedly there, and

have as cheering thoughts, as in a palace.

There was a teenage boy who stole a lot of money from home and left home to live outside. After staying out for half a year, the boy spent all his money. He was so cold and hungry that he really wanted to go home. Hesitate for a long time, he wrote a letter to his family, wrote in the letter: dear mom and dad, I know I was wrong, only go out in the outside, to remember the warmth of home, these days, I miss you all the time. With deep regret, I dare not to see you, and I am going home on a dark night. If you will forgive me, please hang a light for me at the door. After the letter was sent, the boy set out on his journey home. After a long journey, he came to the mountain girder of his hometown, and he ate some dry food and hid there until night when he crept up the hill. He was shocked when he looked at the village crying. There was a lantern hanging in the door of the whole village!

有一个十几岁的男孩，他从家里偷了一大笔钱，然后离开家到外面生活。在外面呆了半年，男孩把钱全部花光了。他又冷又饿，他非常想要回家。犹豫了很久，他给家人写了一封信，信中写道：亲爱的爸爸妈妈，我知道我错了，只有出门在外，才能想起家的温暖，这些日子，我无时无刻不在想念你们。由于怀着深深的愧疚，我不敢见你们，我准备在一个黑暗的夜晚回家。假如你们愿意原谅我，就请在门口为我挂一盏灯吧。信寄出去后，男孩踏上回家的旅程。经过长途跋涉，他来到了家乡农村的山梁后，他吃了一些干粮，躲在那里，直到夜晚降临，他才悄悄爬上山梁。当他哭着看向村子里看时，他惊呆了。整个村庄的人家门前都挂着一个灯笼!

[高中英语作文生活需要宽恕

Since I was very small, my parents sent me to learn painting. They thought

I could understand art and mastered one skill. This experience brings me the

sense of art. I have my own understanding of it.

On the one hand, art is an important way to express peoples opinion. When

we see the pictures, the difference between classical and ordinary paintings

lies in the thoughts. The famous artists implant their ideas in the pictures,

which are admitted by the public, so the value of arts can be seen. Some famous

artists expressed their unique opinion and gives arts great meaning.

On the other hand, art is not only from works, but also from life. For

example, my mother cooks the delicious food. Everybody speaks highly of her. So

her food brings people great happiness, which makes the food an art for me.

Whats more, my friends is good at communicating. The way she talks can convince

other easily, so I call the way she communicates as an art.

In all, for me, art is around. It brings people a way to see the world or

makes our life wonderful.

Music is the important part of my life. The world needs music to amuse

peoples life. As they live in the fast pace, music can bring them the great joy

and relax. Since I was very small, I fell in love with music and every time when

I heard music, my body would move and feel relaxed. The function of music is

various.

There is a famous song, which called let the music heal your soul. A lot of

young people have their favorite singers. When they see their idols face to

face, they would say thank you to the singers, because their songs inspire these

young people to move on in the dark days. The songs deliver positive messages to

the public and inspire them to never give up.

Listening to the music is the main way for the young people to release

their pressure. Every day before I sleep, I will listen to the light music,

which helps me to take relax and make me sleep well. The reason why so many

people like to KTV after their work lies in releasing pressure. They need to

shout and then forget about the annoyance.

Music is favored by everyone and it is the indispensable part of our

life.

Li Ying is one of my classmates.We share a bedroom with four others,so we

are also roommates.Today is her birthday and it so happened that it is Sunday at

the weekend.We decide to hold a party to celebrate Li Yings birthday in our own

bedroom.Since she is the youngest in our room,we all feel responsible to take

care of her.We hope that this party can relieve her homesickness.

We bought some fruit and candy,nineteen small candles,and a cake.At seven

in the evening,the party began.We lit the candles and sang "A happy birthday to

you" to Li Ying.And then we each gave her a small present.Li Ying looked excited

and happy.She blew out the candles,and we tasted the fruit and candy while

talking about various funny things we experienced in our childhood at home.At

the end of the party we encouraged each other to study even harder and be top

students in our class.

The party was a success,for Li Ying seemed very pleased and looked more

confident of herself.Tomorrow she will be nineteen years of age.

My hometown mulan, in towns the low-profile, flowing is the biggest tributary of heilongjiang, songhua river.

Morning breeze is blowing, microwave float. Clouds of light on the water with water. The shore, sending out the scent of the grass shore willow branches are swaying gently. Vaguely saw the outline of the mountain, river, continuous mountains were like this microwave, let a person feel is gentle and kind, like a mothers letters, also does not say to tire. The sides of the river is full of green. Grass, leaves, and the river of life is green, they are in the start of the day is full of green hope.

The sun is shining, the songhua river water. River billowing east go, is to seize the legendary treasure? Wash the sound of water, the branches swaying and laughing voices of people constitute a jolly, light travel route. Sunshine is aspersed spread evenly on the river, river sparkling, seems like a big moving mirror, reflecting the dazzling light.

Into the night, the sun sets to the west, on the river and the gold of the horizon. Deep blue sky, a bright moon hanging in the round, each star like a sparkling gem with the sky. The moon reflected on the river, also is so round, like the river on the also have a moon. In the quiet of the night, the songhua river is also gradually fell asleep, ended its journey of a day.

The beauty of a gentle, songhua river is wild, it is quiet...

一、各类英语作文框架

第一段一般只写三句

第一句：It is widely believed that by many people for some time that ...

第二句：One reason they think is that...

第三句：The ohter reason they hold is that...

第二段一般只写三句

第一句：While others argue that ...

第二句：They maintain that...

第三句：They also claim that...

第三段写四句

第一句：From what has been discussed above, we may come to the conclusion that ...

第二句：On the one hand, ...

第三句：On the other hand, ...

第四句：Only in this way can we ...

二、图表作文

第一段只写三句

第一句：As is shown in the graph above, we can see clearly that great changes have taken place in … from…to…

第二句：The first … years saw…

第三句：The last … years witnessed …

第二段只写四句

第一句：What has caused this problem? It seems to me that there are … reasons.

第二句：Firstly, …

第三句：Secondly,…

第四句：Finally,…

第三段只写四句

第一句：How to solve the problem has become a hot issue among many people.

第二句：For one thing, …

第三句：For another, …

第四句：Only in this way can we successfully solve the problem.

三、现象作文

第一段只写两句

第一句：In recent years, there has been…

第二句：How to solve the problem has become a hot issue among many people.

第二段只写四句

第一句：What has caused this problem? It seems to me that there are … reasons.

第二句：Firstly, …

第三句：Secondly,…

第四句：Finally,…

第三段只写四句

第一句：How to solve the problem has become a hot issue among many people.

第二句：For one thing, …

第三句：For another, …

第四句：Only in this way can we successfully solve the problem.

四、书信作文

第一段只写两句

第一句：I am writing this letter today to …

第二句：My name is … and I am …

第二段按照题目要求写：

第三段只写三句

第一句：I sincerely hope you can take my letter seriously.

第二句：Your prompt response will be highly appreciated.

第三句：Thanks a lot for your time and consideration.

五、谚语作文

第一段只写四句

第一句：It is … that …

第二句：You cannot … until you …

第三句：The more you …, the more …

第四句：If you …, you …

第二段举例写

第一句：Examples can be easily found to make a case for this proverb.

第二句：Let’s take … for instance.

第三句：…

第四句：Another illustration of this is…

We havebeen told when we were a little child that we help others as they are in need. Weoften do as what we were told in the childhood, but when we grow up nowadays weare not dare to help others.

Because the society becomes more and complicated. Thereare some people will make traps for the kind people.

For example, you see anold lady falling on the ground and you would like to help her. However, you maybe charged for pushing her down and ask you to give money for seeing a doctor. Yeah,this things often happen.

But helping others is the traditional for ourChinese, we should carry it out on any condition. Helping others will not onlyhelp other people but also help yourself.

You will feel happy and satisfy whenassisting others. So please give a hand to the people in need carefully.

我们在很小的时候就被告知要帮助那些需要帮助的人。

我们小的时候经常就像被告知的那样做，但当我们长大了，我们却不敢去帮助别人了。

因为社会变得更复杂了。有一些人会对善良的人设陷阱。例如，你看到一个老太太倒在地上，你想帮她。

但是，她可能会说是你把她推到的并让你赔偿医药费。是的，这种事情经常发生。但帮助他人是我们中国的传统，不管在任何情况下我们都要发扬光大。帮助别人不仅可以帮助别人也是帮助自己。在帮助他人时你会感到快乐和满足。所以请小心的帮助需要帮助的人。

[高中英语作文：帮助别人

why is goal-setting important? because goals can help you do and experience every meaningful thing you hope for in life. instead of letting life happen to you, goals allow you to make your life happen.

successful people have visions of what their life should be and they set lots of goals, both sbort-term and long-range, to help them realize the visions. by setting goals you are taking control of your life. it is like having a map to show where you want to go. a driver with an aim arrives at the destination without any waste of time or wrong turns.

on the contrary, a driver with no aim drives aimlessly around, never getting anywhere and just using up gas and oil. winners in life set goals and follow through on them. they decide what they want and then get there by making plans and setting goals.

goals ara not difficult to set and they are not difficult to reach. it is up to you to find out what your goals, ideals and visions really are. with a clear direction, and with certain plans, you will straightly get what you want.

without a goal, you have to live a passive life. you do not know where to go, what you want and why you are listless. then your life be comes dull and meaningless just like the dead water in a muddy lake.

[人都要有目标高中学生英语作文

Luxuriant it gives us boundless endless fun. A long summer vacation to supply the vast reveals itself for the classmates of the stage. And plans to use the summer vacation time, has become our current begin to should do.

One, scientific and reasonable to develop a plan of summer vacation work.

Amount of work in the holiday, want to do the work. To put these job screening, mediation, according to the summer fair time settling, draw up a table "" summer deeds. All the cruel deeds should be carried out in accordance with the "schedule", but still need to be careful mix.

Second, serious review, welcome to scholarship test

This test is after the summer vacation the first put a summary of the semester, summer vacation, want to put the first semester studies the entire contents of the seriously review again, and to formulate a "review schedule. For good measure.

Third, develop my funny hobbies, growth of my specialty.

According to my funny hobby, takes an active part in all kinds of funny Hong shed organized group, such as: painting, calligraphy, music, English, journalism skills, grasp the skills, as to lay a foundation for the growth of the letters patent day.

Fourth, study diligently, careful accumulation, longer than writing, used motor

Manipulation of the heat I visit a few good books as points. Such as: national classics, history allusions, good books and periodicals, fables, fairy tales, etc., progress I browse ability and writing level, edify sentiment.

Else, might as well also active in the summer sports refined, help parents do more housework, experience to meet the social actual deeds... Only seize the opportunity to reveal themselves constantly, expand the line of sight, to be healthy growth.

As our students, we also have to face with much pressure, such as the study

pressure, exam pressure,relationship pressure and so on. But how can we cope

with pressure? This is the most important.

Firstly, we should face the pressure appropriately. Pressure is inevitable

in our daily life, so we cant be afraid of them and try our best to cope with

them. Secondly, tell our pressure to others. Talking is a very effective way to

ease pressure, and during the talking, we may get some suggestions and

solutions. Finally, trust ourselves. We should believe ourselves that we can

deal with any troubles by ourselves or by others help.

Tourism in China

Recent years have seen a tendency in China that tourism is growing faster. According to a recent survey made by some experts, about 47% urban residents travel regularly, and 28% rural residents also make their tour across the country. The survey also shows that more people are interested in tourism, and will join the army in the future.

Facing this tendency, we can’t help exploring some underlying factors that are responsible. In the very first place, with the policy of reform and opening up, Chinese people’s living standard has been greatly improved, and therefore, most of them can afford to travel around. What’s more, it is believed that people now take a more positive attitude to tourism, and regard it as a life style. In addition, tourism facilities are becoming better and better. For example, transportation develops fast, and many scenic spots are available now.

中国旅游

最近几年，在中国的趋势，旅游业增长较快。根据最近的一项调查显示一些专家认为，约47%城镇居民定期作出旅行，28%的农村居民，也使他们的全国巡演。该调查还显示，更多的人在旅游有兴趣，并会在将来加入。

面对这一趋势，我们不能不说是负责任的开发一些潜在因素。在第一个地方，随着改革开放政策，对中国人民的生活水平有了很大提高，因此，他们大多数都不能周游。更重要的是，它相信，人们现在更积极的态度，旅游业，把它作为一种生活方式。此外，旅游设施正在变得越来越好。例如，交通运输发展迅速，许多景点都已经上市。

Dont drop than wood sent to mountain, changping bacc the exhaust and the sea. Life is easy to fight old heart not old, is the so-called: never too old to learn, learn seventy also too few. Brief is life, but should not be in a hurry traveler, and it should be: June struggle of passion, such as fire, forward steps if the river waves, in the mountain mountain, the water cut of water! When we failure on the way of life, see more Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, shi tiesheng, Helen Keller... They are art and literature have these, but unfortunately in life. They bowed their heads? The fall? Complain about? Give up?

"Ups and downs of life," "I see the road, I will search up and down", "spring breeze willow ten thousand, millions of shenzhou ShunYao" poets are all in the pursuit of exploration. Life, have their own value. If a person cant make my life brilliant, but also have no reason to make it dull; Life can be ordinary, but not vulgar, vice; Life doesnt care about how much tear, and the process of lies in the pursuit of perfection and excellence!

Life is more precious than time. Life, the most dazzling is career. Life, the most happy is struggle.

Everyone has a tomorrow, everyone has a next year. A foothold today, look forward to tomorrow, based on this year, next year.

I believe that no matter how bumpy the road in the future, as long as you seize today, sooner or later, will taste the sweetness of life in the struggle. Seize the moment in your life, rather than waste a year in January!

The pursuit of positive, one percent of the hope may also become a reality; Passive waiting, ninety-nine percent sure will be ruined!

I have busy weekend.In Satday morning,I’m read books and do myhowewoke.In aftenoon,I’m lean my room.In evening,I’m watch TV and movies.In Sunday morning,I’m play basketbaal with my good fiend .

We are very happy.In aftenoon,I’m go to marketpiace buy some food.In evening,I’m go to concert.

This weekend,I’m very tird ,but I’m enjoy onerselees

Nowadays, electronic music is very popular around the world. First electronic music got popular from Lady Gaga, her creative dressing styles caught people’s attention and then people started to notice her music. They fell in love with her electronic music. Unlike rock and roll music, electronic music is more favorable by me. It makes me excited and I am totally lost in the wonderful music. Once my friends and I went to a music festival. There were so many people standing there and listening to the music. Especially when the DJ came out and everybody got excited. When the DJ played electronic music, my friends and I shook our bodies and joined the crowd to dance. It was such a wonderful experience for me. I will never forget the power of electronic music. It brings people together and share the same emotion.

电子音乐现在在世界各地都很受欢迎。电子音乐是从Lady Gaga开始流行的，她奇特的穿衣风格引起了人们的注意，然后大家开始注意到了她的音乐，并且爱上了她的电子音乐。它跟摇滚音乐不一样，我更加喜欢电子音乐，这可以让我兴奋。我完全迷失在美妙的音乐中。有一次我和我的朋友们去了一个音乐节。很多人站在那里听音乐。特别是当DJ出来时，每个人都很兴奋。DJ播放电子音乐时，我和我的朋友都扭动着身体，加入了人群中跳起舞来。这对我来说是那么奇妙的经历。我永远不会忘记电子音乐的力量，它使人与人走到一起，分享着相同的情感。

导语：每个人都有自己的妈妈，你喜欢你的妈妈吗?下面是yuwenmi小编为大家整理的优秀英语作文，欢迎阅读与借鉴，谢谢!

My mother has no idea that her ninetieth birthday is coming up. She has no notion of the time of day, the day of the week. the season of the year, the year of the century. No notion of the approaching millennium. And no idea any longer, who I am. Her forgetting of me happened just a few months ago, after I had been traveling for more than a month and hadnt been to see her. When I came back, she asked me if I were her niece, l said no, I was her daughter. "Does that mean I had you?" she asked. 1 said yes. "Where was I when l had you?" she asked me. I told her she was in a hospital in Far Rockaway. New York. "So much has happened to me in my life." she said "You cant expect me to remember everything."

My mother was once a beautiful woman, but all her teeth are gone now. Toothless. No woman can be considered beautiful. Whenever I visit her in the nursing home, she is sitting at the table in the common dining room, her head in her hands, rocking. Medication has eased her anxiety, but nothing moves her from her stupor except occasional moments of fear, too deep for medication. This is a room that has no windows, that lets in no light, in which an overlarge TV is constantly blaring, sending images that no one looks at where the floors are beige tiles, the walls cream colored at the bottom, papered halfway up with a pattern of nearly invisible grayish leaves. Many of the residents sit staring, slack-jawed, open mouthed. I find it impossible to imagine what they might be looking at.

When I walk into the dining room on the day of my mothers birthday, I see that she has already been served lunch. The staff has forgotten to hold it back. Though I told them a week ago that I would be providing lunch. She hasn’t touched anything on her tray except a piece of carrot cake, which she holds in her hands. The icing is smeared on her hands and face. I dont want my friends to see her smeared with icing, so I wet a paper towel and wipe her. This fills me with a terrible tenderness, recalling, as it does. a gesture I have performed for my children. As I wipe my mothers face, I see that her skin is still beautiful I hold her chin in my hand and kiss her forehead. I tell her its her birthday, that shes ninety years old. "How did that happen?" she asks. "I cant understand how that could happen."

l have brought her a bouquet of crimson, yellow, and salmon-pink snapdragons. She likes the flowers very much. She likes the name. "Snapdragons. It seems like an animal thats going to bite inc. But its not an animal, its a plant. Thats a funny thing,"

I have bought food that I hope will please my mother, and that will be easy for her to eat: orzo salad with little pieces of crayfish cut into it, potato salad, small chunks of marinated tomatoes. I have bought paper plates with a rust-colored background, upon which are painted yellow and gold flowers and blue leaves.

My friends Nola and Gary come for my mothers birthday. When we are about to leave, I tell my mother that Im going on vacation, mat I wont see her for three weeks, that 1 am going to the sea. "How will I stand that, how will I stand thats she says, but I know that a minute after I’m gone shell forget I was there.