My last English assignment had me write two descriptive paragraphs that contrasted each other. Here is the finished product:
Why don’t you pay an unexpected visit at my dream house? First, how I like to think it will be; and second, how it will most likely more realistically be.
You drive down the long lane past the pasture where the horses, goats, and sheep graze contentedly. Chickens greet you with merry cackles from their tidy chicken pen. My oldest daughter opens the door to welcome you in. The house is quiet and the three younger children are playing lovingly together in the prettily-painted den full of neatly arranged toys. The four school-aged children are studying studiously in the little “classroom” upstairs. My daughter calls me from my clean kitchen where I have dinner bubbling happily on the stove. You quickly peek through the open bathroom door. It’s unmistakably spick and span. You glance around. The bright sunshine streams through the big bay window and dances on the large dining room table. The warm summer breezes blow through an open window, filling the house with the aroma of outdoors. You are completely charmed by the house’s tidiness and your hostess’s calmness and composure at your unexpected arrival.
You drive down the long driveway past an empty pasture. You find the nickering horses, and bleating goats and sheep pressing close to the pasture gate. The cackling and fluttering chickens are creating complete chaos in the chicken pen. You conclude that I have not had time to feed them yet. A loud wailing from an unhappy child drowns your polite knock. Finally, you just enter the house, and try to gain the attention of my oldest daughter, who is rushing about a cluttered kitchen trying to throw together something edible for dinner. My three younger children are arguing noisily in the den over whose turn it is to play with their favorite toy. They needn’t have—there are plenty of other toys strewn all over the floor. My oldest daughter finally notices your presence, and she hurries upstairs to call me from the school lesson I am trying to patiently explain. While you are waiting you quickly peek through the open bathroom door, and then wish you hadn’t. I finally arrive, and try to apologize for the mess. I invite you to sit down and make yourself comfortable—that is, if you can find a vacant chair. You quickly apologize for dropping by unexpectedly, and assure me that you won’t—you mean can’t—stay long! You sigh with relief as you leave, and sincerely hope that I will see better days!
I sure had a lot of fun writing this, and I hope it put a smile on your face, as it did on mine!
