In New Brighton, Minnesota, the Bartz brothers(Connor, Austin, and Trevor)have built beautiful snow sculptures in their front yard for the past five years. But they’re not ordinary snowmen--they’re huge and sea-themed!
The tradition began in 2012, after a family fishing trip in Florida, where Connor, then 17, caught a puffer fish. It encouraged the boys to make a super-sized fish out of snow. So they got to work, collecting as much snow as possible from around their neighborhood. After eight hours of shoveling(用铲子铲)and sculpting snow their 5-foot-tall puffer fish was complete. And it was a big hit! Before long. the locals and TV reporters began stopping by their front yard to enjoy their creation.
“Each winter, we decide which sea animals would work best and be the most fun to build,” Trevor said. Since 2012, they’ve made a shark, a turtle, an octopus(章鱼)and so, on, Their favorite is the octopus, which they built in 2016. It is their biggest sculpture yet, taking nearly 500 hours(and 150 tons of snow)to make!
The brothers also made sure it was just as much fun for visitors. “We liked that it was kid-friendly, with tentacles(触须)you could slide under,” Connor said. Named by Facebook fans, Octavius the octopus was a star appearing on national news stations.
To make the most of their project, the boys decided to raise money for a good cause. “Given that our work is made from snow, it made sense to collect money to help provide drinking water to people in need,” Austin said. They teamed up with One Day’s Wages, an organization that provides clean water to people in Haiti. By the end of winter, the brothers had raised $17, 263!
Their advice for anyone with big dreams: “If you want to be successful, work hard and have a good attitude,” Austin said. “Success might not come immediately. but take joy in what you are doing now. When we were younger, we made many snow creations that did not make the news, but we still had a pleasurable experience!”
8. What inspired the Bartz brothers to start their creations?
A.Their family traditions. | B.A fish caught by Connor. |
C.Austin’s snowmen | D.Their neighbors’ praise. |
9. Which one is TRUE about Octavius the octopus?
A.It was the boys’ first creation. |
B.It was the boys’ smallest sculpture. |
C.It helped the boys make a lot of money. |
D.It attracted wide attention. |
10. What suggestion did the Bartz brothers make?
A.Think twice. | B.Learn to be creative. |
C.Start small and enjoy it. | D.Make use of everything. |
11. Which of the following can best describe the Bartz brothers?
A.Imaginative and caring. | B.Childish and friendly. |
C.Open-minded and smart. | D.Hard-working and courageous. |