With no air conditioners and no trees providing shade, the classrooms that faced south at my children’s middle school got too hot during the warmer months of the school year. I knew from my days volunteering in the school that students and staff got overheated and that it was difficult for them to concentrate.

As a long-time master gardener, I knew trees could shade those classroom windows and reduce the temperatures inside to relatively comfortable levels. If benches and trees were added, the front yard would be transformed into a beautiful outdoor classroom, one that would encourage teachers to bring their students outside to learn. And I imagined how wonderful it would be for our district’s kids, many of whom live in apartment buildings without yards or green space, to experience the happiness of sitting on a bench under a leafy green tree during their school day.

Then, I met with the school’s Parent-Teacher Association and told my idea of changing the school’s front yard. And I expressed my willingness to organize the project. The group liked the idea but thought it was too difficult. However, several days later, the principal told me, “I had further discussions with my staff. We all think you are very kind. We want to work with you to transform our school’s front yard.”

Later, I found a professional landscape designer who promised to design our front yard free of charge. After that, I found a local company that promised to deliver topsoil (表土) at a deeply discounted price when we were ready to transform our front yard. Then I contacted a charity which promised to provide us with various shade trees for free that would grow well in our area. And it would send a professional crew to help us plant the trees.

Then, we named our future front yard “The Habitat for Living & Learning”. At this point, we spoke with everyone we knew about the Habitat for Living & Learning. The hard work of spreading topsoil, digging and planting was scheduled to begin within weeks.

Para. 1: So we posted the tasks in the school’s front hall where everyone could see them.

Para. 2: Soon, everyone — students, staff and volunteers — began working to spread the topsoil.

At eleven years old, my main concern was money. Where could I get it? How much did I need to buy the new must-have thing my classmates either had or waned? I went to my mom. “Mom, I need more money,” I said, leaning against the kitchen counter while she cooked dinner. “You think you need a job?” Mom asked with a smile. The next day, she had an answer. “Your grandmother will pay you to help her deliver lunch each day to the elderly.” Yes! I pumped (挥舞) my fist into the air.

When my grandmother picked me up, I couldn’t wait to start my new job. “It’s simple. We pick up a large container full of hot meals in a nearby town and then we go on our delivery route.” After dozens of meals were arranged in the backseat, my grandmother drove us to our first stop. The first house didn’t look nice, but I shrugged and kept going. I didn’t have to live there, just deliver food there. This was how I would make money. I nearly jumped when I glanced over to see a tiny old woman in the corner looking at me. She sat hunched (缩成一团) over in a rocking chair and had more wrinkles (褶皱) than I’d ever seen in my life. “Who is this nice young lady?” She asked grandmother. I just stood there holding the food, unsure what to do. My grandmother guided me inside to place it on her kitchen table. The house smelled bad and old like the antique stores my mom liked to visit, but I never liked because even breathing in the dusty air made me feel dirty. I held my breath until we went out.

The next stop was much the same and the next. The houses varied in size and shape, some were nicer than others, but the same wrinkly people waited for their meals. Each person smiled at me and thanked me as I hurried to get out of there. I was sweaty and tired, and my clothes had captured the smell of the food and old houses.

By the end of the day, it was obvious that I wasn’t very comfortable about the job.

My eyes widened, and I turned to her. “Their only meal?”

Most of the fire accidents happen because of our carelessness. Every year there are many fire accidents, resulting in a great loss of property and life. Many of these can be easily avoided if we are more careful and observe certain rules regarding fire-protection. There have been some unforgettable accidents in my life. One has left me a shocking impression.

It was 9 am on Sunday. I was busy in doing my homework at home and my mother was preparing tea for me in the kitchen when suddenly there were shouts, cries and a lot of confusing noise coming from outside. Immediately, I rushed out to figure out what was all that. I was informed that a supermarket warehouse (仓库) in our neighborhood had caught fire.

Wanting to help put out the fire, I ran to the place. A big crowd of neighbors had collected as well. Some were helping throw water and some were trying to beat the fire with sticks. Although all the people struggled to help, before long, the fire, driven by the strong winds, swallowed the whole building. Before the owner, the employers and all the neighbors could to anything more, huge and high columns of smoke and flames spread fast. Seeing things were almost out of control, someone called firefighters at once. With all the belongings inside burning in the fire, the owner could do nothing except cry, helpless and heartbroken.

It was a horrible scene which I could never forget. Without powerful equipment, we could just wait for firefighters’ coming.

During the waiting for fire rescue, many began talking about how the fire broke out and who was to blame for the accident. Were the members of the supermarket themselves or the others responsible for the accident? When people continued chatting about the possible causes of the fire, the fire-engines soon arrived at the scene.

Without any delay, the firemen hurried for fighting the fire.

The policemen set about looking into the cause of the fire.

Every morning before going to school, Galen would stand in front of their bookshelf in the living room, focusing his sights on one book titled “The Greatest Explorer That Never Was”. It was kept on the top shelf. His mom would always read it to him when he was feeling sad. And lately, he’d always been feeling sad. His mom died.

He would try to think of a way to get the book. He’d thought about asking his dad for help but his dad had been spending more time in his office. Galen was on his own for this one and he saw it as a challenge he needed to overcome. This was his test.

At school, he would draw up plans on how he would do it. First, he planned on using the ladder they kept in the shed (小屋). So when he got home, he threw his bag on the couch and carried out the plan. But when he had his hands on and tried to carry it, immediately he realized that the plan was a failure-the ladder was too heavy for him to carry to the living room. He left the shed, defeated. He took out the notebook that he’d written his plans on. He crossed out using a ladder. He went to bed that night determined to come up with a new plan that would work.

His next plan was to use his mom’s old trampoline (蹦床). Using it would allow him to jump high enough, reach the top of the shelf, grab the book, and land on the ground. He did this about four or five times before deciding that this plan, like the one before, wouldn’t work.

Galen started coming with other plans as the days went on. After the unsuccessful mop and broom plan, he stayed up late that night hatching a new plan, which had a higher success rate than the others. It was to climb to the top of the shelf until he could just take the book. He’d just have to hold on to the sides a little tighter so that he wouldn’t fall off.

But it wasn’t the easy climb he expected.

Down to the ground with the book, he turned around to see who the ally (同盟)was.