I never thought I was very talented at anything to do with music, but my parents wanted me to learn to play the piano at the age of six. To be a good daughter, l agreed
2 . City trees grow faster and die younger than trees in rural forests, a new study finds.
Studies had shown forests take in greenhouse gas. But there hadn’t been much data on whether city trees grow, die and take in CO2 at the same rate as forest trees do. So Lucy Hytyra and her workmates at Boston University in Massachusetts decided to find out.
To figure out how quickly trees were growing, the researchers tracked their diameters (直径) between 2005 and 2014. The team focused on red oaks and red maples growing on Boston streets. These trees grew four times faster than the same species did in a nearby forests. Faster-growing trees take in more CO2. Over the nine years, the researchers tracked these trees, and they found city ones took in four times as much CO2 from the air as the forest trees did. The city trees also, however, were twice as likely to die. So over the lifetime of each type of tree, forest trees actually take in more CO2.
“City trees grow faster mainly because they have less competition for light from their neighbors,” Hutyra says. In a forests, trees tend to grow close together, shading their neighbors. Street trees also benefit from higher levels of nitrogen (氮) in rainwater. Nitrogen is an element that helps plants grow. Still, she says that her team’s findings may not apply to arid cities. “In locations short of water like Phoenix or Los Angeles, city trees might respond differently because it’s very hot in the city and they have so little water.” At such sites, she says, “Trees might grow slower.”
So why were Boston’s streets trees twice as likely as their country cousins to die young? City roads can leave big-tree roots less room to grow. Plus, people often decide to cut down trees that are sick, or in the way of some desired building or view.
1. What can we learn from the research by Lucy’s team?A.City trees live twice longer than forest trees. |
B.Over their lifetime, forest trees actually take in more CO2. |
C.Over the nine years, faster-growing trees breathe in less CO2. |
D.On Boston streets red oaks grow much faster and taller than red maples. |
A.they live in hot weather | B.they take in more water |
C.they tend to grow close together | D.they benefit from more light and nitrogen |
A.Dry. | B.Busy. | C.Crowded. | D.Large. |
A.The result of people’s behavior. |
B.The relationship between people and trees. |
C.The fact that the roots of city trees have more room. |
D.The reasons why the street trees in Boston died young. |
A.A travel journal. | B.A story book. | C.A science magazine. | D.A medical report |
3 . At just 11 years old, Vince Weishaus runs his own hair salon (发廊) in his parents’ basement in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, doing different hairstyles for free.
For Vince, his love of hair started at a very young age. “He has an older sister who had dolls and he would just, at 2 or 3, be playing with the dolls' hair,” recalled Emily Weishaus, Vince’s mother.
Not long afterward, he also fell in love with braiding (编辫子). “He watched me do a braid, and then he undid the braid and redid it without me ever showing him how to do it,” his mother said. He found his true love as a hairstylist (发型师) when he started cutting his grandmother's hair before he was 5. “I feel that’s what gave him the confidence to be who he is,” she added.
Vince’s hairstyling dream became a reality when his parents presented him with a special surprise on his ninth birthday: his very own salon in their basement. His neighbor had a salon in her home, but she decided to pass on her supplies to Vince when she moved.
Family members and friends have stopped by for appointments—all free of charge—at Vincent Charles Salon. The kid's services range from coloring, to braiding the for school dances, family parties, talent shows and more.
He has colored his own hair different colors, from rose gold to purple. He even colors his friends' hair tips before they head off to camp.
Vince loves learning different practices and skills of the trade from other hair mentors, who teaches him many styling skills.
The sky is the limit for Vince—his eventual goal is to become a world-famous hair colorist one day. His advice to anyone who wants to realize their own dreams: “Do what they love and be themselves.”
1. Vince realized his true love for hairstyling when ________A.he was playing with his sister | B.he watched his mother do a braid |
C.he was playing with the dolls | D.he began to cut his grandmother’ hair |
A.A small family party for him. | B.His own salon in the basement. |
C.The supplies from his neighbor. | D.The permission from his parents to camp. |
A.Family members. | B.Friends | C.Teachers. | D.Customers |
A.Cold | B.Curious | C.Supportive. | D.Doubtful |
A.A Boy Hairstylist. | B.A Piece of Advice. |
C.A New Styling Skill. | D.A Street Hair Salon. |
4 . Want to help us serve more of our elderly neighbors? Want to deliver meals and a smile?
Meals on Wheels provides meals for the elderly and the disabled adults in Richland County, South Carolina. Meals are delivered at lunch time five days a week by volunteers.
But Meals on Wheels delivers more than just a meal. The daily visit from a volunteer also provides a warm smile and a safety check that helps keep seniors healthy, safe and living independently in their own homes.
Who receives Meals on Wheels?
Meals on Wheels recipients (接受者) are the elderly and disabled adults in our community who cannot maintain an enough, healthy diet, either because of transport or money difficulties. Nearly three-fourths of them are at or below the national poverty level (贫困线).
What is the cost of Meals on Wheels?
No one is refused a meal based on income. Some individuals may receive meals at no cost, while others are asked to pay according to their incomes.
What’s on the menu?
Our menus are carefully planned to meet one-third of the daily nutritional (营养) needs of senior people. All meals are served with fat-free milk and whole grain bread.
How can I help?
Through the support of our funding partners, staff and volunteers, we were able to serve 169,381 hot and frozen meals to 1,015 recipients in 2018. The meals were delivered by volunteers driving nearly 55,000 miles. Although we have made great efforts, we still have a waiting list of people we can't serve because we don’t have enough workers. So please join us!
Contact us
For more information, please contact Anne Shissias, Director of In-Home & Community Based Services, at 803-252-7734 x234 or ashissias@seniorresourcesine.org.
1. Who can receive the service of Meals on Wheels in Richland County?A.Jobless people. | B.Sick people in local hospitals. |
C.Homeless people. | D.The elderly and disabled adults. |
A.It offers meals to healthy adults. | B.It serves meals seven days a week. |
C.It delivers meals and provides care. | D.It helps seniors cook meals in their homes. |
A.By vehicle. | B.By bike. |
C.By bus. | D.On foot. |
A.The recipients can get what they want. | B.The organization has made great efforts. |
C.The funding partners need more money. | D.The volunteers are people who like driving. |
A.To raise more money. | B.To attract more customer. |
C.To call in volunteers. | D.To deliver more frozen meals. |