Inspiration grows on trees

華東政法大學1650班 張 弛

Jutroduction

“我”利用參賽獲得的100美元，制作了幾棵“我”稱之為“The Inspiration Tree”的裝置，人們可以從樹上取走帶有他人創意的作品，再把自己的作品懸掛上去，這樣人們就可以實現互動，讓愛與靈感在人與人之間分享傳遞。

I was very fortunate to receive$100 for a monthly kindness contest last month.With it I built a large installation(裝置)I called The Inspiration Tree.

The concept is simple.I took a lot of fallen branches that I had been gathering on walks and hung them from the ceiling with the help of volunteers and friends.Then we hung strings with clothespins attached to them from the branches.I gota whole lotof art supplies and as people came in for the art exhibit,they were encouraged to create a piece of art or a positive message to hang from the tree.

The tree transformed into this really fun way of exchanging positive messages.If you were to hang a message up,you had to take a message down for you to keep.The experience was really amazing.People of all ages and fromall walks of lifewere sharing art and inspiration through the tree.

I made a total of seven more trees,most of which have helped tomake abeautifuldifferencein people's lives.I took one to a school where I am student teaching in a 6th grade special education classroom.The students have already been using the tree on a daily basis to encourage themselves to write and learn to spell,and to spread kindness by leaving positive messages for other students to have.I am putting the other trees all over our community.One will go to a youth shelter for home-less teens and one will be put right in the middle of town on our public square.They will have paper and art supplies at the base for people to use in creating a message or piece of art.The idea is to create interactions that are positive and can influence people's lives in great ways just by doing a simple act of kindness.The messages people receive can be kept with themselves forever as a reminder of the good in the world,or they can pass them along to others.The beauty of the concept is that the potential of the messages have unlimited possibilities,helping me spread kindness in the world.

Reading Check

1.How many trees are put in the community?

A.6. B.7. C.8. D.9.

2.On what may the author spend the money he received for the tree?

A.Branches. B.Clothespins.C.Art supplies. D.Helpers.

3.What may be hung in The Inspiration Trees?

4.How does the author view his installation?

Language Study

Difficult sentences

1.Then we hung strings with clothespins attached to them from the branches.

翻譯：_________________________________________________________

【點石成金】with短語修飾strings，而attached to them是過去分詞短語，修飾clothespins。

2.The students have already been using the tree on a daily basis to encourage themselves to write and learn to spell,and to spread kindness by leaving positive messages for other students to have.

翻譯：___________________________________________________________________

【點石成金】這是一個簡單句，句子的時態是現在完成進行時。to encourage themselves to write and learn to spell與第二個and之后的不定式短語并列作目的狀語。

3.The beauty of the concept is that the potential of the messages have unlimited possibilities, （help）me spread kindness in the world.

翻譯：___________________________________________________________________

【點石成金】that引導表語從句，help構成的短語作伴隨狀語。

Using Language

Ⅰ.Important vocabulary in the text

1.attach...to... 把……固定；把……附在……上

2.a whole lot（of sth） 許多；大量

3.all walks of life 各行各業

4.make a difference 起作用；有影響

Ⅱ.Fill in the blanks with the vocabulary given above.

A newspaper interviewed 1.___________________people from 2.___________________about education,who then offered their opinions to the government.The government officials 3.___________________great importance 4.___________________these opinions,which seem to 5.___________________to the issue of education.