英語(yǔ)播客 A Cup of English Firewood for free.

I was driving down the road the other day, to go to Walmart, when I saw something that really caught my eye. On the left hand side of the road, infront of a house, a huge tree had been cut down. It was so big that it took up all of the house owner's front garden. I was really surprised at first, because this tree, that I drive past every day, had not appeared to have any problems at all. It hadn't looked diseased or weak, infact, quite the opposite. It had been one of the biggest and oldest in the neighborhood, so much so that it dwarfed the house that was near it. That might be the reason that the owner doesn't want it anymore. Perhaps it was just too big. Well, the workmen started out the project of bringing down the tree, by hacking off the limbs, one by one. It's the only safe way to do it when the tree is right next to a busy road. Over the course of a day, all the limbs came off, and only the massive trunk was left standing. Then the next day, that too was cut down. I would be interested to measure the diameter of the tree, or at least count the rings inside the trunk to calculate its age, because it really is quite thick. As I drove home yesterday, I noticed a sign that had been put next to the trunk, "Free firewood." A great idea. It would be hard to get rid of all that tree from your front yard if you didn't have any help. Our firewood supply has dwindled because we've had quite a few fires this winter. We need to stock up again, chop some wood, and let it dry out for next winter. I hope that the big tree will be replaced by something tasteful and pretty, not just a two foot little twig that takes years and years to grow. There seems to be a gap now, where the big tree had stood. Let's hope it gets filled with something worth looking at.

Grammar notes.

Expressions: quite the opposite, to hack off, to dwindle, tasteful.

1. He's not noisy at all, quite the opposite. He's as quiet as a mouse.

2. The arms of all the statues got hacked off during the rebellion.

3. The survivors' supplies had dwindled to almost nothing; they had to go and search for more.

4. The decor of this shop is so tasteful; it is well coordinated and quite soothing.