美国国家公共电台 NPR--California gardener rents out real and reusable holiday trees

California gardener rents out real and reusable holiday trees

Transcript¹

Love the smell of a live Christmas tree but hate to throw it out at the end of the holiday season? A California nursery rents real and re-usable Tannenbaums.

ROB SCHMITZ, HOST:

Rent a car. Rent a room. Rent a Christmas tree? California gardener Monica Hudson rents out real and reusable Tannenbaums. They're potted, of course.

MONICA HUDSON: It was an idea that came to me when I watched a TV program of a bargain shop in Britain loaning their trees to their customers.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

That was 2009. Hudson was working as a tour guide then, but business had slowed due to the recession, so she started Rent a Living Christmas Tree. It's now up to about a thousand trees and draws hundreds of renters from California's Bay Area and Central Coast.

HUDSON: Today, we don't bother advertising² because our trees are usually booked. Oh, we have a few odd trees left now, but the bulk of the trees are booked by Thanksgiving.

SCHMITZ: Customers can pick their tree online based on species, height and price. There are big firs, juniors, even the most modest Charlie Brown specials. An 8-foot tree rental³ goes for about $125.

HUDSON: When you order a living tree, it arrives. It's in a pot. It is fresh and beautiful. And your responsibility is to water it every day.

MART?NEZ: After Christmas, the tree gets picked up and sent back to the nursery, and there it stays in its pot, hooked up to a drip irrigation system to keep it green for the following holiday season, as it awaits its next new temporary home.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "ROCKIN' AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE")

BRENDA LEE: (Singing) Rocking around the Christmas tree. Let the Christmas spirit ring. Later we'll have some pumpkin⁴ pie, and we'll do some...

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

3 rental   

n.租赁，出租，出租业

参考例句：

• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。
• We can organise car rental from Chicago O'Hare Airport.我们可以安排提供从芝加哥奥黑尔机场出发的租车服务。

4 pumpkin   

n.南瓜

参考例句：

• They ate turkey and pumpkin pie.他们吃了火鸡和南瓜馅饼。
• It looks like there is a person looking out of the pumpkin!看起来就像南瓜里有人在看着你！