英语博客：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 dwarfed¹ 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 hacking³ 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 standing⁴. 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 dwindled⁶ 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 twig⁷ 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 hack² off, to dwindle⁵, 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 hacked⁸ off during the rebellion.
3. The survivors⁹' 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 coordinated¹⁰ and quite soothing¹¹.

1 dwarfed   

vt.（使）显得矮小（dwarf的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The old houses were dwarfed by the huge new tower blocks. 这些旧房子在新建的高楼大厦的映衬下显得十分矮小。
• The elephant dwarfed the tortoise. 那只乌龟跟那头象相比就显得很小。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 hack   

n.劈，砍，出租马车；v.劈，砍，干咳

参考例句：

• He made a hack at the log.他朝圆木上砍了一下。
• Early settlers had to hack out a clearing in the forest where they could grow crops.早期移民不得不在森林里劈出空地种庄稼。

3 hacking   

n.非法访问计算机系统和数据库的活动

参考例句：

• The patient with emphysema is hacking all day. 这个肺气肿病人整天不断地干咳。
• We undertook the task of hacking our way through the jungle. 我们负责在丛林中开路。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 dwindle   

v.逐渐变小（或减少）

参考例句：

• The factory's workforce has dwindled from over 4,000 to a few hundred.工厂雇员总数已经从4,000多人减少到几百人。
• He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority.他正努力适应自己权力被削弱这一局面。

6 dwindled   

v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Support for the party has dwindled away to nothing. 支持这个党派的人渐渐化为乌有。
• His wealth dwindled to nothingness. 他的钱财化为乌有。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 twig   

n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解

参考例句：

• He heard the sharp crack of a twig.他听到树枝清脆的断裂声。
• The sharp sound of a twig snapping scared the badger away.细枝突然折断的刺耳声把獾惊跑了。

8 hacked   

生气

参考例句：

• I hacked the dead branches off. 我把枯树枝砍掉了。
• I'm really hacked off. 我真是很恼火。

9 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

10 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

11 soothing   

adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的

参考例句：

• Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
• His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。