High 2 · Reading series
Lesson 26 · The Shade beside the Bus Stop
Audio track 26
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Our town planted trees along the main road, but the bus stop beside the clinic remained in full sun. On a hot afternoon, I saw people waiting there while the new shaded path stood almost empty. The project looked successful on a map; its benefits were not evenly placed.
We measured shade at different times with our teacher and spoke to regular bus users. Several elderly passengers wanted a bench as much as a tree. Others worried that roots might narrow the pavement. A shop owner offered to discuss a temporary awning while the town studied a longer solution.
Our proposal included these different concerns. We did not promise that one tree would solve the heat. We asked the town to test shade at the stop, keep the pavement accessible, and review the result with the people who waited there.
Climate adaptation is not only a matter of adding green color to a plan. It asks where people stand, when they need help, and who might be affected by the change.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
镇上沿主干道种了树，诊所旁的公交站却仍在烈日下。一个炎热的下午，我看见乘客在那里等车，而新铺的树荫小路几乎没人走。项目在地图上似乎很成功，好处却没有均匀地落到人们实际停留的地方。
我们和老师在不同时段测量树荫，采访常坐车的人。几位年长乘客说，长椅和树一样重要；也有人担心树根会挤窄人行道。一位店主提出，在镇上研究长远方案时，可先讨论搭一个临时遮阳棚。
我们的提案纳入这些不同顾虑。我们没有承诺一棵树就能解决炎热，而是建议镇上试验公交站遮阴措施、保持人行道方便通行，并请在那里等车的人一起评估。
适应气候变化，不只是给规划图增加绿色。还要问人们站在哪里、什么时候需要帮助，以及改变可能影响谁。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- shaded
- 有树荫的；新路并非候车区。
- benefits
- 益处；不一定落在需要处。
- evenly
- 均匀地；树荫分配并不平均。
- regular
- 经常的；询问常坐车乘客。
- roots
- 树根；可能影响人行道宽度。
- temporary
- 临时的；遮阳棚可先试。
- awning
- 遮阳棚；店主提出的过渡方案。
- accessible
- 方便通行的；不能让树根挤窄路。
- adaptation
- 适应；针对气候变化调整环境。
- affected
- 受影响的；要考虑改变牵涉谁。
Background notes (Chinese)
绿化效果需要结合人们实际等待的位置与时间来判断。诊所旁乘客提出座椅、遮阴和通行宽度等不同需求，提案因此不只着眼于树的数量。