Two student loggers (伐木者) each held an end of a saw (锯子). They set the 1of the blade (刀片) on top of an 8-by 8-inch square piece of timber (木材) and began to 2it back and forth.

    They began slowly and3 worked to a faster pace.4the piece of wood fell to the ground, the students passed the saw to the second half of their relay team, who then began to saw.

    When Nate Letarte, Julian Baldinelli, Allan Theriault and David Merrill from School of Applied Technology in Mexico, Maine, US finished the relay, people 5 applause.

    It was like that with each event at the 38th Annual Loggers Meet early this month at a field across from the Mt Blue Campus.

    About 50 students from nearby areas in forestry programs took part in the event. The programs 6 students to the many aspects of forestry-related 7, from cutting wood to using heavy equipment to managing a small business and 8wood products.

    At the annual competition, students had a chance to show their9 at using axes, operating logging equipment such as a forwarder (传送装置) and knowing 10 trees, among other things. They can also share their 11of chainsaws (链锯).

    Kyle Holman, a senior, said the event lets students see what they are 12in the forestry field.

     “Some of us didn't know how to run a forwarder and other kids did,” he said.

    During the 13event, students used a forwarder to pick up wood and move it.

    The event 14out the strengths in student loggers, and shows them the qualities and15they have, junior Matt Given said.

     “We're all one big community with the same 16” senior Christopher Cook said. “This event just gives us a chance to show what we have 17at school.”

    Marshal Elwell, a senior, said he and his friends travelled over three hours 18 the event.

     “I think I'm going to 19 in the woods for a while,” Elwell said, talking about his post-graduation plan. “I enjoy 20 equipment. I like being in the woods.”

    A little girl grew a 40-pound cabbage, feeding 275 people. Now, she's 1it her life.

    Most children have2such as playing outside and swimming with friends. But this little girl has a hobby that's3from all of her friends. And it was this hobby that has4her to be able to help her community.

    5Katie Stagliano was around 9 years old, she was given a class project to 6her first cabbage in her home garden. It didn't even take long to7and begin to grow. As friends came over, they pointed out it is8than any of theirs. They asked her what she had 9and she just told them that she watered it every day. But it didn't 10long for it to grow bigger and bigger. It grew so large that the cabbage11weighing 40 pounds! Kate then decided that she could use this cabbage to do something12for the community. So she took the huge cabbage to a local soup kitchen, where they13 it with ham and rice. Because of her cabbage, 275 poor people were14

    She began to realize that15and helping people are what she likes to do most. So, she decided to16her first garden on the land.

    Katie is now 18 years old, and has set up her own non-profit organization called “Katie's Krops” with the17of her family friends. She has 18over 200,000 dollars! And there're over 100 “Katie's Krops” in the US. She   19gardening and loves encouraging other children to experience the20of gardening as well.

    “I just think a year ago, at 54 years of age, I couldn't swim. I was terrified at the thought of going into the water. Now, I have just1my 200 meters. It feels like a2 and it is all thanks to Everyday Swim.”

    It's never too late to learn swimming. Angela King, 55, is a perfect3of it .For years, she had to4sting on the side of a pool watching her family splash(拍水)around. Then in August 2016, the family went to an attraction they hadn't5for 15 years. Angela thought, “All this time, I still can't6When I get back home tomorrow, I'm going to find out more about swimming7”

    In the cold light of day, she felt a little8but her husband David searched the Inter-net for swimming classes. He found Everyday Swim at the local Hadleigh pool and9Angela to sign up. When she turned up for her first training, she says, “I felt a bit sick and10but this soon passed. The instructor11put me at ease, as did the other people in the class. They were all shapes and sizes12they were all feeling like me.”

    As the lessons13she learned to become more14in the water. At first, it was a simple15of learning she wasn't going to sink. Then during the third lesson, the Olympic gold medal winner Duncan Goodhew turned up to offer16“I couldn't believe it. He held my hand and we all held hands in a circle and splashed under the water. What he did made me believe that I could17it.

    When the 10 lessons for £100 offer finished at the pool, she18to sign up for lessons. In fact, from initially(开始) being19of the water, Angela was now becoming a regular swimmer and20some certificates along the way.

    I went with some colleagues from my office for a dinner in a very popular local restaurant. It was 1 business time and the restaurant was crowded. We 2found a table in a comer for three of us.

    As soon as we sat down，we heard a crash when a cleaning boy 3the floor with all the plates he was carrying. There was 4 and no one was saying or doing anything.

    In a flash I remembered mv 5 many years ago. Once, I 6 in the airport because 1 had rushed there on my own on an empty stomach. I was picked up and taken care of by two 7. Now this was my chance to 8 it forward.

    I ran to the young man's side immediately, turned him on his back and screamed for someone to 9 a hot drink. Soon people started asking if I was a doctor. I said I was not, 10 I was skillful at blacking out（晕厥）.

    The kid soon opened his eves, 11what had happened. I12 him by saying it was OK and I had had a 13 experience. He had not eaten anything. I held the 14drink to his mouth till he finished it and sat with him till he felt OK. By then the 15 had arrived. I asked her to give the kid something to eat. I offered to pay.

    The manager was kind enough to refuse the 16 and agreed to make sure the kid ate before he went home. By the time all this was 17 it was getting late for my colleagues. We hadn't 18 anything yet，so they decided to go home.

    I slowly walked home, not hungry any more, feeling 19 for the opportunity I pay forward the 20 I had received many years ago.

    I always come across random acts of kindness in my life. Many years ago, I was 1Costa Rica when I found myself in an 2situation: my credit cards and bank cards went out of 3 abroad, and I only had $5 to my 4.

    I had no way to get money. I didn't know anybody in this country. I only knew basic Spanish, and besides the cash the only 5I had was a return ticket to my country in almost two 6. Back then, there was no such thing as mobile phones, and7email was very limited. To find help, I decided to go to the countryside. With the only coins I had, I 8the bus terminal(终点站)and found a village, which 9almost the exact amount. About 4 hours later, I arrived at Santa Rosa Abajo at midnight.

    I knocked door to door,10in my very poor Spanish that I was a foreigner travelling in Costa Rica with no money but I 11to stay here for over ten days. I begged them for a 12－such as cooking , cleaning and looking after their kids, anything like that. Everybody 13, “oh my, but so poor are we that we have no 14 food or space. Maybe you can try the next 15.” And they'd point me to another house.

    16, I arrived at a Chinese restaurant. The owner of the restaurant was very 17. She gave me food and called the Red Cross to come to 18me. With the help of the Red Cross, I spent my19days in Costa Rica.

    This is one of the best trips I've ever had, because I realized that when you're in a position to be able to 20, it actually makes you feel happy.