Would it surprise you to learn that, like animals, trees communicate with each other and pass on their wealth to the next generation?

    UBC Professor Simard explains how trees are much more complex than most of us ever imagined .Although Charles Darwin thought that trees are competing for survival of the fittest, Simard shows just how wrong he was. In fact, the opposite is true: trees survive through their co-operation and support, passing around necessary nutrition “depending on who needs it”.

    Nitrogen（氮） and carbon are shared through miles of underground fungi（真菌） networks, making sure that all trees in the forest ecological system give and receive just the right amount to keep them all healthy. This hidden system works in a very similar way to the networks of neurons（神经元）in our brains, and when one tree is destroyed, it affects all.

    Simard talks about “mother trees”, usually the largest and oldest plants on which all other trees depend .She explains how dying trees pass on the wealth to the next generation, transporting important minerals to young trees so they may continue to grow .When humans cut down “mother trees” with no awareness of these highly complex “tree societies” or the networks on which they feed, we are reducing the chances of survival for the entire forest.

    “We didn't take any notice of it .” Simard says sadly. “Dying trees move nutrition into the young trees before dying, but we never give them chance.” If we could put across the message to the forestry industry, we could make a huge difference towards our environmental protection efforts for the future.

    Chester City Library offers a range of Library Special Needs Services to people who don't have access to our library service in the usual way. As long as you live in Chester City, we'll provide a wide range of library services and resources including:

    Large printed and ordinary printed books

    Talking books on tape and CD

    DVDs and music CDs

    Magazines

    Reference and information requests

    Home delivery service

    Let us know what you like to read and we will choose the resources for you. Our staff will deliver the resources to your home for free. We also provide a service where we can choose the resources for you or someone instead of you choose the things from the library. You can also choose the resources you need personally.

    Talking books and captioned videos

    The library can provide talking books for people who are unable to use printed books because of eye diseases. You don't have to miss out on reading any more when you can borrow talking books from the library. If you have limited hearing which prevents you from enjoying movies, we can provide captioned videos for you at no charge.

    Languages besides English

    We can provide books in a range of languages besides English. If possible, we will request these items from the State Library of NSW, Australia.

    How to join?

    Contact the Library Special Needs Coordinator to register or discuss if you are eligible (合适的) for any of the services we provide-Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9am-5pm on 4297 2522 for more information.

                                                                                                                          Active New Zealand

    Adventure tours in New Zealand and South America

    Website: www.activenewzealand.com

    Phone: 1-800-661-9073

    Destinations: South Pacific, New Zealand, South America, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica

    Activities: Bicycling, Mountain, Road, Cross-Country/Touring, Sea-kayaking, Hiking & Trekking(远足), Backpacking, Exploring, Day hiking, Family, Scuba-diving（带水肺潜水）, Rainforest, Wildlife, Walking

    Adventure Life

    Exceptional travel in Latin America and Antarctica

    Website: www.adventure-life.com

    Phone: 1-800-344-6118

    Destinations: Antarctica, South America, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Central America, Belize, Costa Rica, Panama

    Activities: Kayaking, Rafting, Sea-kayaking, Hiking & Trekking, Backpacking, Exploring, Day hiking, Multisport, Cultural, Archaeological（考古的）, Historical, Scuba & Snorkeling, Nature, Rainforest, Wildlife, Eco-focused, Culture-focused, Expedition Cruising

    Adventure Spirit / Travel Network

    Adventure tour operator + Travel agency

    Website: www.worldadventures.travel

    Phone:1- 800-492-0257

    Destinations: Asia, Europe, South Pacific, Antarctica, Africa, South America, North America

    Activities: Bicycling, Paddlesport, Snowsport, Hiking & Trekking, Caving, Family, Multisport, Cultural, Beach & Watersport, Scuba & Snorkeling, Nature, Photography, Safari, Geotourism, Fishing & Fishing Lodges, Sailing & Cruise, Other, Expedition Cruising, Space, Educational, Walking, Horseback/Dude Ranch（牧场）, Self-Drive, Around the World Tours

    Ever order a drink, and feel cheated on the pour? Before you trouble the waiter, take a closer look at the size of your glass. “People will generally think there being less in larger containers, than in smaller ones.” Says Theresa Marteau, a behavioral scientist at the University of Cambridge, in England.

    She and her workmates had analyzed（分析）how larger amounts—and larger plates—trick us into eating more food. And they wondered: could the same be true for alcohol?

    So the researchers convinced the employees at a local bar to run an experiment: every two weeks, for four months, they'd change the bars wine glasses from the standard 300 milliliter size, to either slightly larger—370 milliliters, or slightly smaller—250 milliliters. They saw how the size of the glass affected customers' drinking habits, even though the pour, the amount of alcoholic drinks, was unchanged.

    It turned out that serving wine in smaller glasses had no measurable effect. But the large glasses increased wine sales 10 percent-even after controlling for day of the week, temperature, holidays and so on. The reason? “When the wine, the same amount, is being served in a larger glass, people are probably thinking they've got less in there.” Which, she says, means they might drink more, believing they haven't hit their nightly limit. Or, they might just feel less satisfied with the pour, and buy another round. The study appears in the journal BMC Public Health.

    Marteau says that, if later studies confirm this effect, public health officials might consider directing a certain average glass size. “Stating clearly the largest size in which wine can be sold could be a measure to reduce the overconsumption（过度消耗）of alcohol that seems to be shown by the glass size.” Until that happens, the bar in the study now always serves its wine in the larger glasses.

    As Simon Kindleysides, 34, took his first step in the London Marathon in April, he felt as if magic was in the air.

    "As we were walking toward the first mile, we actually started joining all the runners," he said. "Everyone was on the streets, cheering, and that was a magical moment." As time went on, the crowds and other racers spread around. Kindleysides and his team of eight supporters continued walking.

    Kindleysides, who is paralyzed(瘫痪的)from the waist down and typically uses a wheelchair, was equipped with an exoskeleton(体外骨骼)to help him walk. His supporters walked with him to change the batteries in his exoskeleton so he could keep moving.

    In 2013, Kindleysides was diagnosed with a brain tumor (肿瘤) that was growing in a way that pressed on certain nerves, leading to him losing feeling in his legs. He was told he would never walk again. Before his paralysis, the London­based singer and dancer had "always wanted to run a marathon," he said, but he never made the plan to do so­­until this year.

    During the London Marathon, the last two miles were the hardest. "At that point, I was exhausted. It was freezing cold, and I was hurting emotionally," Kindleysides said. But he kept going. "I didn't want to let people down. I had a team of eight, and I was raising money for The Brain Tumour Charity," he said. "I didn't want to let them down, myself down, and I thought if I would get this far, I would have to continue."So he continued and made history as the first paralyzed man to complete the London Marathon on foot.

    Then, recovering at home, he shared his accomplishment with his three children. "They used to say I'm the only dad in their whole school who's in a wheelchair, and now they say I'm their dad, the only one who has walked a marathon," he said.

    Kindleysides is training to complete three more marathons next year, including the London Marathon again.

    I used to be crazy about the hunting season. The excitement of waiting for a prey(猎物)and the pride of showing off the kill fascinated me. However, everything changed after that cold morning.

    Early on that day of the late fall, I set off alone for the woods, packing a gun, a bottle of hot coffee and three thick sandwiches. After finding the fresh deer's tracks in the snow, I settled down behind a little bush.

I sat there for about an hour. It was then that I saw him. A deer, a big beautiful deer! There was no cover nearer to him than 30 yards. Surely I couldn't miss! I waited for him to realize I was there. I waited for him to be shocked and run away. But he fooled me completely. He came towards me! He was curious, I suppose, or maybe he was stupid—how else can you explain it? Well, that deer walked right up to where I was sitting. Then he stopped and looked at me!

    What happened next is hard to believe, but it's true. And it all seemed quite natural. Just as when a friendly young deer comes near you, I reached up and scratched his head. And he liked to be scratched. In fact, he practically asked for more. Then, I fed him my sandwich! Yes, I know what a deer eats, but that deer ate my sandwich. Well, he finally went his way, down the hill and up the deer trail. Shoot him? Not me. You wouldn't have either, not after that. I just watched him go.

    When I was about half way back, I heard two shots, followed by a dull slam(撞击)a few seconds later. Those two shots usually mean a kill. I had forgotten there were other hunters that day.

    Those hunters would never know they could have scratched his head.