We are in Wollemi National Park, north of Sydney, Australia. It’s September 1994. Imagine a forest ranger (护林员) walking in the wilderness. His name is David Noble. He climbs down to a remote deep valley and sees something that he will never forget.

In front of him is a strange forest of unusual trees. The tallest are almost 40 meters high, and the base diameter (底部直径) of their trunks is about one meter. The trees do not have the leaves that we usually see and look a bit like giant ferns (蕨类植物) with green branches. Deeply impressed by the unusual trees, David picks up a dry branch from the ground and puts it in his backpack. He stays under these strange trees for a while and then continues his hike.

David’s chance finding that day became one of the most significant botanical finds in 100 years, as the ancient tree species was thought to be extinct millions of years ago. In fact, it is so unbelievably rare that it has since been compared with finding a small dinosaur still alive on Earth.

So there are ancient dinosaur trees in Wollemi National Park. The tree is named Wollemia Nobilis. The Park takes immediate action to protect the trees. Only a few researchers are allowed to see them. They are taken to the deep valley by helicopter, and before they get there, their eyes are covered. Crowds of visitors will no doubt destroy the trees, but natural disasters, for example, forest fires, can also threaten them.

We are now in 2024, and the Wollemia environmental protection effort is in full swing. Wollemia seeds are on sale. Young Wollemias pop up in homes, gardens and parks around the world. Those who want to see the endangered species don’t have to search for their natural habitat. Instead, they can see the trees in parks closer to home.

Few sights fill you with nostalgia (怀旧) like the fireflies dancing at night. 【小题1】Their populations are declining around the world as the threats against them are increasing. Sara Lewis, an expert who studies the insects, offers tips on what you can do to ensure that fireflies will continue to light up your backyard.

Create a firefly habitat

【小题2】 With about 2, 000 different species of fireflies, there’s a wide variety of environments in which they thrive (繁衍) —including wetlands, forests, and even city parks—which is why some species are more threatened than others. “You can recreate those conditions in your own backyard simply by leaving some leaf litter around the edges of your property, “ Lewis says. ”That’s a good microhabitat for fireflies.”

【小题3】

Flashing lights are an important part in fireflies life. As the sun sets, male fireflies move around while flashing their lights to signal their interest. If a nearby female is interested, she flashes back from her position to the ground, and the males fly down to find her. “All of that has to happen for the next generation to survive,” says Lewis. “However, light pollution makes those scenes much harder to see. It’s like cutting a phone line. It really stops the romance. 【小题4】You can draw your curtains shut at night and turn off the lights completely when possible.”

Stop using pesticides (杀虫剂)

Using pesticides in your yard also poses an existential threat to fireflies, which are insects after all. 【小题5】. Scientists are researching alternatives to chemical pesticides that could target specific species, like mosquitoes, while leaving other insects unharmed.

On Christmas Eve morning I awoke with a mission: to find my lost cat, Baby-Girl. As I got ready, I could hear icy rain pelting the windows. Baby-Girl was somewhere in the storm, I could just feel it. Sure, it had been months since she’d disappeared, but I still had faith. This was the season for miracles, after all.

My dad and I spent the last holiday searching for her in the park nearby. Dad was the family’s “realist,” which meant he spent time trying to prepare me for the worst. “She’s either been hit by a car or been taken in by someone,” he said. I rolled my eyes. He could do with a little more faith!

Though I couldn’t explain it, I knew I’d see Baby-Girl again. She could survive all on her own. Even after I lived without her and the weeks stretched into months, deep down I had this feeling that we’d be reunited one day.

Now, again for the holidays, I made up my mind to pick up my search. I grabbed Baby-Girl’s cat carrier and loaded it into the car, then asked my dad to drive me to the shelter.

“Sharon, be realistic!” my dad said as we headed to the garage. “She’s been gone too long. You’re not going to find her.”

“Well, I just have a feeling,” I said. “Don’t you believe in Christmas miracle?”

At the shelter, a staff member took us to see the cats. We walked through rows of cages. My eyes scanned cats of all colors and sizes. None of them was my Baby-Girl. Then I noticed a room farther back. I pushed ahead. “Sweetheart, that’s where they keep the cats that just came in,” Dad said.

I insisted on stepping into the room. Suddenly, there came a familiar meow (猫叫). I followed it and my eyes fell on a little cat with big green eyes. Skinnier than I remembered, it was Baby-Girl! My eyes welled up with tears. I opened the cage door. Baby-Girl practically jumped into my arms.