Parks in cities are usually considered as islands of green among seas of concrete and steel. When yo

Parks in cities are usually considered as islands of green among seas of concrete and steel. When you approach the High Line on the west side of Manhattan, what you see first is the kind of thing urban parks were created to get away from—a heavy, black steal structure supporting a raised rail line that once brought freight(货运)trains right into factories, and that looks, at least from a distance, more like some abandoned leftover from the past than an urban oasis(绿洲).
That is what the High Line was until recently. But now, it has been turned into one of the most inviting public spaces. The black steel columns now hold up a raised park. Walking on the High Line, you float about eight meters above the ground. You can sit surrounded by carefully tended plantings and take in the sun and the Hudson River views, or you can walk the line as it winds its way between old buildings and striking new ones. I have walked the High Line dozens of times. Different from any street, sidewalk, or park, it never fails to surprise and delight me. The most extraordinary thing about the High Line is the way without streets to cross or traffic lights to wait for, ten blocks pass as quickly as two.
The High Line is a dream come true. The real heroes of the story are Joshua David and Robert Hammond. “I saw an article saying that the High Line was to be destroyed, and I wondered if anyone wanted to save it,” Hammond said. “I saw that it was on the agenda for a community meeting. I went to see what was going on, and there I met David. We were the only people there who wanted to save it.”
“The railroad representatives showed some plans to reuse it, which enraged(激怒)the people who were trying to get it torn down. We couldn’t believe the degree of rage those people had. Hammond and I asked railroad officials to take them to look at the High Line. When we got up there, we saw a mile and a half of wildflowers. New Yorkers always dream of finding open spaces—it’s fantasy when you live in a studio apartment.” David said. And that’s how the project began.
8．What does the underlined word “That” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A．An urban oasis. B．A raised rail
C．A black steel structure. D．An abandoned leftover.
9．What does the author notice while walking on the High Line?
A．He can always see strange things.
B．The weather seems much better there.
C．New buildings keep being built around it.
D．He can cover more miles in the same amount of time.
10．Why did Hammond go to the community meeting?
A．Because he was the representative of the railroad.
B．Because he went there to accompany his friend David.
C．Because he wanted to see if others would share his views.
D．Because he thought he could persuade people to join in his campaign.
11．How did David feel at the meeting?
A．He was pleased to realize he might succeed.