Foreword:
PandasareoneofChina'smosttreasuredanimals,andtheyhavecapturedtheheartsofpeopleallovertheworld.Thisstoryisaboutathree-year-oldgirlnamedMei,whohasaspecialloveforpandas.MeilivesinChengdu,thecapitalcityofSichuanProvince,wherethegiantpandaisanationaltreasure.
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Mei'sfirstencounterwithapandawasattheChengduResearchBaseofGiantPandaBreeding.Shewasamazedbythesightofthebig,round,black-and-whitecreature.Fromthatdayon,Meibecamefascinatedwithpandas,andshewantedtolearnmoreaboutthem.
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Mei'sparentsnoticedherinterestanddecidedtotakehertotheresearchcentereveryweekendtowatchthepandasplayandeatbamboo.Meiwasthrilledtoseethepandasupcloseandwouldspendhourswatchingthem.
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Oneday,Meisawakeeperfeedingthepandasandthoughtitwouldbefuntodothatjob.Sheaskedherparentsifshecouldbecomeapandakeeper,andtheylaughedandsaidthatshewastooyoung.
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ButMeiwasdeterminedtobecomeapandakeeper.Shestartedtostudyeverythingshecouldaboutpandas,fromtheirdiettotheirhabits,andevenlearnedhowtospeakalittlebitofSichuandialect.
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Mei'sparentswereimpressedbyherdedicationanddecidedtohelpherfulfillherdream.TheycontactedtheresearchcenterandarrangedforMeitomeetwithoneofthekeepers.
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ThekeepershowedMeihowtopreparebambooforthepandas,cleantheirenclosures,andplaywiththem.Meiwassoexcitedthatshecouldn'tstoptalkingaboutitfordays.
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Meiwasnowofficiallyavolunteerpandakeeperattheresearchcenter.Everyweekend,shewouldgothereandhelpthekeeperstakecareofthepandas.Shewouldwakeupearlyinthemorningandpreparebambooforthem,cleantheirenclosures,andplaywiththem.
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Mei'sfavoritepandawasafemalenamedBaoBao.BaoBaowasveryplayfulandlovedtoclimbtrees.Meiwouldspendhoursplayingwithher,throwingballsandtoysforhertochase.
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Meialsolovedtowatchthepandaseatbamboo.Shefounditfascinatinghowtheycouldeatsomuchofiteverydayandneverseemtogetfull.Meieventriedeatingbambooherself,butshedidn'tlikethetaste.
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Oneday,Meiwitnessedsomethingamazing.Oneofthepandashadgivenbirthtoababycub.Meiwassoexcitedthatshewantedtoholdthecub,butthekeepertoldherthatitwastooyoungandfragile.
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Meiwatchedasthekeepertookcareofthecub,feedingitmilkfromabottleandkeepingitwarmwithablanket.Meilearnedthatpandasareborntinyandhelplessandneedalotofcarefromtheirmothers.
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Meicontinuedtovolunteerattheresearchcenterfortwoyears.Shehadbecomeveryclosetothepandasandhadevendevelopedabondwithsomeofthem.
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Oneday,Mei'sparentsreceivedacallfromtheresearchcenter.Theywerelookingforanewpandakeeper,andtheywantedtoofferthejobtoMei.
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Meiwasthrilledattheopportunityandimmediatelysaidyes.Herparentswereproudofherandknewthatshewoulddoagreatjob.
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Meistartedhernewjobasapandakeeperattheageofsix.Shewasnowresponsiblefortakingcareofthepandas,feedingthem,cleaningtheirenclosures,andplayingwiththem.
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Meilovedhernewjobandtookitveryseriously.Shewouldwakeupearlyinthemorningandgototheresearchcentereveryday,rainorshine.
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Mei'sfavoritepartofthejobwasplayingwiththepandas.Shewouldbringthemtoysandtreatsandwatchastheyplayedandrolledaroundintheirenclosures.
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Meialsoenjoyedwatchingthepandasinteractwitheachother.Shelearnedthatpandashaveacomplexsocialhierarchyandthattheycommunicatewitheachotherthroughavarietyofsoundsandbodylanguage.
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Mei'shardworkpaidoffwhenshewasinvitedtotakecareofthenewestadditiontotheresearchcenter,ababypandacub.Meiwasthrilledattheopportunityandtookgreatcareofthecub,feedingitmilkfromabottleandkeepingitwarmwithablanket.
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Meicontinuedtoworkasapandakeeperformanyyears,andshebecamefamousinChengduforherloveofpandas.Peoplewouldoftenstopheronthestreettoaskforherautographortotakeapicturewithher.
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Mei'sloveforpandasneverfaded,andshecontinuedtoworkattheresearchcenteruntilshewasanoldwoman.Shehadseenmanypandascomeandgoovertheyears,butsheneverforgotherfirstlove,BaoBao.
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Mei'slegacylivesontoday,assheinspiredmanyyoungchildreninChengdutofollowinherfootstepsandbecomepandakeepers.Mei'sloveforpandaswillalwaysberememberedasasymbolofChina'snationaltreasure.
