英语听力文摘 English Digest 102、英国报春花

　　Benjamin Disraeli was Prime Minister of England from 1874 to 1880 and the primrose¹ was his favorite flower. He gave bouquets² of them to his monarch³, Queen Victoria, who probably not coincidentally, found him quite charming. Buckner Hollingsworth wrote, “England displays a rose on the royal coat of arms, but she carries a primrose in her heart.” England has perfect growing conditions for primroses⁴, sometimes called cowslips.
They like partial shade and moist, rich soil and go dormant⁵ if they are hot and dry. The plant belongs to the genus “Primula” and the leaves form crinkly green rosettes. The flowers, in luscious⁶ colors, are held in tight clusters above the leaves. To find varieties that adapt well to your growing conditions, it is best to consult with knowledgeable⁷ staff at your local garden center.
I have only one (primrose auricular) that is perennial⁸ in my garden in Southern Indiana. But every spring I buy some pots at the grocery store, seduced⁹ by their vivid colors. Even though I know they won’t be permanent additions to my garden, I just have to have one on my dining room table and a couple by my front path. Then for a short time, at least, I can pretend to walk down a primrose path.
primrose:报春花
bouquet:花束
monarch:君主
coincidentally:巧合的
dormant：休眠的
cluster：束
perennial：长久的，多年生植物

1 primrose   

n.樱草，最佳部分，

参考例句：

• She is in the primrose of her life.她正处在她一生的最盛期。
• The primrose is set off by its nest of green.一窝绿叶衬托着一朵樱草花。

2 bouquets   

n.花束( bouquet的名词复数 )；（酒的）芳香

参考例句：

• The welcoming crowd waved their bouquets. 欢迎的群众摇动着花束。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• As the hero stepped off the platform, he was surrounded by several children with bouquets. 当英雄走下讲台时，已被几名手持花束的儿童围住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 monarch   

n.帝王，君主，最高统治者

参考例句：

• The monarch's role is purely ceremonial.君主纯粹是个礼仪职位。
• I think myself happier now than the greatest monarch upon earth.我觉得这个时候比世界上什么帝王都快乐。

4 primroses   

n.报春花( primrose的名词复数 )；淡黄色；追求享乐（招至恶果）

参考例句：

• Wild flowers such as orchids and primroses are becoming rare. 兰花和报春花这类野花越来越稀少了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The primroses were bollming; spring was in evidence. 迎春花开了，春天显然已经到了。 来自互联网

5 dormant   

adj.暂停活动的；休眠的；潜伏的

参考例句：

• Many animals are in a dormant state during winter.在冬天许多动物都处于睡眠状态。
• This dormant volcano suddenly fired up.这座休眠火山突然爆发了。

6 luscious   

adj.美味的；芬芳的；肉感的，引与性欲的

参考例句：

• The watermelon was very luscious.Everyone wanted another slice.西瓜很可口，每个人都想再来一片。
• What I like most about Gabby is her luscious lips!我最喜欢的是盖比那性感饱满的双唇！

7 knowledgeable   

adj.知识渊博的；有见识的

参考例句：

• He's quite knowledgeable about the theatre.他对戏剧很有心得。
• He made some knowledgeable remarks at the meeting.他在会上的发言颇有见地。

8 perennial   

adj.终年的；长久的

参考例句：

• I wonder at her perennial youthfulness.我对她青春常驻感到惊讶。
• There's a perennial shortage of teachers with science qualifications.有理科教学资格的老师一直都很短缺。

9 seduced   

诱奸( seduce的过去式和过去分词 )； 勾引； 诱使堕落； 使入迷

参考例句：

• The promise of huge profits seduced him into parting with his money. 高额利润的许诺诱使他把钱出了手。
• His doctrines have seduced many into error. 他的学说把许多人诱入歧途。