英国学生科学读本 第61期:雪花莲(1)

 　　Lesson 61 The Snow-drop

　　第61课 雪花莲

　　When the new year comes, the snow-drop is the first of all the flowers to put forth¹ its lovely white blossoms². We call it the "snow-drop," not only because its flowers are "white as snow," but also because they are often seen in early spring pushing their way through the snow which then covers the ground. Look at the way in which the flower droops⁴ or hangs down its head, and you will see the reason for calling it a drop or droop³.

　　每当新年来临的时候，雪花莲总是第一个绽放出美丽动人的白色花朵。我们之所以称它为“雪花莲”，不仅仅是因为这种植物的花朵“洁白如雪”，还在于它经常在早春时便破土而出，穿过地面上的积雪，展现自己婀娜的身姿。看看花朵那垂首思索或低头不语的姿态，你便能够明白花名中“水滴”或“垂下”的由来。

　　The snow-drop was brought to this country from abroad many years ago. It is quite at home with us now, and in a few places it may even be found growing wild. But its usual home is in our gardens and orchards⁵.

　　许多年以前，雪花莲从海外来到英国。如今，它已经很适应英国的水土了，在有些地方，甚至在野外安家落户。不过，一般还是种在我们的花园及果园之中。

　　Let us pull up a snow-drop, roots and all, and see what the entire plant is like. We notice at once that it has a little, egg-shaped bulb, about half an inch in thickness. White, thread-like roots hang down from this bulb, while from its upper end there rise two narrow green leaves, six or eight inches in length.

　　让我们连根拔起一株雪花莲，仔细观察这种植物的结构。大家首先看到的就是一个厚度约为半英寸的蛋形鳞茎，而线状的白色根部就是从这里向下延伸，鳞茎顶端则长出两片狭窄的绿叶，长度为六到八英寸不等。

　　Between these two leaves the flower-stalk grows up, surrounded by a green, folding leaf. Near its top the flower-stalk bends over, so that the single white flower at its end hangs downwards⁶.

　　位于这两片叶子中间的花柄向上生长并且被包裹在一片绿叶中间。叶柄从靠近顶部的位置开始弯曲，因此，每一株雪花莲都会呈现出低头思索的样子。

　　Let us look very closely at this pretty white flower. It is made of three large and three small white leaves. Inside these are six dust-spikes or stamens, which grow on the top of the seed-vessel. You can see the lower part of this seed-vessel outside the flower. It looks like a small green swelling⁷ at the top of the flower-stalk.

　　让我们仔细看看它那漂亮的白色花朵。花瓣共分六片，三大三小。生在种皮顶部的是六根粉穗或雄蕊，你可以看到花朵外面的种皮下半部分。它看起来就像一块很小的绿色隆起，生长在花柄顶部。

1 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

2 blossoms   

n.（尤指果树的）花( blossom的名词复数 )；花丛，花簇v.（植物）开花( blossom的第三人称单数 )；发展；长成；变得更加健康（或自信、成功）

参考例句：

• It was springtime and the slopes were ablaze with almond blossoms. 时当春季，怒放的扁桃花使那片山坡鲜红似火。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The spring comes and peach blossoms [flowers] are all open. 春天了，桃花都开了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 droop   

v.低垂，下垂；凋萎，萎靡

参考例句：

• The heavy snow made the branches droop.大雪使树枝垂下来。
• Don't let your spirits droop.不要萎靡不振。

4 droops   

弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• If your abdomen droops or sticks out, the high BMI is correct. 如果你的腹部下垂或伸出，高BMI是正确的。
• Now droops the milk white peacock like a ghost. 乳白色的孔雀幽灵般消沉。

5 orchards   

（通常指围起来的）果园( orchard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They turned the hills into orchards and plains into granaries. 他们把山坡变成了果园，把平地变成了粮仓。
• Some of the new planted apple orchards have also begun to bear. 有些新开的苹果园也开始结苹果了。

6 downwards   

adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地）

参考例句：

• He lay face downwards on his bed.他脸向下伏在床上。
• As the river flows downwards,it widens.这条河愈到下游愈宽。

7 swelling   

n.肿胀

参考例句：

• Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。
• There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。