英国学生科学读本 第61期:雪花莲(2)

　　If you cut this seed-vessel across with a pen-knife, you will find inside it some tiny young green seeds.

　　用一把小刀将这个种皮切开，就能看到里面尚未成熟的绿色小种。

　　Within the flower of the snow-drop you can see some green stripes¹ on the white leaves; and as you are looking closely² at it, you may perhaps notice that the flower has a sweet smell. Both the smell and the green marks attractflying insects to the flower, and guide them down into its honey-cup. These insects, as you know, carry the pollendust from flower to flower, and so help the snow-drops to form their seeds.

　　你可以看到，雪花莲花朵里面的白色花瓣上有一些绿色条纹；凑近观察，你还会闻到甜美的花香。这种香味与绿色条纹都能够吸引飞虫并引导它们来到自己的蜜腺之中。大家知道，这些昆虫可以携带花粉并且在花朵之间进行传播。如此一来，雪花莲便能够结出果实。

　　Why do the flowers of the snow-drop hang down their heads? If they did not do so, the heavy rains of early spring would soon wash all the honey out of their cups, and all the pollen³ dust from their dust-spikes. In February the insects go to sleep in the afternoon, and then, too, the snow-drop shuts up its blossoms⁴; they do not open till the next morning, when the insects are again on the wing.

　　雪花莲为什么总是低着头呢？如果它们不是保持这种姿态，那么早春的大雨一定会将蜜腺中的花蜜与雄蕊中的花粉全部冲洗一空。到了二月，昆虫们在午后时分都会沉沉睡去，而雪花莲也会闭合自己的花朵。到了第二天清晨，昆虫们又开始挥舞翅膀，采集花粉；而雪花莲则再次绽放。

　　Do you know any other plant which is very much like the snow-drop? After the snow-drop has gone, the pretty yellow daffodil appears in the woods during March and April. If you pull a daffodil flower to pieces, you will find that in the number of its parts, and in the way in which they are arranged⁵, it is very like the snow-drop. The daffodil—or "Lent-lily" as it is also called—grows very well in a garden, or in a flower-pot. You must plant the bulbs in the autumn, and they will flower in the next spring.

　　你还知道其他与雪花莲相似的植物吗？到了三四月份，雪花莲凋谢之后，漂亮的黄色水仙花就出现在了树林之中。如果你分解开一朵水仙花，就会发现，它的花朵结构与花瓣数量都与雪花莲非常相似。无论是在花园还是在花盆中，水仙花（又名“百合花”）都能够顺利生长。记住，水仙花的鳞茎必须在秋天种下，这样它们就能够在来年春天开出美丽的花朵。

1 stripes   

n.（与底色不同的）条纹( stripe的名词复数 )；（军装或警服上表示等级的）臂章；纹理

参考例句：

• The plant's stem is marked with thin green longitudinal stripes. 这种植物的茎上长有绿色细长条纹。
• a zebra's black and white stripes 斑马的黑白条纹

2 closely   

adv.紧密地；严密地，密切地

参考例句：

• We shall follow closely the development of the situation.我们将密切注意形势的发展。
• The two companies are closely tied up with each other.这两家公司之间有密切联系。

3 pollen   

n.[植]花粉

参考例句：

• Hummingbirds have discovered that nectar and pollen are very nutritious.蜂鸟发现花蜜和花粉是很有营养的。
• He developed an allergy to pollen.他对花粉过敏。

4 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》

5 arranged   

adj.安排的v.安排，准备( arrange的过去式和过去分词 )；把…（系统地）分类；整理；改编（剧本等）

参考例句：

• The party was arranged quickly. 聚会很快就安排好了。
• Chairs in rows are not as conducive to discussion as chairs arranged in a circle. 椅子成排摆放不如成圈摆放便于讨论。