散文：夜莺与玫瑰Part 3

  "For a red rose?" They cried: "How very ridiculous!" and the little lizard¹, who was something of a

cynic ,laughed outright². But the nightingale understood the secret of the student’s sorrow, and she sat silent in the oak-tree, and thought about the mystery of Love.

  Suddenly she spread her brown wings for flight, and soared into the air. She passed through

the grove³ like a shadow and like a shadow she sailed across the garden.

  In the center of the grass-plot was standing⁴ a beautiful rose-tree, and when she saw

it she flew over to it, and lit upon a spray. "Give me a red rose," she cried, "and I will sing you my sweetest song."

  But the tree shook its head.　"My roses are white," it answered; "as white as the foam⁵ of the sea, and whiter than the snow upon the mountain. But go to my brother who grows round

the old sun-dial , and perhaps he will give you what you want." 

  So the nightingale flew over to the rose-tree that was growing round the old sun-dial. "Give me a red rose," she cried, "and I will sing you my sweetest song."

  But the tree shook its head."My roses are yellow," it answered; "as yellow as the hair of the

mermaiden who sits upon an amber⁶ throne, and yellower than the daffodil that blooms in the meadow before the mower⁷ comes with his scythe⁸. But go to my brother who grows beneath the student’s window, and perhaps he will give you what you want."

 

 

【词汇简析】

outright adv.adj 完全的，完全地

flight n. 飞行

soar v. 高飞

grove n. 小树林

foam n. 泡沫

sun-dial n. 一种玫瑰

mermaiden n. 美人鱼

amber n.adj 琥珀，琥珀色的

throne n. 宝座

daffodil n. 黄水仙

meadow n. 草地

mower n. 割草人

scythe n. 镰刀

1 lizard   

n.蜥蜴，壁虎

参考例句：

• A chameleon is a kind of lizard.变色龙是一种蜥蜴。
• The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect.蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。

2 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

3 grove   

n.林子，小树林，园林

参考例句：

• On top of the hill was a grove of tall trees.山顶上一片高大的树林。
• The scent of lemons filled the grove.柠檬香味充满了小树林。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 foam   

v./n.泡沫，起泡沫

参考例句：

• The glass of beer was mostly foam.这杯啤酒大部分是泡沫。
• The surface of the water is full of foam.水面都是泡沫。

6 amber   

n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的

参考例句：

• Would you like an amber necklace for your birthday?你过生日想要一条琥珀项链吗？
• This is a piece of little amber stones.这是一块小小的琥珀化石。

7 mower   

n.割草机

参考例句：

• We need a lawn mower to cut the grass.我们需要一台草坪修剪机来割草。
• Your big lawn mower is just the job for the high grass.割高草时正需要你的大割草机。

8 scythe   

n. 长柄的大镰刀，战车镰； v. 以大镰刀割

参考例句：

• He's cutting grass with a scythe.他正在用一把大镰刀割草。
• Two men were attempting to scythe the long grass.两个人正试图割掉疯长的草。