VOA标准英语2013--Late Cherry Blossoms Disappoint Washington Tourists

Late Cherry Blossoms¹ Disappoint Washington Tourists

Snow mixed with rain greeted visitors to the Jefferson Memorial and the adjacent² Tidal Basin. Photographer Judy Young was hoping to snap³ shots of the city's famous cherry blossoms, covered with snow.

"I came down here to find snow on these beautiful cherry blossoms, or even the buds⁴. Did I find snow? No. It's raining this morning," she said.

School groups fisting on spring break were also disappointed. Some arrived unaware⁵ that cooler-than-expected weather delayed the blossoms on the cherry trees - given to the United States by Japan more than 100 years ago. 

Marshall True, a student from California, hoped to take home a special souvenir for his Japanese language instructor⁶.

"I go to a Japanese class, and she was hoping to see pictures of cherry blossoms, so I have to disappoint her," said True.

"It's lucky for us we brought these clothes because it's winter here, not spring," said Sonia Bastidas, a tourist from Switzerland. She and her traveling companion, Mark Shmid, hoped to see Washington's spring spectacular⁷ while in town.

"We were hoping to see it, but it's a bit early, I guess. So maybe during the end of the trip, we'll get to see some," he said.

The National Park Service updated its prediction of peak bloom time for the District of Columbia’s cherry trees because of the cold weather. It now says the cherry blossoms will be in full bloom in early April. 

1 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》

2 adjacent   

adj.（to）邻近的，毗连的

参考例句：

• These young students lives in adjacent rooms.这些年轻的学生住在毗连的房间里。
• The house adjacent to ours is under repairs.与我家相邻的房子正在修缮。

3 snap   

n.啪地移动，突然断掉；v.猛咬，咬断，谩骂，砰然关上

参考例句：

• He broke off the twig with a snap.他啪地一声把那根树枝折断了。
• These earrings snap on with special fasteners.这副耳环是用特制的按扣扣上去的。

4 buds   

芽( bud的名词复数 )； 苞； 半开的花； 未长大的叶

参考例句：

• the first buds appearing in spring 春天的初芽
• Willow trees breaking out into buds foretell the coming of spring. 柳枝绽青报春来。

5 unaware   

a.不知道的，未意识到的

参考例句：

• They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
• I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。

6 instructor   

n.指导者，教员，教练

参考例句：

• The college jumped him from instructor to full professor.大学突然把他从讲师提升为正教授。
• The skiing instructor was a tall,sunburnt man.滑雪教练是一个高高个子晒得黑黑的男子。

7 spectacular   

adj.引人注目的，出色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• This is a spectacular film.这是一部场面壮观的电影。
• This is the most spectacular financial crash of the decade.这是10年里最引人注目的金融破产事件。