【英语时差8,16】肥皂草

 生词：

saponaria [ˌsæpəˈnɛərɪə] 肥皂草属

turmoil¹ ['tə:mɔil] 骚动

Voltaire：French writer who was the embodiment of 18th century Enlightenment (1694-1778)

utilitarian² [͵ju:tili'tεəriən] 功利主义的, 实利主义的

buxom³ ['bʌksəm] 丰满的, 健美的

vigorously ['viɡərəsli] 精神旺盛地

tuft [tʌft] 树林; 灌木丛

alyssum [ə'lisəm] 庭荠属植物

droop⁴ [dru:p] 下垂；朝下

terrace ['terəs] 台地；梯田

slope [sləup] 倾斜

 

To escape the turmoil’s of the world, “we should cultivate our gardens,” said Voltaire. However, people in ancient times, had utilitarian, as well as recreational motives⁵ for gardening. There are plants growing in almost every region of the world that can be boiled with water to produce a soapy lather⁶. There are, for example, several species of “Saponaria” commonly called “soapwort.” Even after people learned to make soap from an extract of wood ashes and hot fat, some of these soapworts continued to be cultivated in flower gardens. One hardy⁷ perennial⁸ soapwort which grows to a height of 1.5 feet with pale pink or white flowers is known by the common name of “Bouncing Bet.” The name seems to have come from comments about a buxom laundress seen from the rear, vigorously scrubbing.

 

    This saponaria is not well behaved in the garden as it self sows and spreads aggressively. However, you definitely should consider planting the better behaved, low growing saponaria “ocymoides,” because it is a wonderful rock garden plant. In early summer it is covered with small rose pink flowers and is a good companion for white candy tuft (iberus) or yellow alyssum (aurinia). It is reliably perennial in zones three thru eight, and can bloom for over a month. It droops⁹ gracefully¹⁰ on walls, terraces and slopes and likes sun or part sun. It is native to the Cote D’ Azur region of France, but also a favorite in American gardens.

1 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

2 utilitarian   

adj.实用的，功利的

参考例句：

• On the utilitarian side American education has outstridden the rest of the world.在实用方面美国教育已超越世界各国。
• A good cloth coat is more utilitarian than a fur one.一件优质的布外衣要比一件毛皮外衣更有用。

3 buxom   

adj.（妇女）丰满的，有健康美的

参考例句：

• Jane is a buxom blond.简是一个丰满的金发女郎.
• He still pictured her as buxom,high-colored,lively and a little blowsy.他心中仍旧认为她身材丰满、面色红润、生气勃勃、还有点邋遢。

4 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。

5 motives   

n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机
• His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

6 lather   

n.(肥皂水的)泡沫，激动

参考例句：

• Soap will not lather in sea-water.肥皂在海水里不起泡沫。
• He always gets in a lather when he has an argument with his wife.当他与妻子发生争论时他总是很激动。

7 hardy   

adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的

参考例句：

• The kind of plant is a hardy annual.这种植物是耐寒的一年生植物。
• He is a hardy person.他是一个能吃苦耐劳的人。

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 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。

10 gracefully   

ad.大大方方地；优美地

参考例句：

• She sank gracefully down onto a cushion at his feet. 她优雅地坐到他脚旁的垫子上。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line. 新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。