【英语时差8,16】洋地黄

生词：

mound¹ [maund] 土墩; 土堆

spire² ['spaiə] 幼叶, 幼苗

digitalis [͵didӡi'teilis] 洋[毛]地黄

superstition³ [͵sju:pə'sti∫ən] 迷信; [古]异教; 异端

offend [ə'fend] 冒犯; 侮辱

biennial⁴ [bai'eniəl] 二年生的

mulch [mʌlt∫] 林地覆盖物; 护根物; 地面覆盖料

stem [stem] 茎, 干, 花梗, 叶柄

bud [bʌd] 芽; 萌芽

exotic [iɡ'zɔtik] 外(国)来的, 外国产[制造]的; 外国种的

 

To provide a contrast of shapes in your garden, you need some plants that mound and some that send up vertical⁵ spires⁶. Tall spires of bell shaped flowers are produced by foxgloves, which belong to the genus “digitalis.” The chemicals from these plants have been used to treat heart disease. The name “foxglove” seems to have evolved from “folk’s glove.” Folks referred to “little people” or “fairies.”

 

    There was an ancient superstition that if you picked a foxglove you would offend the “fairies.” Most varieties are biennial, flowering in the second year after planting and then dying out. However, they frequently self seed and there are a few true perennial⁷ foxgloves available.

 

    All varieties like partial shade and rich well drained soil with plenty of moisture. They like a mulch to protect their roots over the winter. The blooms open progressively up the stem with the open flowers at the bottom and the buds at the top. Many of the flowers have interesting dark colored spots that create an exotic effect. After the blooms fade, leave the spikes⁸ to set seeds if you want them to reproduce. Foxgloves are lovely to look at, but they are poisonous, so if you have young children, you might want just to admire them in someone else’s garden.

1 mound   

n.土墩，堤，小山；v.筑堤，用土堆防卫

参考例句：

• The explorers climbed a mound to survey the land around them.勘探者爬上土丘去勘测周围的土地。
• The mound can be used as our screen.这个土丘可做我们的掩蔽物。

2 spire   

n.(教堂)尖顶，尖塔，高点

参考例句：

• The church spire was struck by lightning.教堂的尖顶遭到了雷击。
• They could just make out the spire of the church in the distance.他们只能辨认出远处教堂的尖塔。

3 superstition   

n.迷信，迷信行为

参考例句：

• It's a common superstition that black cats are unlucky.认为黑猫不吉祥是一种很普遍的迷信。
• Superstition results from ignorance.迷信产生于无知。

4 biennial   

adj.两年一次的

参考例句：

• The workers were strongly against the biennial election.工人们强烈反对两年一次的选举。
• His is a biennial,and one of the most useful pasture plants we have.这是两年生植物，也是我们最有用的牧草之一。

5 vertical   

adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置

参考例句：

• The northern side of the mountain is almost vertical.这座山的北坡几乎是垂直的。
• Vertical air motions are not measured by this system.垂直气流的运动不用这种系统来测量。

6 spires   

n.（教堂的） 塔尖，尖顶( spire的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Her masts leveled with the spires of churches. 船的桅杆和教堂的塔尖一样高。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• White church spires lift above green valleys. 教堂的白色尖顶耸立在绿色山谷中。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 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。

8 spikes   

n.穗( spike的名词复数 )；跑鞋；（防滑）鞋钉；尖状物v.加烈酒于( spike的第三人称单数 )；偷偷地给某人的饮料加入（更多）酒精（ 或药物）；把尖状物钉入；打乱某人的计划

参考例句：

• a row of iron spikes on a wall 墙头的一排尖铁
• There is a row of spikes on top of the prison wall to prevent the prisoners escaping. 监狱墙头装有一排尖钉，以防犯人逃跑。 来自《简明英汉词典》