英國語文第三冊(雙語):芽兒
LESSON 37 Buds
第三十七課 芽兒
Leaves as well as flowers come from buds. The bud swells, the leaves push out, the flower forms, and then comes the fruit.
綠葉和鮮花都是從嫩芽開始的。發(fā)芽，長葉，開花，然后結果。
The buds of trees have brown scales over them. These scales shelter the tender bud from the cold of winter and early spring. They are glued tightly together by a sticky substance, and thus form a close little case for the bud, to protect it from the sharp air. When the weather becomes warm enough, the swelling bud pushes the scales apart; and when the leaves are out, these scales drop off, because there is no more use for them.
樹木的芽兒有棕色鱗片。這些鱗片保護嫩芽在寒冬和早春時不受傷害。他們被一種膠狀物質(zhì)緊緊黏住，因此形成了一個小籠子，防止嫩芽受到極端天氣傷害。當天氣變得夠暖，膨脹的芽兒就把這些鱗片推掉；當樹葉長出來，這些鱗片就會掉落，因為這時候它們已經(jīng)沒有用了。
In cold countries, the buds are always protected in this way, by a covering. The buds that we see in spring are not formed in the same year in which they appear. They are formed in the preceding year, a little while before the leaves begin to fall; and as they form, they loosen the old leaves, and soon push them off.
在寒冬，芽兒經(jīng)常被一層覆蓋物這樣保護著。我們在春天看到的芽兒不會在同一年內(nèi)出現(xiàn)的地方長成。它們在前一年就已經(jīng)形成，就是在樹葉凋落之前的一小段時間形成；它們形成后就會松開老葉子，然后將它們擠掉。
Now in these little buds are locked up all the leaves and flowers that are to come out next spring. The precious treasures of another year are there, and they must be kept safe through the winter; and therefore they have coverings to guard them from the cold.
這些小芽兒就是來春的樹葉和花朵。它們是來年的寶貴財富所以必須要在寒冬得到良好的保護；因此，會有覆蓋物來保護它們免受寒冬之害。
These coverings have been called by some one "the winter cradle of the buds;" and a very good name it is. The little buds in their cradles rock to and fro in the cold winds of winter, and are as safe from harm as the baby in its cradle.
有人把這些覆蓋物稱為“芽兒在冬季的暖床；”這個稱謂多貼切啊。冬天寒風襲來，芽兒在它們的暖床中隨風搖擺，就像搖籃里的嬰兒一樣，安然無恙。
The inside of these cradles is lined with soft down. This is the bud's little blanket, to keep it warm. In warm countries, the buds have not these "winter cradles." They do not need them there. The buds of the orange-tree and the lemon-tree have no coverings. There is no cold air for them to fear; and to put warm coverings on them would do harm instead of good.
這些覆蓋物內(nèi)部有柔軟的東西，就像芽兒用來保暖的毯子。在溫暖的國家，芽兒是沒有這些“冬季暖床”的，在那里也不需要。橙子樹和檸檬樹的芽兒也沒有覆蓋物。它們不畏懼嚴寒；所以給它們加上溫暖的覆蓋物只會讓它們受到傷害而不是得到保護。
QUESTIONS
問題
When are the buds that we see in spring formed? How are they protected from the cold air? What have these coverings been called? What forms the bud's blanket? Why have the buds of the orange-tree no such coverings?
春天里的芽兒什么時候長出來？如何讓它們不受凍？這些覆蓋物叫什么？芽兒的覆蓋層是什么樣子的？為什么橙子樹的芽兒沒有這類覆蓋層？
