第十課 種子(2)
Let us take another bean and plant it in a pot of earth, and leave it to grow there. If we keep the earth moist and warm, the bean will soon grow into a plant, and will put forth green leaves.
咱們再拿一顆大豆種子, 把它種在一個有土的花盆里, 讓它在那兒生長。要是能讓土壤一直溫暖潮濕, 豆子很快就會長成一棵幼苗, 長出綠色的葉子來。
But as the plant grows, the two fat seed-leaves wither away and become thin and dry. BEAN WITH SEED-LEAVES SHRIVELLED (枯萎的大豆帶著子葉)
可是, 大豆在生長的時候, 兩片肥厚的子葉就會漸漸凋謝, 變得干枯。
At first the good stuff in them serves as food for the young bean; but when its new leaves and its roots have grown big and strong, they themselves take food for the plant from the earth and from the air. The leaves take in air through many tiny holes which are on their under - sides. The roots suck in water and other things from the ground.
一開始, 豆苗是從子葉中吸取養(yǎng)料的, 但是豆苗的葉子和根長大了以后, 就可以自己從土壤中、從空氣中吸取養(yǎng)料了。葉子的下面有很多小孔, 可以吸進(jìn)空氣。根從土地中吸收水, 也吸收別的東西。
Would you like to see a plant grow up quickly from a seed? Then spread some mustard-seed on a piece of flannel, and keep the flannel moist with water in a saucer. It will only be a day or two before the young plants spring up. They will grow best if you keep the saucer in a dark place.
你想看見一顆種子很快長成一棵幼苗嗎? 那就把一點兒芥菜子灑到一塊法蘭絨布上, 把絨布浸在一碟子水里面。只要一兩天工夫, 芥菜的幼苗就會長出來了!把碟子放在暗處, 芥菜會長得最好。
Or, would you like to see an acorn grow into a little oak? Take the acorn out of its cup, and hang it, with the point downwards, from a piece of wood lying across the top of a glass or of a bottle with a wide neck.
還有, 你想不想看見一顆橡子長成一棵小樹? 把橡子從杯子形狀的硬殼里拿出來, 尖兒朝下, 系上一根細(xì)線吊起來, 把細(xì)線的另一頭拴在一根木棍上, 把木棍放在一個玻璃杯上, 或者廣口瓶上。
Now pour water into the bottle until the water just touches the tip of the acorn. Keep the bottle in a dark place for a few days, and the young shoots will soon appear. A little white root will grow down into the water, and a small stem with a few green leaves on it will rise up into the air.
然后往瓶子里倒水, 直到水面剛剛碰到橡子下面的尖兒為止。把瓶子在暗處放上幾天, 橡子就會很快地發(fā)芽, 讓小小的白色的根伸到水里, 讓莖帶著幾片綠葉長到空中!
You may do the same thing with a chestnut, and in that case also a pretty little tree will grow in a month or so from the seed.
小朋友也可以這么種栗子, 過上大概一個月, 小小的栗子樹就會從種子里長出來了。
More water should be poured into the glass as it is needed, so as to keep the water just touching the point of the acorn or the chestnut.
要是杯子(瓶子)里的水少了, 就要再往里倒水, 讓水面碰到橡子或者栗子的尖兒。