第90課 結(jié)實(shí)的橡樹
The oak is one of the finest and most useful of all our forest trees.
在所有森林樹種之中, 橡樹是最為優(yōu)良、最為有用的一種樹木。
Its height sometimes exceeds sixty feet, while the girth, or distance round the trunk, is often more than twenty feet.
它的高度有時(shí)候可以超過六十英尺, 而其周長——也就是樹干一圈的長度——則能夠達(dá)到二十英尺之多。
Its roots extend under the ground around the tree nearly as far as its branches extend above ground,
地下的樹根在樹木周圍延伸的長度幾乎等同于樹枝向上伸展的長度,
so that an oak-tree is very seldom blown down by the wind.
因此, 橡樹很少會被大風(fēng)吹倒。
It is easy to know the oak from all other trees by the size and shape of its leaves, which are oblong,
我們可以根據(jù)葉子的大小和形狀輕松地從樹叢中找到橡樹,
about three or four inches in length, and have irregular edges.
因?yàn)檫@是一種三到四英寸長且?guī)в胁灰?guī)則邊緣的長圓形樹葉。
Each leaf has a short stalk; and if you hold a leaf up to the light, you will see that it is net-veined—that is, its veins cross each other,
每片葉子都帶有一個(gè)短柄;將樹葉朝向亮光, 就會發(fā)現(xiàn)它具備網(wǎng)狀脈結(jié)構(gòu), 也就是說葉脈彼此交叉。
and are not parallel like those of the leaves of grasses, or of the snowdrop or hyacinth.
這與野草、雪花蓮或者風(fēng)信子的葉子結(jié)構(gòu)很不相同, 它們的葉脈是“平行脈”。
As winter approaches, the leaves turn brown and drop off the oak-tree.
隨著冬天的到來, 橡樹的葉子變成褐色, 從樹上掉落。
When the tree is bare, we can see its rough, rugged bark and its large twisted branches.
當(dāng)樹葉全部掉落之后, 我們就能夠看到粗糙的樹皮以及分杈的大樹枝。
In the spring the leaves grow again, and in April or May little clusters of small greenish flowers appear.
到了春季, 橡樹又會重新長出樹葉, 而四月或五月時(shí)分就會出現(xiàn)一小簇一小簇的綠色花朵。
Soon the flowers drop off, and the fruit takes their place.
很快, 花朵凋謝, 果實(shí)長了出來。
The fruit of the oak is a small brown nut, which is called an acorn.
橡樹的果實(shí)是一種棕色的小堅(jiān)果, 名叫橡子。
Each acorn grows in a little cup.
每個(gè)橡子都生長在一個(gè)小的杯狀結(jié)構(gòu)之中,
英語美文