美国语文第五册 第257期:种子的传播与种植(6)

 　　I can confirm what William Barton wrote to Wilson, the ornithologist¹, that quote  依我来看，威廉·巴特拉姆写给鸟类学家威尔森信中这段话颇有道理：

　　"The jay is one of the most useful agents in the economy of nature  在大自然经济活动中，松鸦是极有用的掮客。

　　for disseminating² forest trees and other nuciferous and hard-seeded vegetables on which they feed.  它以坚果为食，同时将结有坚果或硬籽的森林种子到处传播。

　　In performing this necessary duty they drop abundance of seed in their flight over fields, hedges, and by fences,  为履行这一必要职责，松鸦在飞越田野，或驻脚树篱栅栏，

　　where they alight to deposit them in the post holes, etc.  或欲将粮食坚藏入洞而往返奔波时，遗落大量种子。

　　It is remarkable³ what numbers of young trees rise up in fields and pastures after a wet winter and spring.  历经连绵淫雨的冬春两季，田野或平原到处窜出无数树苗。

　　These birds alone are capable in a few years' time to replant all the cleared lands. Close quote. 单单这种能干的松鸦，无需几年，就能将所有垦荒地再度植被造林。

　　I have noticed that squirrels also frequently drop nuts in open land,  松鼠时常在空旷地丢弃坚果，这点，我一直注意观察，

　　which will still further account for the oaks and walnuts⁴ which spring up in pastures;  这种现象可进一步解释，橡树和核桃树为何在牧场上萌生而出，

　　for, depend on it, every new tree comes from a seed.  因此，每一棵新生树木的萌发皆来自种子。

　　When I examine the little oaks, one or two years old, in such places, I invariably find the empty acorn⁵ from which they sprung.  当我察看一两年生的小橡树时，总会在树木发芽的地方看到种子空壳，无一例外。

1 ornithologist   

n.鸟类学家

参考例句：

• That area is an ornithologist's paradise.那个地区是鸟类学家的天堂。
• Now I know how an ornithologist feels.现在我知道做为一个鸟类学家的感受了。

2 disseminating   

散布，传播( disseminate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Our comrades in propaganda work have the task of disseminating Marxism. 我们作宣传工作的同志有一个宣传马克思主义的任务。
• Disseminating indecent photographs on the internet a distasteful act. 在因特网上发布不雅照片是卑劣的行径。

3 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

4 walnuts   

胡桃（树）( walnut的名词复数 )； 胡桃木

参考例句：

• Are there walnuts in this sauce? 这沙司里面有核桃吗？
• We ate eggs and bacon, pickled walnuts and cheese. 我们吃鸡蛋，火腿，腌胡桃仁和干酪。

5 acorn   

n.橡实，橡子

参考例句：

• The oak is implicit in the acorn.橡树孕育于橡子之中。
• The tree grew from a small acorn.橡树从一粒小橡子生长而来。