英国学生科学读本 第71期:樱桃树及其果实(2)

 　　In fact, all these four plants belong to the same class.

　　实际上, 这四种植物同属一个种类。

　　If we visit the orchard¹ again in June, we shall find that all the white flowers have fallen off the cherry-trees, and that the seed-vessel of each flower has swollen² into a green cherry.

　　到了六月, 再次前往樱桃园时就会看到, 那些白色花朵已经凋谢, 而花朵上的种皮则膨胀成为了一个绿色的樱桃。

　　Then later still, in July and August, the cherries will be ripe. Some trees produce white cherries, and others red cherries; and others still produce cherries which are nearly black. On the outside of each ripe cherry is a thin skin. Under this skin is a thick, sweet, fleshy pulp³, and this is the part of the fruit that we eat.

　　再过一段时间, 到了七八月份, 樱桃就会成熟。樱桃的颜色各不相同：白色、红色、甚至接近黑色。每一颗成熟的樱桃外面都包裹着一层薄衣, 里面则是甘甜、多汁的肥厚果肉, 我们吃的就是这一部分。

　　In the centre of the fruit we find a hard lump called the "stone. " If we break this stone open, we shall find a kernel⁴ inside. This is the true seed of the cherry-tree. If we plant a cherry-stone, it will in time break open, and a little cherry-tree will spring up from the kernel after it has lain in the ground several years.

　　樱桃的中间部分就是一个被称为“果核”的坚硬小块。打开这个果核, 会看到里面的果仁。这就是樱桃树的种子。将樱桃的果核种在地里, 到了适当的时候它就会裂开, 经过几年的时间之后, 一棵小的樱桃树就会从果仁中生长而出。

　　In most parts of Great Britain you will find the cherry growing wild in the woods and hedge-rows. But the fruit of these wild cherry-trees is not nearly so large or so sweet as that of the trees which are cultivated in our gardens and orchards⁵.

　　英国很多地方的森林、树篱等地都长有野生的樱桃树, 但是与种植在花园及果园中的樱桃相比, 果实远没有那么大, 也没有那么甜。

　　The wood of the cherry-tree is much used for making furniture. It is a hard wood, of a very pretty, brownish colour.

　　樱桃木主要用来制作家具, 这种硬木呈现出非常光亮的棕色。

1 orchard   

n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场

参考例句：

• My orchard is bearing well this year.今年我的果园果实累累。
• Each bamboo house was surrounded by a thriving orchard.每座竹楼周围都是茂密的果园。

2 swollen   

adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀

参考例句：

• Her legs had got swollen from standing up all day.因为整天站着，她的双腿已经肿了。
• A mosquito had bitten her and her arm had swollen up.蚊子叮了她，她的手臂肿起来了。

3 pulp   

n.果肉，纸浆；v.化成纸浆，除去...果肉，制成纸浆

参考例句：

• The pulp of this watermelon is too spongy.这西瓜瓤儿太肉了。
• The company manufactures pulp and paper products.这个公司制造纸浆和纸产品。

4 kernel   

n.(果实的)核，仁；(问题)的中心，核心

参考例句：

• The kernel of his problem is lack of money.他的问题的核心是缺钱。
• The nutshell includes the kernel.果壳裹住果仁。

5 orchards   

（通常指围起来的）果园( orchard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They turned the hills into orchards and plains into granaries. 他们把山坡变成了果园，把平地变成了粮仓。
• Some of the new planted apple orchards have also begun to bear. 有些新开的苹果园也开始结苹果了。