第67课 羊毛漫谈

　　When we take a country walk in the spring-time, we see the sheep, with its thick, warm covering of wool. But when we see it in summer, its wool is very short. In June the farmer's men wash the sheep, and then with a big pair of scissors called shears they cut off its woolly covering or fleece.

　　到了春天, 我们漫步乡间田野的时候, 便能够看到身披厚厚绒毛的绵羊。然而, 夏天我们就会发现, 它们的羊毛变得很短。六月时分, 农夫们替羊洗澡, 然后使用一名叫羊毛剪的大剪刀把它们的羊毛全部剪下。

　　If we rub our hands on a sheep's back, we shall find that the wool is rather greasy. It is made greasy by a kind of oil which comes out of the sheep's skin. This oil or grease helps the wool to keep out the rain, and so the sheep do not get very wet, although they are often out in the fields while it is raining, and sleep on the damp grass.

　　在羊背上来回抚摸, 会发现羊毛非常油腻。这是因为绵羊的皮肤能够分泌一种油。这种油（也叫油脂）有助于确保羊毛不会沾上雨水, 而绵羊也因此能够避免浑身湿透。这样绵羊就能经常会在雨天时徘徊在田野之间, 睡在潮湿的草地上。

　　Wool is used for clothing; but we could not wear the wool just as it is when shorn off the sheep's back. It must first be manufactured, or made into woollen cloth.

　　羊毛可以用来制造衣服；不过, 我们不能把剪下的羊毛直接当做衣服穿在身上, 首先要加工, 制作。

　　Let us look at some of the wool. It consists of a great number of very fine curly hairs or fibres. These fibres feel rough when they are drawn through the fingers, for they are covered with tiny scales.

　　我们来看看羊毛的结构。它由很多细致、卷曲的绒毛或纤维构成。抚摸这些纤维, 会感觉到它们非常粗糙, 因为上面覆盖有细小的鳞状物。

　　Most of the wool used in this country is sent to certain towns in Yorkshire, or in the west of England. There, at the factories, or woollen-mills, the fleeces are first pulled to pieces. Next, the raw wool, as it is called, is scoured or washed in warm water and soda, to remove the oil or grease. Then it is combed out, so that all the fibres are laid side by side.

　　英国出产的大部分羊毛都被运往约克郡或西部的某些城镇。那里的工厂或羊毛作坊首先将羊毛扯开。然后这些所谓的原毛就会被放入苏打温水中清洗, 去除油脂。随后, 仔细对羊毛进行梳理, 将它们整齐地排列在一起。