英国学生科学读本 第98期:树叶是怎样飘落的

 　　How The Leaves Came down 树叶是怎样飘落的

　　I’ll tell you how the leaves came down. “我会告诉你，树叶怎样飘落。”

　　The great Tree to his children said, 大树对孩子们轻轻说，

　　"You’re getting sleepy, Yellow and Brown, “小黄，小灰，困了吧？

　　Yes, very sleepy, little Red; 是啊，困死了，小红，

　　It is quite time you went to bed." 也是时候了，该睡觉了吧！”

　　Ah, begged each silly, pouting¹ leaf, “啊，”笨叶子们都撅着嘴说，

　　"Let us a little longer stay! “让我们再待一下可好？

　　Dear Father Tree, behold² our grief; 大树爸爸，看我们有多难过！

　　Tis such a very pleasant day, 今天这么舒服这么好，

　　We do not want to go away." 我们一点儿也不想走掉”

　　So just for one more merry day 于是又过了快乐的一天，

　　To the great Tree the leaflets clung, 小叶子们挂在大树上，

　　Frolicked and danced and had their way, 闹着，跳着，疯疯癫癫，

　　Upon the autumn breezes swung; 在秋天的微风中摇摆，

　　Whispering all their sports among, 在一切的运动中轻声说道，

　　"Perhaps the great Tree will forget, “大树爸爸或许会忘记，”

　　And let us stay here till the spring, 会让我们待到明年春天。

　　If we but beg and tease and fret³." 只要求他，逗他，狠狠淘气！”

　　But the great Tree did no such thing; 可是大树并没有这么做，

　　He smiled to hear their whispering. 只听着悄悄话，让笑纹浮现嘴边

　　Come, children all, to bed! he cried; 大树喊道：“来吧，孩子们，都睡吧！”

　　And ere they could renew their prayer, 他们来不及再说一句恳求的话，

　　He shook his head, and far and wide, 大树就摇起头来，只见四面八方，

　　Fluttering and rustling⁴ everywhere, 到处纷纷扬扬，沙沙作响，

　　Down sped the leaflets through the air. 小叶子在空中飞速下降

　　I saw them on the ground they lay, 我看见他们躺在地上，

　　Golden and red, a huddled⁵ swarm⁶, 金黄与深红，一大群相依相偎，

　　Waiting till one from far away, 等待着冬姑娘来自远方，

　　White bedclothes heaped upon her arm, 带着白色的睡衣，成千上百，

　　Should come to wrap them safe from harm. 要把小叶子盖好，不受一点伤害。

　　The great bare Tree looked down and smiled. 光秃秃的大树往脚下看看，

　　Good-night, dear little leaves, he said. 微笑着说：“亲爱的小叶子，晚安！”

　　Good-night， replied each sleepy child; 晚安，”困倦的孩子都回答，

　　It is so nice to go to bed, “安睡的感觉，多么美妙！

　　Said drowsy⁷ little Brown and Red. 小灰和小红也喃喃地说道。

1 pouting   

v.撅（嘴）( pout的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The child sat there pouting. 那孩子坐在那儿，一副不高兴的样子。 来自辞典例句
• She was almost pouting at his hesitation. 她几乎要为他这种犹犹豫豫的态度不高兴了。 来自辞典例句

2 behold   

v.看，注视，看到

参考例句：

• The industry of these little ants is wonderful to behold.这些小蚂蚁辛勤劳动的样子看上去真令人惊叹。
• The sunrise at the seaside was quite a sight to behold.海滨日出真是个奇景。

3 fret   

v.(使)烦恼；(使)焦急；(使)腐蚀，(使)磨损

参考例句：

• Don't fret.We'll get there on time.别着急，我们能准时到那里。
• She'll fret herself to death one of these days.她总有一天会愁死的.

4 rustling   

n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的

参考例句：

• the sound of the trees rustling in the breeze 树木在微风中发出的沙沙声
• the soft rustling of leaves 树叶柔和的沙沙声

5 huddled   

挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• We huddled together for warmth. 我们挤在一块取暖。
• We huddled together to keep warm. 我们挤在一起来保暖。

6 swarm   

n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入

参考例句：

• There is a swarm of bees in the tree.这树上有一窝蜜蜂。
• A swarm of ants are moving busily.一群蚂蚁正在忙碌地搬家。

7 drowsy   

adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的

参考例句：

• Exhaust fumes made him drowsy and brought on a headache.废气把他熏得昏昏沉沉，还引起了头疼。
• I feel drowsy after lunch every day.每天午饭后我就想睡觉。