VOA新闻杂志2024--Lessons From Flowers

Lessons From Flowers

　　Editor's note: This story is one of the winning entries from the "Teach Us about Ukraine" writing contest sponsored by VOA Learning English and GoGlobal.

　　My name is Nadiia Kyba. I am from Cherkasy. And this is my essay.

　　They come in white, red, orange, brown, and yellow. They are the flowers in the gardens of Ukraine. And they are the lessons that I learned from childhood.

　　As a child, I remember plenty of snowdrops in my grandmother's garden. The fragile petals¹ managed to blossom despite a heavy snowstorm. I wanted to bring the white flowers into the house. But I was not permitted to step on them or to pick them. My parents said, "We must all cherish the snowdrops. There is no use in withered² flowers."

　　Little did I know back then that snowdrops were very rare, and they almost disappeared. I did not know it was more important to have them in the garden. Luckily, there were people who knew better. They created a reserve in Kholodnyi Yar to protect and care for those beautiful white flowers. They taught me to care for and protect even the smallest things.

　　I lived in a village where children always helped to take care of its flowerbeds. At school, our class weeded beds of roses nearby. It was great fun to be outdoors in the fresh air. Moreover, the roses looked splendid. They smelled sweet in the sun, and girls used to pin them in their hair. Even now, when I close my eyes, I can still smell the beautiful roses.

　　The first time I worked in a bed of roses, I prickled my hand with small but sharp thorns. I did not know that such beauty could hurt you. I understood then that it took much pain to gain something so beautiful.

　　That was one of the most important lessons in my life. If I want something, I must be ready to work hard for it. The roses taught me to be persistent³ and hardy⁴. And the roses showed me "no pain, no gain."

　　What comes to your mind when you hear the word "garden"?

　　I see marigolds. I see orange, brown, and yellow marigolds. There are so many marigolds in the gardens of Ukrainians, that it is hard not to notice them. People sing songs about marigolds. They are everywhere, under the apple trees, in the strawberries, near the fences, in the flowerbeds, and even on the roads.

　　I used to plant marigolds with my mother. We gathered the seeds in autumn. Then we shared and exchanged the seeds with our friends or neighbors. I have warm memories of my family sitting on the bench in front of the marigold beds. My father told stories. And we chatted and joked.

　　Marigolds remind me of home and the best moments of our lives. They taught me to share and communicate, to be a daughter and a friend.

　　I'm Anna Matteo.

1 petals   

n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• white petals tinged with blue 略带蓝色的白花瓣
• The petals of many flowers expand in the sunshine. 许多花瓣在阳光下开放。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

2 withered   

adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The grass had withered in the warm sun. 这些草在温暖的阳光下枯死了。
• The leaves of this tree have become dry and withered. 这棵树下的叶子干枯了。

3 persistent   

adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的

参考例句：

• Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
• She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

4 hardy   

adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的

参考例句：

• The kind of plant is a hardy annual.这种植物是耐寒的一年生植物。
• He is a hardy person.他是一个能吃苦耐劳的人。