现代⼤学英语精读第⼆版（第⼆册）学习笔记（原⽂及全⽂翻译）——3B-WhatMyGarde。。。
What My Garden Taught Me—the Hard Way
What My Garden Taught Me—the Hard Way
Jared Garrett
It was April and the last snow of the ason had come and gone. The back yard of my home in central Utah was beginning to show signs of life, with the green of grass warring with the yellow of budding dandelions. My garden plot was looking good. Really good. I had taken pains to put it to bed properly at the end of the previous ason, and I had been planning this year's garden for five months! Five months of sketching designs and plans, layouts and trestles for beans. And now the time was fast app幼儿园开学第一课教案
roaching.
I turned to my wife. "Hey," I said, all innocent and completely ignorant of the pain I was about to commit mylf to, "why don't we plant some corn?"
"Great idea." She prattled and clod her eyes in thought. "Is it hard to grow?"
I shrugged. "No way. Everybody does corn."
Three weeks later I was ready. I had tilled the plot again, mixing in some nice manure and keeping it watered to get the worms excited. On a perfect, sunny Spring day, with a packet of eds in hand, I dashed outside and planted four rows of corn in the southern end of the garden. I splashed some water on the five by ten foot area of future cobs and then moved north up the plot to put in some beans and zucchini.
Two weeks later I stared sullenly at the bare plot. No corn sprouts. None. No future maize. Glaring at the dirt, then the sky, I asked, "Why?" Nobody answered. I jerked open the shed door and dug through my box of ed packets, finally coming up with the packet of corn eds. Having only cursorily skimmed the planting instructions, I had not actually read all of the information available. Two lines down, I found the problem: Plant in warm ground in a sunny area.
I looked up and glared again. But this time, I glared at the trees that shaded the southern end of my garden for about six hours of the day. Muttering to mylf, "Too early. Planted them too early. Gotta have warm ground," I made my way to my healthy tomato plants and took comfort in their rough stems and fuzzy leaves. I broke a leaf off and breathed in its wonderful pleasant smell. Recharged, re-energized and renewed, I weeded around my zucchini then went inside.
"Yeah, so we planted that corn in the wrong place," I said, stepping through the back door into my small home. "Needs to be in direct sunlight."
"What do you mean 'we'?" my wife asked, grinning at me.
I muttered something w手眼身法步
itty and rude and went off to the kitchen, in arch of a drink of water. "Yeah, well we'll give it some time. Maybe as it warms up, it'll grow okay."
My wife, Annemarie, gave me a hug. "You'll make it work. Besides, we're in Utah. It's sunny here."
With greater hope, I was back outside every day of the next week, checking for sprouts. It was on a Thursday that it happened. I was sure it wasn't grass. The shape was wrong and it was too far away from the edge of the lawn. "A sprout!" I shouted, nding my kids running and my wife walking: she was carrying the baby.
"Yay!" my two oldest boys shouted. "Corn sprouts!"
And it was true. There were veral tender green shoots poking out of the tough Utah soil. I was excited. We were gonna have corn!
Two months later we were eating raw green beans, raw peas, fresh zucchini and yellow squash, and we一一得一
re pretty sure our pumpkins were going to be big. But the corn stalks were two feet, maybe three feet, high. The stalks were thin and the roots were visible at the ba of the stem. I had no idea what to do.
Then it happened. I came home from work on a windy day that promid rain. I was beaming at the cloudy heavens, plead that the sky was going to water for me.蛋黄米糊
I walked in the front door, kicking off my boots and ttling into my prized blue easy chair. My two oldest boys came dashing up. I held out my arms for hugs and kiss, but they stopped short, their eyes wide.
"Dad," my oldest boy, Thomas, intoned, "bad news." He was a well-read six and an oldest brother, both of which he took riously.
His younger brother, Hintze, nodded in agreement. "Bad news!"
"The corn fell down," Thomas said.
I leapt to my feet, dashed through the hou and flung the back door open wide. “No,” I whispered. It was true. My small field of light-emerald, three-and-a-half feet high corn was leaning. No, more than l
eaning. Some of the stalks were practically horizontal. Slipping my feet into my work shoes, I hurried to the corn.
"See?" It was Thomas, coming up behind me, "It fell down. The wind did it."
I nodded, numb. But, never one to give up, I t to feverish action. I waded gently into the garden, my hands tenderly lifting each corn stalk back to its vertical position. The wind blew. The corn fell again. I curd the wind and straightened my corn plants again, daring the wicked southwestern gusts to come again. They did; th中国好看的电影
e corn fell. Muttering swear words for all things stormy, I gently roped each and every stalk up, tying the rows to firm anchors on each end. Now the wind died down. My corn was going to live! It was going to thrive! It would provide loads of delicious, nourishing staple food for my family!
By the end of August, it was clear my corn would provide very little, if any, delicious, nourishing staple food for my family. The tallest stalk in my tiny field reached no higher than my neck. Small nubs were growing here and there on the healthiest of the plants, but they were not developing well. In the end, we got five little cobs. Kernels had formed over maybe venty percent of the cobs' body.
But I couldn't believe that this disaster was due only to insufficient sunlight. As a regularly successful
gardener, I knew that sunlight was vital, but my corn looked well, malnourished.
I read the back of the ed packet again. Plant in warm ground in a sunny area. The crump白菜鸡蛋
led packet also said that the corn would be ready for harvest in eighty-two days. It further informed me that the ed company had a long tradition of good eds. But it did not explain why my corn looked like it had been on a forty day fast.
It turned out that my corn had indeed been on a fast. A forced fast. A fast caud by my ignorance and by my eagerness to plant and unwillingness to study and learn about my crops before怎么缩小网页
I planted them. I asked a garden club I had just begun attending if they had any idea why my corn had been such a spectacular failure. The patron of the club smiled and asked me if I had ud nitrogen.
"Nitrogen?"
"Corn is basically a fruitful grass," he rumbled. "Grass absolutely needs nitrogen. You can get nitrogen pellets at the ed shop."
"Nitrogen?"
He nodded, taking a bite from孩子们的生日
a club member's home grown apple. "You've gotta have it. Otherwi,
your corn won't come out."
"Nitrogen." Embarrasd at my ignorance, I buried my face in a plate of blueberry cobbler.
So what did my garden teach me? After long days of staring at bare ground and then urging my puny stalks to grow? Followed by weeks of wishing the corn cobs would finally form and thinking that corn was suppod to be taller, wasn't it? My garden taught me to look before I leap. To take a few minutes and get educated about what I am planting. My garden taught me to ask around to talk to people in the area who have experience with vegetable gardens.
Now I plant my corn in the sunniest patch of my biggest garden plot. This year I am going to plant beans amongst the corn, with peas on the outskirts. Did you know that beans give the soil nitrogen? Oh, and in my shed I have a bin of nitrogen pellets. And the prize? Big cobs that are 100% covered by sweet, yellow kernels. Loads of delicious staple food for my family to feast on.
园艺给我的教训——历经磨难才学会
园艺给我的教训——历经磨难才学会
贾⾥德加勒特
那是在4⽉，这个季节的最后⼀场雪来了⼜去。我在犹他州中⼼⽼家后院⾥的⼀切开始复苏，青青的⼩草和黄⾊的含苞待放的蒲公英争相⽃艳。我的菜园规划得看起来好得不能再好了。为了把它收拾妥当，便于今年种植，我上个季末可费了不少⼼思。我为今年种植这个菜园都已经准备了五个⽉了！五个⽉来，我不停地草拟设计⽅案、菜园布局和⾖类蔬菜⽣长⽤的⽀架。现在这⼀刻就要到来了。
我转⾝对我的妻⼦说：“嗨，我们为什么不种些⽟⽶呢？”但我完全不知道也没有意识到种⽟⽶要付出多少⼼⾎。
“好主意！”她信⼝说道，接着她闭上眼睛想了想，问：“⽟⽶好种吗？”
我耸耸肩说：“没问题！⼈⼈都种⽟⽶。”
三周后⼀切准备就绪。我⼜把地耕了⼀遍，并在地⾥施了⼀些好肥料，保持⼟壤⽔分充⾜，好让蠕⾍活跃起来。在⼀个阳光明媚的春⽇，我拿了⼀⼩包种⼦冲到外⾯，在莱园的南头种下四⾏⽟⽶。我在这块五英尺宽、⼗英尺长的即将结出⽟⽶的地⾥洒了些⽔，然后向北⾛去，种了些菜⾖和西葫芦。
两周后，我闷闷不乐地看着那⽚光秃秃的⼟地。没有⽟⽶苗长出来，⼀株也没有，将来也结不出⽟⽶来。我看看那块地，⼜仰天⽽问：“为什么呢？”没有⼈回答。我猛地打开棚⼦的门，在装有各种种⼦包装袋的盒⼦⾥翻找，最终找到了⽟⽶种⼦的包装袋。之前我只是草草地看了⼀眼种植说明，根本就没有读完所有有⽤的信息。再往下读两⾏，我发现了问题所在，上⾯写着：种植在温暖向阳的地⽅。
我⼜抬头看了看，但这次我看的是前⾯⼀排树，它们每天⼤约有六个⼩时都在遮着菜园的南端。我⾃⾔⾃语道：“太早了，种得太早了。应该种在温暖的地⽅。”我⾛向正在健康⽣长着的西红柿，摸着它们粗糙的茎和有绒⽑的叶⼦，我深感欣慰。我摘下⼀⽚叶⼦，沉浸在它那沁⼈⼼脾的芳⾹中。我再次感到精⼒充沛、精神饱满、体⼒恢复，回屋前我给西葫芦除了草。
“所以说我们是把⽟⽶种错地⽅了！”我边说边穿过后门⾛进⼩屋，“要种在有阳光直射的地⽅。”
“你说‘我们’是什么意思？”妻⼦露齿⽽笑。
我诙谐⽽⼜有点粗鲁地低语了⼏句，然后⾛向厨房去找⽔喝。“那好吧，我们给它点时间，也许随着天⽓渐渐变暖，它会长得很好的。”
我的妻⼦安娜玛丽给了我⼀个拥抱，说道：“你会成功的。⽽且我们是在犹他州，这⾥阳光充⾜。”
到了第⼆周，我每天都更加满怀希望地出去查看发芽了没有。终于在⼀个星期四，种⼦发芽了。我确信那不是草，因为外形不⼀样，⽽且它离草坪也很远。“发芽了！”我喊道。我的喊叫使孩⼦们跑了过来，妻⼦也抱着另外⼀个孩⼦⾛了过来。
“呀！”我那两个⼤⼀点的⼉⼦喊道：“⽟⽶芽！”
真真切切的，我看到好⼏个嫩绿⾊的芽正从犹他州坚硬的⼟地中破⼟⽽出。我兴奋极了，我们要有⽟⽶了！
两个⽉后，我们吃着鲜嫩的青⾖、豌⾖、新鲜的西葫芦和黄⾊的南⽠，并坚信南⽠会长得很⼤。但是⽟⽶梗只有两英尺或者三英尺⾼，⽽且这些⽟⽶梗很细，在茎的基部还能看到有根。我不知道该怎么办好了。
后来不幸发⽣了。在⼀个狂风不⽌、暴⾬在即的下午，我下班回到家⾥。看着满天的乌云我眉飞⾊舞，欣喜⽼天要为我下⾬浇园了。我从前门进了房间，踢掉靴⼦，坐到我珍爱的蓝⾊安乐椅上。我的两个⼤⼉⼦冲了进来，我张开双臂准备拥抱亲吻他们，但是他们突然停住了，眼睛睁得⼤⼤的。
“爸爸！不好了！”我的⼤⼉⼦托马斯庄重地说。他6岁，懂得多⼜是⽼⼤，他把这两点很当回事。
他弟弟⾟茨也点头说：“不好了！”
“⽟⽶倒下了！”托马斯说。
我跳起来，猛地推开后门，冲出屋⼦。“不！”我低声道。但是千真万确，我那⽚⼩⼩的嫩绿的⽟⽶地⾥，横七竖⼋地歪着那些三英尺半⾼的⽟⽶。不仅仅是歪着，有的⽟⽶秆都横证明造句
着躺下了。我急匆匆地穿上⼯作鞋赶紧冲到⽟⽶地⾥。
“看到了吧？”跟着跑来的托马斯说，“它们都被风吹倒了。”
我呆呆地点了点头。但我可不是⼀个轻易放弃的⼈，我⼜狂热地⾏动起来。我⼩⼼翼翼地趟⽔⾛进菜园，⽤⼿轻轻地把每⼀株⽟⽶扶起来。风⼀刮，⽟⽶⼜倒下了。我⼀边骂着风，⼀边⼜⼀次把⽟⽶扶起来，我可不怕这可恶的西南风再刮来。确实⼜来了，⽟⽶再次倒下。我喃喃⾃语地说起粗话，咒骂着所有与暴风⾬有关的事。我轻轻地把每⼀株⽟⽶扶起绑好，把每⼀排⽟⽶都牢牢绑在两头的⽀架上。现在风平息了，我的⽟⽶会活下去！它们会茂盛地⽣长！⼜可以为我们家提供许多美味⼜营养丰富的主⾷了。
8⽉底到了，很明显，我的⽟⽶就算能结籽，也只能为我们家提供⼀点点美味⼜营养丰富的主⾷。那⽚地上最⾼的⽟⽶还不到我的脖⼦，只有⼏棵最健康的⽟⽶秧上零星地长了⼏根⼩⽟⽶棒，就这⼏个也长得不太好。最后我们只收获了5根⼩⽟⽶棒，⼀根⽟⽶棒上只有⼤约70%的地⽅结了⽟⽶粒。
我认为这不仅仅是阳光不⾜造成的。我在园艺⽅⾯⼀向还⽐较擅长，根据经验，我知道阳光是最关键的因素，但是我的⽟⽶看起来很好，就是有点营养不良。
我⼜看了⼀遍种⼦包装袋后⾯的说明：种在温暖向阳的地⽅。已被弄皱了的包装袋上还写着：可以在82天后收获⽟⽶。它还告知我这家种⼦公司长久以来都⽣产好种⼦，但是包装袋上没说明为什么我的⽟⽶看起来像是经历了40天的斋戒。
事实证明，我的⽟⽶确实是在禁⾷，但它是被迫禁⾷。是由于我的⽆知和急于种植造成的，是由于种植之前，我不愿意去学习和研究该如何种植这种庄稼造成的。我之前刚加⼊了⼀个菜园倶乐部，我向俱乐部咨询，问他们是否知道我种植的⽟⽶为什么会如此失败。倶乐部的⼀位⽼会员笑着问我是否⽤过氮肥。
“氮肥？”
“⽟⽶从本质上说年终述职
是⼀种多产⽲本科植物”，他⽤低沉的声⾳说，“这种植物⼀定要⽤氮肥，你可以去种⼦店买些氮肥。”
“氮肥？”
他点点头，咬了⼀⼝由⼀名俱乐部会员带来的⾃家种的苹果，接着说道：“⼀定要施些氮肥。否则，你的⽟⽶长不好的。”
“氮肥。”我为⾃⼰的⽆知感到困窘，只得埋头吃⼀盘蓝莓馅饼。
我的菜园教会了我什么？盯着那⽚光秃秃的⼟地看了数⽇，⼜急急地催促着弱⼩的⽟⽶秆快长⾼？接下来的⼏周盼着它快点结⽟⽶棒，认为⽟⽶应该长得再⾼⼀点，是这些吗？我的菜园教会我要三思⽽后⾏；要在种植⼀样植物之前花⼏分钟对它多了解⼀下；它还教会我要向周围那些有种植经验的⼈讨
教。
现在我把⽟⽶种在了菜园⾥最⼤的那块地⾥，那⾥阳光最充⾜。今年我打算在⽟⽶之间的空隙⾥种上菜⾖，并在它们的周围种上豌⾖。你知道吗？菜⾖可以为⼟壤提供氮。哦，我还在棚⼦⾥放了⼀桶氮肥。⾄于收获嘛，⼤⼤的⽟⽶棒上结满了饱满的⾦灿灿的⽟⽶粒，这么多的美味主⾷够我们⼀家尽情享受了。
Key Words:
Ignorant ['ignrnt]
adj. 不知道的，⽆知的，愚昧的
previous ['pri:vjs]
adj. 在 ... 之前，先，前，以前的
corn [k:n]
n. ⾕物，⼩麦，⽟⽶
v. 形成(颗粒状)，
innocent ['insnt]
adj. 清⽩的，⽆辜的，⽆害的，天真纯洁的，⽆知的
manure [m'nju]
n. 肥料 vt. 施肥
plot [plt]
n. 阴谋，情节，图，(⼩块)⼟地，
comfort ['kmft]
n. 舒适，安逸，安慰，慰藉
vt. 安慰，使
corn [k:n]
n. ⾕物，⼩麦，⽟⽶
v. 形成(颗粒状)，
rough [rf]
adj. 粗糙的，粗略的，粗暴的，艰难的，讨厌的，不适的maize [meiz]
n. ⽟⽶
glaring ['glri]
adj. 耀眼的，炫⽬的，怒视的 动词glare的现在分kitchen ['kitin]
n. 厨房，(全套)炊具，灶间
shed [ed]
n. 车棚，⼩屋，脱落物
vt. 使 ...
plot [plt]
n. 阴谋，情节，图，(⼩块)⼟地，
v. 绘
witty ['witi]
adj. 富于机智的，诙谐的
rude [ru:d]
adj. 粗鲁的，⽆礼的
stem [stem]
n. 茎，⼲，柄，船⾸
vi. 起源于
ba [beis]
n. 基底，基础，底部，基线，基数，(棒球)垒，[化]碱lawn [l:n]
n. 草地，草坪
n. 上等细⿇布
visible ['vizbl]
