植物的时空这旅.docVIP

植物的时空这旅 　　Sounds like science fiction？ Well， it isnt. 　　Every year billions of babies are dried and buried， not to be unburied for weeks， months， years or even decades. Dont worry. These are not babies like your little brother or sister； these are baby plants， or as you might call them， seeds. Why would a mom do such a thing？ To answer this question， imagine you are a plant. You have no legs or wings or fins. You cant move from the place where you are rooted. You cant turn on the heat when it gets cold or the air conditioner when it gets hot. If it doesnt rain near you， you cant go get the water from someplace else. Now lets say youre ready to reproduce1）， how could you take care of your babies？ How could you be sure theyd have a good chance at survival？ The answer for mother plants is to pack them up in a special time capsule called a seed. 　　听上去像科幻小说？不过这不是。 　　每年都有数以十亿计的小宝宝经过脱水后被埋入地下，此后的数周、数月、数年甚至数十年都在不见天日的地下度过。别担心，我说的不是像你的弟弟或妹妹那样的人类宝宝，而是植物宝宝，也许你更习惯叫它们种子。植物妈妈为什么要做这种事呢？要回答这个问题，得先把自己想象成一株植物。没有腿脚、翅膀，也没有鳍，你只能扎根在原地不动，天冷了没法开暖气，天热了也没有空调。如果附近不下雨，你也没法去别的地方找水。现在假设你已经到了该生儿育女的阶段，你怎么照顾自己的小宝宝呢？你怎么确定它们会有良好的存活机会呢？对植物妈妈们来说，解决的办法就是把孩子们装入一种特殊的时间胶囊――种子。 　　How is a seed like a time capsule？ 　　为什么说种子像时间胶囊？ 　　Like a chicken egg， a seed is a package containing the plant embryo2） and food for the baby plant. The package is then covered in a protective hard shell called the seed coat. But unlike chicken eggs， most seeds can remain dormant3） for weeks or years， waiting for the conditions to be right. When the time is right the seed germinates4） and the new plant starts to grow. 　　与鸡蛋类似，一颗种子里面包含着植物的胚胎和供植物幼体消耗的养分，外面还包裹着一层叫做种皮的硬壳，能够起到保护作用。不过，与鸡蛋不同的是，大多数种子都能休眠数周甚至数年，以等待合适的条件生根发芽。当时机来临，种子就会发芽，长成新的植株。 　　What conditions do seeds need to start growing？ 　　种子开始生长需要哪些条件？ 　　Sometimes seeds only need water. But other seeds get clues from their environment that tell them the time is right. What kind of clues do seeds need from their surroundings？ Well， that depends on the seed. Seeds of annual