(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
People have grown chrysanthemums for more than two thousand years. Chinese and other Asian cultures make tea with the flowers. But mums also make bright and colorful gardens.
One basic kind of mum is the hardy or garden mum. The other basic kind is the florist mum. The garden mum is better able to handle different growing conditions than the florist mum.
There are many varieties of mums. The decorative mum is often seen in gardens. Another popular type, the quill mum, has long, straight petals like a tube or needle.
Chrysanthemum blooms can be white, yellow, gold, red or other colors. The plants often grow to one meter in height.
The soil should be kept moist but well drained so it does not get too wet.
Newly planted mums should be watered two or three times a week, depending on conditions. Plants established in the ground may do well just with normal rainfall. In dry conditions they will need more water.
Mums grow best in full sunshine. They produce colorful blooms when days get shorter and nights get longer. The life cycle of the plant depends on the amount of daylight. This is why experts advise against placing mums near nightlights or streetlights. The light may interfere with their normal growth cycle. The plants may develop buds too soon.
In climates where temperatures fall below freezing, plant mums at least six weeks before the first frost is expected. That way, the plants will be well established for cold weather.
Placing mulch around the plants can protect them from the cold. Doug Akers from the cooperative extension service at Purdue University in Indiana suggests straw or shredded leaves for the mulch. The material will also add nutrients to the soil.
Some gardeners say the most beautiful presentation comes from planting mums close together. But they also advise leaving enough space between the plants so air can flow. If not, the chance of disease may increase.
To get more blooms, gardeners pinch back the branches when new growth has extended to fifteen centimeters. Squeeze about five to seven centimeters off each branch. Pinch again when a branch grows another twelve to fifteen centimeters. Stop pinching about one hundred days before you want the plants to bloom.
And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson. You can find all of our reports with transcripts and MP3s at learningenglish.voanews.com. I'm Faith Lapidus.
文本来自51voa，译文属可可原创，仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载
词汇解释
1.chrysanthemum n. 菊花
The tea tasted faintly of chrysanthemum.
这茶有淡淡的菊花味。
2.florist n. 花商，种花人；花卉研究者
He bought her some roses at the florist's in the mall.
他在购物中心的花店里为她买了一些玫瑰。
3.drain vi. 排水；流干 vt. 喝光，耗尽；使流出；排掉水
The authorities have mobilized vast numbers of people to drain flooded land and build or repair dikes.
当局动员了大批民众为遭受洪灾的地区排涝并修建或修复堤坝。
4.shred vt. 切成条状；用碎纸机撕毁
They may be shredding documents.
他们也许正在粉碎那些文件。
内容解析
1.This is why experts advise against placing mums near nightlights or streetlights.
advise against 告诫
She advised me against doing it.
她劝我别干此事。
I would strongly advise against going out on your own.
我要极力奉劝你别单独外出。
2.The light may interfere with their normal growth cycle.
interfere with 干扰，干涉；妨碍；触动或弄坏；乱动；与……抵触
oking often interferes with health.
吸烟妨碍健康。
The trees interfere with the view.
那些树挡住了视线。
参考译文
这里是美国之音慢速英语农业报道。
人们种植菊花已有两千多年的历史，中国和其他亚洲文化用菊花做茶，但菊花也能给花园带来明亮多彩的颜色。
最基本的一种菊花是园艺菊，另一个基本品种是切花菊。园艺菊比切花菊更能适应不同的种植环境。
菊花有很多品种，观赏菊常见于花园。另一种流行的毛刺型菊花有长长的直花瓣，看上去像管子或针。
菊花有白色、黄色、金色、红色等颜色，菊花通常长到一米高。
土壤应保持湿润，但要容易排水，这样就不至于水分过多。
刚种下的菊花应每周浇水两三次，依情况而定。在降雨适当的情况下，种在地面的菊花可能会长势不错。在干燥的环境下菊花需要更多水。
菊花在阳光充足时生长最好，在白天变短黑夜变长的时候菊花长出各种花朵来。菊花的生命周期取决于日照，因此专家建议不要将菊花种在夜灯或路灯附近，因为光线会影响菊花正常的生长周期，会导致花蕾成长过快。
在气温降到零下的气候中，应在第一场霜冻降临的至少六周之前种植，这样菊花就能很好地应对寒冷天气。
在植株周围放置地膜能保护它们免于受冻，美国印第安纳普度大学合作推广中心的Doug Akers建议用稻草或碎叶子做地膜，这种材料还能给土壤增加营养。
有的园艺师称菊花密集种植时最漂亮，但他们也建议在植株之间留足够的空间，以便于空气流通。否则菊花生病的可能就会增加。
为了长出更多的花，园艺师会在新枝长到15公分时进行修剪，每个枝条剪去5到7公分。当枝条又长12到15公分时再次修剪，在你希望菊花开花的100天之前停止修剪。
这里是美国之音慢速英语农业报道，作者Jerilyn Watson，你可登陆网站learningenglish.voanews.com获取有关报道的文本和音频，我是Faith Lapidus。
