听力原文

Oblivious to the domestic chit-chat, granddad Guyong Song has serious matters on his mind.
老祖父宋古永置身于天伦之乐外，寻思着重要的事情。
Spring is a start of the rice growing season. The success of the crop will determine how well the family will eat next year, so planting at the right time is critical.
春季是稻禾生长的伊始时节，庄稼的长势决定了来年宋家人的生计，因而选择合适的时机进行耕作是至关重要的。
The ideal date depends on what the weather will do this year, never easy to predict.
时机的选择取决于当年的天气情况，而这些却是永难估料的。
But there is some surprising help at hand. On the ceiling of the Songs' living room, a pair of red-rumped swallows, newly arrived from their winter migration, is busy fixing up last year's nest.
但是身边就存在着贴心小帮手：宋家厅堂房梁上的是一对刚从冬季迁徙中归来的金腰燕。他们正在为装潢新一年度的宅邸而忙碌。
In China, animals are valued as much for their symbolic meaning as for any good they may do.
在中国，动物们被赋予独特的象征意义并被细心呵护。
Miao people believe that swallow pairs remain faithful for life, so their presence is a favour and a blessing, bringing happiness to a marriage and good luck to a home.
苗族人笃信成双燕终身相伴不离不弃。因此他们的存在被视为幸福生活与美满婚姻的象征。

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重点讲解

重点讲解：
1. chit-chat
闲聊；聊天；
eg. Not being a mother, I found the chit-chat exceedingly dull.
我没当母亲，所以觉得那样的闲谈无聊透顶。
eg. She's such an energetic girl and likes to chit chat with everyone.
她真是个精力充沛的女孩，喜欢跟每个人聊天。
2. on one's mind
担心；惦记；挂念；
eg. I just forgot. I've had a lot on my mind.
我完全忘了，我脑子里的事太多了。
eg. Mournful fancies came flocking on her mind, in crowds.
悲伤的幻想便纷纷涌上她的心头。
3. depend on
取决（于）；有赖（于）；
eg. A lot will depend on how she responds to the challenge.
在很大程度上将取决于她对这一难题的反应。
eg. But that all depend on the specific circumstances.
不过，那要看具体情况而定。
4. at hand
（空间或时间上）接近的，不远的；
eg. Having the right equipment at hand will be enormously helpful.
手头上有合适的设备将会帮上大忙。
eg. When he writes, he always keeps a dictionary at hand.
他写作时手边总备有一本词典。
5. fix up
装饰；修饰；整理；
eg. I've fixed up Matthew's old room.
我已经把马修原来住的房间装饰了一番。
eg. The whole block is being fixed up.
整个街区都在进行装修。