LESSON 8 The swan
第八课 天鹅

The tame swan is a very gentle bird. It likes to swim on streams and ponds. When it is young it is gray, and not at all a pretty bird; but when it is full-grown it is as white as snow.
顺从的天鹅是很温和的鸟类。它喜欢在溪流和池塘里边游泳。他们小时候是灰色的，并且是那种一点儿也不好看的鸟；但是当他们长大后，他们就会像雪一样白。
Look at the swan in the picture. See how graceful it is as it sails along.
看看照片里那只天鹅。看看他们独自航行时有多么的优雅。
Among the bushes and high grass near the water the swan builds its nest. It is made of dry sticks or rushes, and is placed on the ground. Here the swan lays its eggs.
天鹅会将巢筑在离水边很近的灌木和高高的草中间。巢是用干树枝和毛片组成的，并且被放置于地面。天鹅会在上面孵蛋。

As soon as the young ones are hatched, away the little creatures run to the water! They need no school and no teaching, for God has made them so that they can swim at once, as well as the old birds.
当小天鹅被俘化出来，这些小生物就迫不及待的冲进水里！他们不需要别人传授，他们天生就能游泳，而且跟老鸟游得一样好。
Did you ever see the feet of a swan? They are made for swimming. All birds that love the water, and swim in it, have web-feet. Swans have web-feet, and so have ducks, and a number of other birds.
你见过天鹅的脚掌吗？他们就是为游泳而生的。所有喜欢水的鸟儿们，并且会游泳的，都有蹼足。天鹅有蹼足，鸭子也有，并且其他很多鸟类都有。
They can all swim well; but hens and chickens and sparrows cannot swim at all, for they have not web-feet like the swan and the duck.
他们都能游的很好；但是鸡和麻雀就完全不能游泳，因为他们不像天鹅和鸭子一样有蹼足。
The swan has a long neck; and by means of it, it can reach its food without diving as ducks do. The swan feeds on the seeds, leaves, and roots of water-plants.
天鹅有长长的脖子；并且通过它，天鹅可以不用潜下水就能得到食物就像鸭子一样。天鹅以种子，树叶和水生植物的根为生。

QUESTIONS

问题

What colour is the swan when it is young? What colour is it when it is full-grown? Where does it build its nest? What is the nest made of? What do the young swans do, as soon as they are hatched? What kind of feet has the swan? What other bird has the same kind of feet? Of what use is the swan's long neck? What does it feed on?

天鹅小时候是什么颜色？完全成熟后又是什么颜色？他会在哪儿建巢？巢是用什么材料建筑的？当小天鹅被孵化出来后，他们会做什么？天鹅的脚掌长什么样？其他的鸟类也有相同种类的脚掌吗？天鹅的长脖子有什么用？他们靠什么为生？