英语听力：Wild China 美丽中国 -3

 The ideal date depends on what the weather will do this year, never easy to predict. 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 migration¹ is busy fixing up last year's nest. In China, animals are valued as much for their symbolic² meaning as for any good they may do. Miao people believe that swallow pairs remain faithful for life, so their presence is a favor and a blessing³, bringing happiness to a marriage and good luck to a home.

 

Like most Miao dwellings⁴, the Songs' living room windows look out over the paddy fields. From early spring, one of these windows is always left open to let the swallows come and go freely. Each year granddad Gu knows the exact day the swallows return. Miao people believe the birds' arrival predicts the timing⁵ of the season ahead. This year they were late, so Gu and the other community elders have agreed that rice planting should be delayed accordingly.

 

As the Miao prepare their fields for planting, the swallows collect mud to repair their nests and chase after insects across the newly ploughed paddies.

 

Finally, after weeks of preparation, the ordained⁶ time for planting has arrived. But first the seedlings⁷ must be uprooted⁸ from the nursery beds and bundled up ready to be transported to their new paddy higher up the hillside. All the Songs' neighbors have turned out to help with the transplanting. It's how the community has always worked. When the time comes, the Songs will return the favor.

 

While the farmers are busy in the fields, the swallows fly back and forth⁹ with material for their nest.

 

Many hands make light work. Planting the new paddy takes a little more than an hour. Job done, the villagers can relax, at least until tomorrow. But for the nesting swallows, the work of raising a family has only just begun.

 

In the newly planted fields, little egrets hunt for food. The rice paddies harbor tadpoles¹⁰, fish and insects, and the egrets have chicks to feed. This colony in Chongqing Province was established in 1996 when a few dozen birds built nests in the bamboo grove¹¹ behind Yangguang Village. Believing they were a sign of luck, local people initially¹² protected the egrets, and the colony grove.

1 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

2 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

3 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

4 dwellings   

n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The development will consist of 66 dwellings and a number of offices. 新建楼区将由66栋住房和一些办公用房组成。
• The hovels which passed for dwellings are being pulled down. 过去用作住室的陋屋正在被拆除。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

6 ordained   

v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定

参考例句：

• He was ordained in 1984. 他在一九八四年被任命为牧师。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was ordained priest. 他被任命为牧师。 来自辞典例句

7 seedlings   

n.刚出芽的幼苗( seedling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Ninety-five per cent of the new seedlings have survived. 新栽的树苗95%都已成活。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• In such wet weather we must prevent the seedlings from rotting. 这样的阴雨天要防止烂秧。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 uprooted   

v.把（某物）连根拔起( uproot的过去式和过去分词 )；根除；赶走；把…赶出家园

参考例句：

• Many people were uprooted from their homes by the flood. 水灾令许多人背井离乡。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The hurricane blew with such force that trees were uprooted. 飓风强烈地刮着，树都被连根拔起了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

10 tadpoles   

n.蝌蚪( tadpole的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The pond teemed with tadpoles. 池子里有很多蝌蚪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Both fish and tadpoles have gills. 鱼和蝌蚪都有鳃。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 grove   

n.林子，小树林，园林

参考例句：

• On top of the hill was a grove of tall trees.山顶上一片高大的树林。
• The scent of lemons filled the grove.柠檬香味充满了小树林。

12 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。