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词数：350 words
难度：★★★★☆
小贴士：
这篇属于文学类文章，用词比较“文绉绉”的，大家可以适当积累其中的生词，但不必过分纠结看不懂的情况。
——大橙子留
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上期划线句答案
Several previous studies have found non-linear changes in molecular abundances that can be linked to aging in rats and humans.
以往的多项研究发现，在小鼠和人类中，分子丰度的非线性变化与衰老过程有关系。
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本期内容
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双语阅读
Para.1
Late November’s weather provided a barnstorming performance. Temperatures plunged but were then wrenched into a steep climb. Gales flipped everything over before the nosedive into frost began again. Into December and a morning of half-hearted drizzle and still but warmer air seemed exceptional. Low cloud settled on the purplish crowns of birches; the bronze moor muted with dampness. A sudden crackling exchange between two jays simply emphasised how quiet it was. “A vacant sameness grays the sky,” as Thomas Hardy put it. Nothing to see here.
Para.2
Except, of course, there was. In the blunted light, something complicated and yellowy orange was reaching out from the tangled grass at my feet. This was meadow coral, its Latin name, corniculata, catching nicely the antler-like structures of this exquisite fungus. Although not rare, the unimproved grassland it thrives on is rare these days. This piece of rough pasture is nibbled enough for the coral to show off its complex potential.
Para.3
In longer grass, its branches tend to stretch and become simpler. Here, it could luxuriate in all its strangeness, like one of Mondrian’s chrysanthemums, except with horns, like those of the red deer that often browse in the neighbouring woodland.
Para.4
Meadow coral is saprotrophic, meaning its delicate filaments below ground digest the nutrients in decaying organic matter, chemically breaking into cells in an elegant smash and grab. The sum of these filaments, or hyphae, makes up its mycelium, spreading out beneath my feet underground, threading its way through the soil, tangling itself in the ebb and flow of life. The swarm of intertwined orange tendrils two inches above ground are simply the fruiting body of a much more extensive organism.
Para.5
The colour is a clue that this fungus’s appearance above ground will shortly end. They fruit between June and November, at first pale yellow in colour and darkening as time passes. Convention says their odour is unremarkable, but when I bring my nose against it, I sense a strong, chemical smell, almost like aniseed. Drama over, I get back to my feet and take this new mystery home.
本文节选自：The Guardian（卫报）
发布时间：2024.12.16
作者：Environment
原文标题：Country diary: Something complicated in the tangled grass
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写作句总结
原句：The sum of these filaments, or hyphae, makes up its mycelium, spreading out beneath my feet underground, threading its way through the soil, tangling itself in the ebb and flow of life.
结构：The sum of X, or Y, makes up Z, doing A, doing B,...
例句：The spirit of teamwork, or cooperation, makes up a strong team, working towards a shared goal, facing challenges together, creating a unified force.
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阅读理解题
Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between meadow coral's environment and its appearance, according to the provided sources?
A) Meadow coral prefers long grass, which causes it to develop complex, antler-like structures with simple branches.
B) Meadow coral thrives in heavily fertilized soil, which provides the rich nutrients needed for its intense color.
C) Meadow coral grows best in short, nibbled grassland, which allows its complex, antler-like structures to be visible, and it has a simple structure in longer grass.
D) Meadow coral is unaffected by the length of the surrounding grass, maintaining a consistent shape regardless of its location.
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全文概括
The passage is a descriptive nature writing piece focused on the author's encounter with a meadow coral fungus. The author details the changeable late autumn weather, contrasting it with the unexpected discovery of the fungus. The passage then explains the fungus's biology, including its growth and nutrient acquisition. Finally, the author notes the fungus's striking appearance and unique odor.
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打卡作业
翻译文章中的划线句，文末留言打卡，下期推送会在文章开头处公布参考翻译答案，大家一起来学习英语吧~
翻译 | 大橙子
校对 | 慢慢
词汇词组 | 胖葛柔儿
划线句讲解 | 流木
写作句总结 | 大橙子
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