LESSON 24
第24课
thoroughly
透
month
月
dried
干的
dyed
染色
cuts
削减
shearer
采煤机
sheep
羊
those
那些
spun
纺
dirt
污垢
otherwise
除此以外
woven
编织
cloth
布
wool
羊毛
rub
擦
SHEEP-SHEARING
剪羊毛
Sheep are washed and sheared some time in the month of June.
绵羊要在六月里洗澡和剪毛。
This should be done quite early in the month, before the hot days begin.
这项工作应该在六月尽早完成，否则天就开始热了。
It is fine sport for those who look on, but not much fun for the sheep.
对于旁观者来说，这是个好玩的游戏。
It is best for the sheep to have the wool taken off; otherwise they would suffer in the summer time.
但对绵羊来说，则不太有趣。
When the time comes for washing the sheep, they are driven to a pond or a little river.
绵羊的毛剪下来是最好的。否则，它们会在夏天里遭受痛苦。
Then they are thrown into the water, one at a time.
当冲洗羊群的时间到来时，它们会被驱赶到池塘或小河边。
The men who are in the water catch them, and squeeze the wet wool with their hands to get the dirt all out of it.
然后，它们被带进河里，一次一只。在水里的人们抓住它们，用手拧紧湿漉漉的羊毛，把泥土挤出去。
When the wool is thoroughly dried, the sheep are taken to the shearer; and he cuts off the wool with a large pair of shears.
接下来，等羊毛彻底干燥，羊群会被送到剪羊毛工人那里。工人用一把大剪刀把羊毛剪下。
It is then dyed, spun, and woven into cloth.
这些羊毛随后会被染色，用来纺织成布料。
In a short time, before the cold winter comes, new wool grows out on the sheep.
不久，在寒冷的冬天到来之前，新的羊毛又在绵羊身上长了出来。
By the coming of spring there is so much, that it must be cut off again.
春天到来，羊毛又长出很多，它们会再次被剪下来。
