A long time ago, a farmer took a big bag of seeds to sell at the market. Suddenly, his cart's wheel hit a big stone. Bump! One of the seeds fell out of the bag and onto the hot, dry ground.
"I'm very scared!" said the seed. "I need to be safe under the soil."
Just then, a buffalo walked on the seed and pushed it into the ground.
"I'm very thirsty!" said the seed. "I need some water to help me grow." Just then, it started to rain.
The next morning the seed had a little green shoot. All-day it sat in the sun and grew taller and taller.
The next day it had its first leaf. This helped it to catch sunlight and grow.
That evening a hungry bird tried to eat it, but the seed had roots to help it stay in the ground.
Many years of sunshine and rain passed. The seed became a plant and then the little plant became a big tree.
Today if you visit the countryside you can see the tree. It is big and strong and now makes seeds of its own.
Some seeds, and their later development, fruits, are obviously "adaptations" to a world full of animals. If they are dispersed by being eaten, it is advantageous for them to be nutritious and good to eat. So spores, seeds, and fruits may get spread over.
Spores and seeds dispersed by wind are light and get blown easily. There are "parachutes" on top of some seeds, like milkweed and dandelion seeds. Some seeds are very small and light, almost like dust. For example, violets and gorses use mechanical dispersal. Mechanical means spores and seeds dispersed by wind are light and get blown easily.
Spores and seeds may be fired out by force in some cases. When the seeds are ready, it opens with a loud "POP!" sound. Another fruit called the squirting cucumber uses mechanical dispersal, too. There are hundreds of other fruits that use mechanical dispersal.
Some deliberately planted seeds may not necessarily grow into a tree. This small seed is indeed lucky and blessed.
-Quote from kids.kiddle & LearnEnglish Kids
解 說
很久以前，有個農民拿著一大袋種子去市場販售。突然間，他手推車的車輪撞到了一塊大石頭。「磕碰！」一顆種子從袋子裡掉了下來，落在乾熱的地面上。
「我很害怕！」種子說。「我需要安全地獃在土壤下層。」
就在這時，剛好經過的水牛踏在種子上，把它踩進了土裡。
「我很口渴！」種子說。「我需要一些水幫助我生長。」就在這時候，開始下雨了。
第二天早晨，種子冒出一點綠芽。整天坐在陽光下的它，愈來愈高。
又過了一天，它有了第一片葉子，這樣一來，可能幫助它接受陽光、生長。
那天晚上，一隻飢餓的鳥試圖吃掉它，但是種子有根可以幫助它牢牢地留在地面。
多年的陽光和雨水過去，種子變成了小植物，然後小植物長成了大樹。
如果今天參觀鄉村，你可以看到那棵樹，它長得高又壯了，現在還可以製造自己的種子。
有些種子與後來結的果，顯然對動物世界已經充分「適應」。如果它們被食用而分散，那麼營養豐富且美味可口對它們有利，孢子、種子和果實可能因此分散播種。
孢子和種子很輕，很容易被風吹散。在些乳草和蒲公英種子的頂部有類似「降落傘」的裝置，有些種子很小、很輕，幾乎像灰塵一樣。例如紫羅蘭和金雀花就使用「機械方式」散播種子。
所謂「機械方式」是指輕巧易吹的孢子和種子，在某些情況下，可能會被用力發射出去。種子準備好後，它會響起一聲“ POP！”。聲音。另一種稱為噴黃瓜的水果也使用機械分散。還有數百種其他使用機械分散的水果。
有些人工栽種的種子都未必會長成樹，這顆小種子確實是很幸運又受眷顧的。
-摘錄自 kids.kiddle & LearnEnglish Kids 網站