导读：

上一期我们的视线随着斯佳丽领略了她家棉田地与自然风光的交相辉映。夕阳的余晖点缀着刚刚撒上棉籽的田地，像极了一片红色的海洋，浮起小岛似的白色砖屋。今天我们将收回远眺的视线，聚焦这片土地上的风景。这里的景物有着最强烈的对比，光明与幽暗共存，酷热与凉爽相伴。通过这一节的阅读，我们一方面可以学到具体的景象的英文，如阳光、林中空地；另一方面也能够积累到更多让这些景象富有活力的形容词,例如缓缓流淌的，平和满足的。

【原文】It was a savagely red land, blood-colored after rains, brick dust in droughts, the best cotton land in the world. It was a pleasant land of white houses, peaceful plowed fields and sluggish yellow rivers, but a land of contrasts, of brightest sun glare and densest shade. The plantation clearings and miles of cotton fields smiled up to a warm sun, placid, complacent. At their edges rose the virgin forests, dark and cool even in the hottest noons, mysterious, a little sinister, the soughing pines seeming to wait with an age-old patience, to threaten with soft sighs: “Be careful! Be careful! We had you once. We can take you back again.”

【译文】这是片野性十足的红土地，雨后红如血，旱天似粉末，种棉花尤为适宜。这又是片欢乐的土地，白色的房舍，宁静的四野，缓缓流淌的浑黄河水。然而它也有着鲜明的对比，灼热刺眼的阳光，浓厚幽暗的阴影，种植园垦拓的块块土地，绵延数英里的片片棉田，笑对温暖的太阳，安详，满足。田野边缘矗立着原始森林，即便在酷热的正午也幽暗凉爽，神秘而带几分不祥。松涛阵阵，仿佛在耐心等着地老天荒, 仿佛在发出低声的威胁：“留神！留神！你们原本属于我们，我们还能把你们夺回来。”

1. savage /ˈsævɪdʒ/  adj. 蒙昧的；未开化的；野蛮的
【英文释义】an offensive way of referring to groups of people or customs that are considered to be simple and not highly developed 
【例子】a savage tribe 野蛮部落

2.drought/draʊt/ 干旱，缺失

【英文释义】：a period of dry weather, especially a long one that Is injurious to crops

【例句】：The land is so drought that crops died

地太干旱，导致庄稼都死了。

3. of contrast: 富有对比的....

【例句】A picture of contrast:富有对比的一幅画

4. sluggish /ˈslʌɡɪʃ/ adj. 缓缓流动的

【英文释义】not moving as quickly as usual

【例子】a sluggish stream 缓缓流动的小溪

5. dense  /dens/ adj. 浓密的；浓重的

【英文释义】having parts that are close together so that it is difficult to go or see through

【例子】dense fog 浓雾

【例子】a dense forest 密林

6. clearing /ˈklɪərɪŋ/ n. 林中空地

【英文释义】an area in a forest where there are no trees or bushes

【例句】A helicopter landed in a clearing in the dense jungle.

一架直升机在茂密丛林中的一片空地着陆了。

7. placid /ˈplæsɪd/ adj. 宁静的；平和的

【英文释义】 having a calm appearance or characteristics

【例子】the placid pace of village life

乡村悠然的生活节奏

She was a very placid (= calm and not easily excited) child who slept all night and hardly ever cried.

她是个非常安静的孩子，整晚上都睡觉，几乎不哭。

8. complacent /kəmˈpleɪs(ə)nt/ adj. 自满的，自鸣得意的

【英文释义】feeling so satisfied with your own abilities or situation that you feel you do not need to try any harder

【例子】We can't afford to become complacent about any of our products.

我们不能对自己的任何一款产品沾沾自喜。

9. virgin /ˈvɜː(r)dʒɪn/ adj.（森林等）未开发的，原始状态的

【英文释义】A virgin forest or area of land has not yet been cultivated (= used to grow crops) or used by people.

【例子】The railway is being extended into areas of virgin forest.

这条铁路一直延伸到原始森林地带。

【补充】Virgin oil, especially olive oil, is made directly from pressing the fruit, rather than by using heat.（油，尤指橄榄油）初榨的，直接提取的

【补例】extra virgin olive oil

特等初榨橄榄油

10. sinister /ˈsɪnɪstə(r)/ adj. 不祥的，有凶兆的

【英文释义】making you feel that something bad or evil might happen

【例句】The ruined house had a sinister appearance.

那座倒塌的房子外观给人一种不祥之感。

11. soughing /ˈsaʊ.ɪŋ/ n. 飒飒声

【英文释义】
the high or low long sound that something such as the wind or sea makes as it moves
【例句】Overhead, there was a soughing in the treetops.
头顶上，树梢飒飒作响。

12. pine /paɪn/ n. 松树

【英文释义】a tall tree with thin sharp leaves called needles that do not fall off in winter, and hard brown fruits called cones
【例子】a pine forest 松树林

13. sigh /saɪ/  n. （风穿过树林时）发出呜咽声

【英文释义】If the wind sighs, it makes a long, soft sound as it moves through trees.

【例句】I lay on my back, listening to the sound of the wind sighing in the trees.

我仰面躺着，听着风穿过树林发出的呜咽声。