3.Let us get one of those white downy balls and see whether we can find out the cause of this change.Pull off one of the white plumes②，and you will find a little round seed-vessel at the end of①Down，the small feathery hairs on the seeds of some plants；the fine soft feathers of a bird.
②Plumes，small feathery hairs.
it.This long white plume has grown from the white hairy calyx which we found outside each tiny yellow flower.The yellow parts have all fallen off，for the seed-vessel had no more need of them.
4.The first puff of wind that comes breaks off the ripe seed-vessels and their white plumes，and away they go sailingover the fields and the hedges.Did you ever help the dandelion to spread its seeds，by blowing on the ripe head “to see what o’clock it is”？Children sometimes call these white dandelion heads “clocks，”and try how many puffs of their breath it takes to blow off all the down.If it takes four puffs，they say it is “four o‘clock.”
5.It is a great advantage①to the dandelion flowersSEED-VESSELAND PLUME（种皮与绒毛）to have seeds that are easily blown about by the wind；for if all the seeds fell on the ground close to the parent plant②，the young plants as they grew would soon choke one another.
6.Did you ever look for dandelions on a cold wet day？It is not easy to see them then，for their pretty golden crowns have all vanished③.The two outer circles of green leaves have closedround them，so that each head looks like a big green bud that has not yet opened.In this way the little yellow flowers that form the head are kept safe and warm till finer weather comes.
7.It is not only in rainy weather that the gay dandelions wrap themselves up in their green mantles④.Every evening，when the sun is setting and the air becomes chill，they close themselves up，or go to sleep，as we say.
8.When pulling a dandelion to pieces，you must have noticed①Advantage，gain.
②Parent plant，the plant from which the seed comes.
③Vanished，gone out of sight；disappeared.
④Mantles，coverings；loose cloaks.
the milky juice that runs out of every part of the plant.This juice is very sticky，and it has a bitter taste.It is useful to the plant to have such a bitter juice；many animals do not like the taste of it，and so the plant is not eaten up by sheep or cows or horses.
9.Is the dandelion of any use？Yes：some people dry the roots，and then roast them and grind them into a brown powder，from which they make a drink somewhat like coffee.A medicine①is also prepared from the roots.The young leaves of the dandelion may be eaten as a salad②；and they will serve as food for silkworms instead of mulberry leaves.Boys who keep tamerabbits often gather dandelion leaves for them，and the rabbits like very much to eat them.
SUMMARY
When the dandelion seeds are formed，the yellow flower-head closes up while they ripen.When it opens，it seems a round white ball of down.Each little seed-vessel has a long white plume，which has grown from the white hairy calyx.The seed-vessels are easily broken off by the wind and carried to other places，where they take root.In cold or wet weather and at night the dandelion closes up for greater warmth.It has a bitter juice.A medicine is prepared from the roots of the dandelion.The young leaves are used to feed silkworms and rabbits.
【中文阅读】
1．当蒲公英的花朵全部获得它们所需的花粉、种子也“做好准备”或者说完全成型之后，黄色的头状花序将蜷缩在绿叶的怀抱之中，在种子成熟的这几天时间里低头向地面弯曲。
①Medicine，anything used for healing or soothing pain.
②Salad，a dish made of raw vegetables，with oil，vinegar，etc.
2．当头状花序再次打开，向上伸展时，它们已经发生了巨大的变化。每一支蒲公英都已经不再是金黄色的花朵了，变成了毛茸茸的白色圆球！如此剧烈的变化是怎么回事呢？
3．我们摘下一朵这样的白色绒球，看看能不能解开这种变化背后的成因。摘下一根白色绒毛，就会发现，末端有一个细小的球形种皮①。这些长长的白色绒毛就是从黄色小花外面的白色毛状花萼中生长而出。其中黄色的结构已经全部掉落，因为种皮完全不需要它们了。
4．微风吹来，白色的绒毛从成熟的种皮上脱落下来并随风飘扬，飞越田间与树丛。你是否曾经拿起过一朵蒲公英，朝着绒球吹上一口气，“看看它是几点钟”？这其实就是在帮助它们传播种子。有时候，孩子们将这些白色的蒲公英花团称作“时钟”，然后试着看用几口气才能把所有的绒毛吹下来。如果吹了四下，那么这团蒲公英就是“四点钟”②。
5．只需一阵微风，蒲公英花朵上的种子便会随风飘扬，这可是一种巨大的优势；因为，如果所有的种子都掉落在亲本株周围的地面上，随着幼年蒲公英逐渐长大，它们就会限制彼此的生长空间。
6．你有没有在清冷的雨天看到过蒲公英？那时候的蒲公英不是很容易被人察觉，因为它们那漂亮的金色花冠已经消失不见。外围的两圈绿色小片（总苞片）把叶子包裹了起来，看起来就像是巨大的绿色蓓蕾，还没有打开。这样一来，构成头状花序的黄色小花就得到了保护并且能够获得温暖，直到天气情况有所好转。
7．明亮的蒲公英不止是遇到雨天时才会包裹在绿色的遮挡物之下。当太阳下山、夜晚降临时，空气变冷，蒲公英的花序便合了起来，或者说是进入了睡眠。
8．当你把蒲公英撕扯成一块一块时，肯定注意到有种乳白色液体从各个地方流了出来。这种液体极富粘性，带有些许苦味。对蒲公英来说，能够分泌这种液体对它们很有好处：很多动物都不喜欢这样的味道，所以羊、牛、马就不会把它们当做食物了。
9．蒲公英有什么用处吗？当然有。人们将蒲公英的根晒干，经过烘烤之后磨成棕色粉末，然后就可以制作成一种类似咖啡的饮品。蒲公英的根还可以入药③。蒲公英的嫩叶可以当做沙拉食用；它们还可以替代桑叶用作蚕的饲料。饲养家兔的孩子们经常收集蒲公英的叶子，因为这些宠物非常喜欢嚼食它们。
译注
①植物学上，种皮叫“瘦果”，绒毛叫“冠毛”，连接瘦果和冠毛的东西叫“喙”。
②这是英国儿童的一种传统游戏。
③蒲公英根粉在中国作为中药。
THE COMMON MOUSE
