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Phalaenopsis gigantea / 象耳蝴蝶兰 / (xiànɡěr húdiélán) 

A: Did you know that the Phalaenopsis gigantea at the Botanical Garden has blossomed?

你知道吗？植物园的象耳蝴蝶兰开花了。

(nǐ zhīdào ma?zhíwùyuán de xiànɡěr húdiélán kāihuā le.)

B: What is Phalaenopsis gigantean? I've never heard of this species of flower. 

什么是象耳蝴蝶兰呢？我从没听说过这个品种的花。

(shenme shì xiànɡěr húdiélán ne?wǒ cónɡméi tīnɡshuōɡuò zhèɡè pǐnzhǒnɡ de huā.)

A: Phalaenopsis gigantean is the world's largest moth orchid. Its leaves can grow up to one meter long in natural environment. 

象耳蝴蝶兰是世界上最大的蝴蝶兰,它的叶片最长可达一米。

(xiànɡěr húdiélán shì shìjièshànɡ zuì dàde húdiélán, tāde yèpiàn zuìchánɡ kědá yīmǐ.)

B: It's such a huge moth orchid! It must be very hard to grow.

好大的蝴蝶兰啊！它栽培起来应该很困难吧？

(hǎodàde húdiélán ā！tā zāipéi qǐlái yīnɡɡāi hěn kùnnán bā`?)

A: It takes a long time for Phalaenopsis gigantean to grow. From a sprout to a full-grown flower, it takes at least 10 years. It is also very sensitive when it comes to the environment. It also requires a suitable amount of light and humidity to grow.

象耳蝴蝶兰生长期长,从幼苗到长成开花需要至少十年的时间。而且这个品种对环境非常敏感,对光照强度和湿度也有一定的要求。

(xiànɡěr húdiélán shēnɡzhánɡqī chánɡ, cónɡ yòumiáo dào zhánɡchénɡ kāihuā xūyào zhìshǎo shínián de shíjiān. érqiě zhè ɡè pǐnzhǒnɡ duì huánjìnɡ fēichánɡ mǐnɡǎn, duì ɡuānɡzhào qiánɡdù hé shīdù yěyǒu yīdìnɡ de yàoqiú.)

B: So it really isn't easy for a Phalaenopsis gigantean to bloom. Let's go to the Botanical Garden to see its beauty. 

原来象耳蝴蝶兰长到开花这么不容易,我们快去植物园一睹其风采吧。

(yuánlái xiànɡěr húdiélán zhánɡdào kāihuā zhème bù rónɡyì, wǒmén kuàiqù zhíwùyuán yīdǔ qí fēnɡcǎi bā.)

Illustrations:Chen Xia/GT