1.How nice it is at Christmas to see the branches of holly on the walls！How pretty the bright-red berries look against the shining dark-green leaves！
2.You may call the holly either a large shrub or a small tree.The leaves of most trees fall off when winter comes，but the holly is green all the year round.It is called an ever-green tree；for as soon as one old brown leaf drops off，a fresh green one grows in its place.
3.Did you ever prick your fingers when you were hanging up the holly？The leaves have sharp points or spines all round the sides and also at the ends.
4.Can you guess what is the use of these prickles or spines to the holly tree？They keep cows and other animals from biting off the leaves.
5.Look at the holly leaves at the top of the tree，where the cows cannot reach，and you will see that these leaves are quitesmooth，and have no spines.
BRANCH OF HOLLY
（冬青树枝）
6.If you put some of the bark of the holly tree into an old sauce-pan with a little water，and stew it slowly on the fire，you will get a sticky white stuff.
7.This sticky stuff is called bird-lime，for men spread it on leaves and twigs to catch birds.If a bird rests on one of these twigs or leaves，the bird-lime sticks to its feet，and then it cannot fly away.
8.Look at the holly in summer，and you will see that it has small white flowers.When these drop off，the fruit comes in their place.The fruit of the holly tree is the pretty scarlet berry，which you can see on thebranches in winter.
9.Be sure you find some nice holly，with plenty of scarlet berries，for next Christmas.Hang up the branches all round your rooms，and stick a small piece in your plum-pudding.
SUMMARY
The holly is an evergreen tree with bright-red berries.The leaves have sharp，prickly points or spines to protect them from animals.Branches of holly are used for decorating our houses at Christmas.Bird-lime is made out of the bark of the holly.
【中文阅读】
1．过圣诞节了，墙上挂起了冬青①的树枝，小朋友们多高兴啊！那些亮红色的果子，衬着闪光的暗绿色叶子，多好看啊！
2．冬青，可以叫它“大灌木”，也可以叫它“小树”。冬天来了，树的叶子差不多都掉光了，可是冬青呢，一年四季都是绿油油的。冬青是一种“常绿树”，因为只要冬青树上的一片叶子变成了棕色，落了下来，在原来的地方，就会长出一片新的绿叶！②3．小朋友，你在往墙上挂冬青的时候，有没有扎到过手指头？冬青的叶子边上和顶上，长满了小小的尖儿，这种尖儿也叫“刺”（spine）。
4．猜猜看，这种“刺”，或“棘”，对冬青有什么用处呢？有了这些刺，冬青就不怕牛、马，或者别的动物，去咬它的叶子了。
5．看看冬青树顶上的叶子。牛、马够不到冬青树的顶上，瞧，这儿的叶子就很光滑，没有刺了。
6．要是把一块冬青树的树皮放进汤锅，再加点儿水，慢慢地放在火上炖一会儿，就会得到一种白白的、黏黏的东西。
7．这种黏黏的东西，叫做“黏鸟胶”，因为人们把它涂在树叶上，涂在小树枝上逮鸟儿。要是鸟儿落在这些小树枝上、树叶上，黏鸟胶就会黏在鸟儿的脚上，鸟儿就飞不走了。
8．夏天的冬青，会开出小小的白花。白花落了，在原来的地方会长出果实。冬青的果实是好看的红莓，冬天，过圣诞节的时候，你就能在圣诞挂饰上看到红莓。③9．明年圣诞节，一定要找些美丽的冬青枝叶，带着好多红莓。把冬青枝叶挂满房间，往葡萄干布丁里放一颗小红莓吧！④译注①冬青的英语是holly或者ilex，在西方文化中象征着“永生”。在圣诞节用冬青做装饰，是西方的一个传统习俗。古罗马人有一个节日“农神节”，在这个节日要互送冬青当礼物，后来这个传统被基督教继承了。圣诞节的装饰品，除了冬青，还有彩球（baubles）、一品红（poinsettia）、圣诞花环（wreaths）等。
②冬青的叶子覆盖着一层角质层，阻止了水分的蒸发，所以冬青到了冬天，用不着让树叶都掉光。而且冬青掉叶子不是一次全掉，而是分批掉的，所以看上去就一直是绿色的了。因为这个特点，西方人非常喜欢冬青，认为它是永生的象征。有一种“大叶冬青”，它的叶子可以做成“苦丁茶”，是中国的传统饮料。
③中国的冬青大都当作绿化植物，因为经常修剪，所以花朵很难留下来，也就不常看到果实了。
④现在一般认为，很多种类的冬青果实有一点儿毒性，不适合人吃，还可能让宠物中毒。出于安全考虑，最好不要让孩子和宠物接近冬青枝叶和红莓。
THE CANARY BIRD
