In summer, leaves look green because they are full of chlorophyll. This green pigment catches sunlight and helps the tree make food. When days grow shorter and colder, the tree begins to rest.
夏天,叶子看起来是绿色的,因为它们充满了叶绿素。这种绿色色素捕捉阳光,帮助大树制造养分。白天变短、天气变冷时,大树开始休息。
Chlorophyll fades away, and other colors appear. Yellow and orange pigments were in the leaf all along, hidden by the green. Red colors are new; they form as sugar stays in the leaf.
叶绿素渐渐褪去,别的颜色便显现出来。黄色和橙色色素一直藏在叶子里,只是被绿色遮住了。红色则是新形成的,因为糖分留在了叶片中。
Rain and frost can end the show early. Strong wind may pull the leaves down. But every fallen leaf gives something back to the soil, and next spring the tree will use it again.
雨水和霜冻可能让这场表演提前结束,大风也可能把叶子吹落。但每一片落下的叶子都会把一些东西还给土壤,明年春天,大树会再次利用它。