An Earthworm

陈传光

Im an earthworm. Welcome to my home！ I live in a wonderful place withplenty of food， fresh air， and just the right amount of moisture2.

When some people come into my home， all they see is dirt3. Soil4 is a lotmore than dirt. Soil includes partly dissolved5 rocks and minerals6.

Soil contains water and air， too. They are good things for me. I need water tokeep my skin moist. I get air from the soil. Can you believe it？ I breathe throughmy skin！

Soil also has humus7 in it. Humus is small bits of dead plants and animals.Humus is usually brown or black， so it can change the color of the soil. Humus iswhat I eat.

My home has different layers. The top layer is full of humus， lots of roots， andplenty of air and water. The middle layer has small rocks and some humus. Thebottom layer is made up of tree roots and bedrock. I mostly live in the top twolayers where there is food， air， and water.

I do a lot to fix up my home. When I eat humus， I make it into even smallerbits. In this way， plants can use it as food. But I do more than that.

When I crawl8 through the soil， I mix the layers. My tunnels9 help bring air，water， and food to other living things. Even the slime10 on my skin is good for the soil.

Next time if you see an earthworm like me， think about how I care for the soil，my home.

我是一条蚯蚓。欢迎来到我家！我住在一个很棒的地方，有充足的食物、新鲜的空气和恰到好处的水分。

当一些人走进我家时，他们看到的都是泥土。土壤不仅仅是泥土。土壤包括部分溶解的岩石和矿物质。

土壤也含有水和空气。它们对我很有好处。我需要水来保持皮肤的湿润。我从土壤中获得空气。你能相信吗？我通过皮肤呼吸！

土壤中也含有腐殖质。腐殖质是死去的动植物的小碎块。腐殖质通常是棕色或黑色的，因此它可以改变土壤的颜色。腐殖质是我的食物。

我的家有不同的分层。顶层充满了腐殖质、大量的根、充足的空气和水。

中间层有小岩石和一些腐殖质。底层由树根和基岩组成。我通常生活在最上面两层，那里有食物、空气和水。

我下了很多功夫来修理我的家。当我吃腐殖质时，我会使它变成更小的小块。通过这种方式，植物可以将其作为养料。但我做的不止这些。

当我在土壤中爬行时，我会把土层混合在一起。我的洞穴通道帮助把空气、水和食物带给其他生物。甚至我皮肤上的粘液对土壤也有好处。

下次如果你看到一条像我这样的蚯蚓时，想想我是如何爱护土壤———我的家的。

Notes

1. earthworm 蚯蚓

2. moisture  潮氣；水分

3. dirt 尘土；泥土

4. soil 泥土；土壤

5. dissolve 使……溶解

6. mineral 矿物质；矿物

7. humus 腐殖质

8. crawl  爬行

9. tunnel 隧道；地道；洞穴通道

10. slime 黏液