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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Each melon is a valuable package of moisture and seeds. The plant also benefits from this plunder1 as its seeds may be carried for fifty kilometers in the elephant's stomach before being dropped in a pile of fertilizing2 dung.
But the Nara needs more than a passing trade with elephants to spread its seeds. Under the cover of darkness, the nutritious3 melons also pull in the locals, like Cape4 porcupines5. Porcupines may wander up to fifteen kilometers a night in search of ripe melons. They rely on a sharp sense of smell.
Nara melons have a tough outer shell, but the porcupines' large incisors make short work of them. Like elephants, porcupines help the Nara to spread its seeds. By opening up fruits, they also create opportunities for other dune7 creatures.
Hairy-footed gerbils are hot on their heels. In the cool of the desert night, these little rodents8 burn up energy quickly, and so must gather food fast. Though plentiful9, the Nara seeds take some plucking. The gerbils provision for leaner times ahead, but they must also keep alert.
Cave foxes patrol the Nara bushes, looking for gerbils. Surprisingly, the foxes are also partial to the thirst-quenching melons. But there is a great mystery here. This is the most extreme African environment; it may not rain for ten years at a stretch. So how does the Namib support so much life?
words:
1.dung:粪便
3.incisor:切齿
4.gerbil:沙鼠
5.provision: (v.)提供provision a boat for grains during a long voyage
6.lean:收成不好的:a lean year
7.partial to:喜欢
1 plunder | |
vt.劫掠财物,掠夺;n.劫掠物,赃物;劫掠 | |
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2 fertilizing | |
v.施肥( fertilize的现在分词 ) | |
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3 nutritious | |
adj.有营养的,营养价值高的 | |
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4 cape | |
n.海角,岬;披肩,短披风 | |
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5 porcupines | |
n.豪猪,箭猪( porcupine的名词复数 ) | |
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6 porcupine | |
n.豪猪, 箭猪 | |
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7 dune | |
n.(由风吹积而成的)沙丘 | |
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8 rodents | |
n.啮齿目动物( rodent的名词复数 ) | |
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9 plentiful | |
adj.富裕的,丰富的 | |
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