纪录片《我们的地球》 第137期 辽阔平原(12)（在线收听）

The northern flowering is mirrored by the grasslands of the southern hemisphere,

北方的开花季节跟南半球的草原互相呼应，

and nowhere is more impressive than on the veldt of South Africa.

天下最美丽动人的草原非南非的维尔德草原莫属。

Not all temperate plains are so rich and colourful in the summer.

并非所有温带地区的草原在夏季都是如此五彩斑斓。

This is midsummer on the Tibetan plateau, the highest great plain in the world.

这是西藏高原的仲夏，世界上海拔最高的草原。

Despite the conditions, grass survives and in sufficient quantities

在这样的环境里，依然生长着漫山遍野的草，

to support the highest of all grazing herds, those of the wild yak.

维系所有食草动物的生存需要。那些是野牦牛。

Even in summer, life is hard. Temperatures rarely rise above freezing and the air is thin.

即使在夏天，日子也并不好过。温度几乎总是在零下，空气又非常地稀薄。

It's also exceptionally dry for one very big reason, the Himalayas.

而且这里又干燥异常，那是因为一个很大的原因，喜马拉雅。

The great mountain range acts as a barrier, preventing clouds moving in from the south,

雄伟的山脉犹如一道高高的屏障，阻挡了从南飘来的浮云，

and this casts a giant rain shadow that leaves Tibet high and dry.

只在大地上投下了巨大雨影，西藏高原由此变得异常地干燥。