纪录片《非洲》 第7期:喀拉哈里沙漠（7）（在线收听）

Out on the open plains,

在开阔的平原上

life must await the chance arrival of rain.

生灵们必须等待着雨水的偶尔降临

When it does fall, it has an extraordinary effect.

当雨真的降临时 会带来巨大的影响

Each sporadic downpour may only last minutes,

偶至的倾盆大雨也许只会持续数分钟

but it can bring life, and in spectacular numbers.

但雨水能吸引生灵们的到来 不计其数

Red-billed quelea.

红嘴奎利亚雀

They're the most numerous bird in the world.

他们是世界上数量最多的鸟类

In all, more than a billion live here in the Kalahari.

其中 有超过十亿只生活在喀拉哈里沙漠

No-one knows quite how,

虽然无人知其原因

but they seem to have an extraordinary ability

但他们似乎有着超凡

to locate the fall of rain,

寻找降雨的能力

and then instantly exploit the bonanza that follows.

然后立即将雨水带来的繁盛枝叶扫荡一空