Europeans Feel the Summer Heat, While Some Africans Go Skiing

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While millions across Europe live through a summer of record-breaking heat, others are skiing down snowy mountains in Africa.

This is not another sign of climate change. Rather, it is a result of the special climate of Lesotho. Lesotho is a small mountainous nation surrounded by South Africa. It is the only country on Earth where its whole land surface sits more than 1,000 meters above sea level.

That gives Lesotho snow during the southern hemisphere¹'s winters. Cold winters are not rare in southern Africa. But snow is rare.

And ski resorts³ are even rarer. At a height of 3,000 meters above sea level, Afriski is Africa's only ski resort² south of the equator⁴. It is in Lesotho's Maluti Mountains.

"I've never seen snow in my life," said Kafi Mojapelo. She traveled the short distance from South Africa for a skiing vacation she never thought she would take.

"This is a great experience," she added.

Bafana Nadida is from Johannesburg. He was happy to put on ski boots for the first time. He planned a day full of ski lessons, taking pictures and playing in the snow.

Skiers and snowboarders waited to rent the correct equipment. Some people took lessons from Hope Ramokotjo. He is from Lesotho and has worked as a self-taught ski and snowboard instructor⁵ for 12 years.

"Push your heels out. Don't pull your shoulders," he said to his class.

Afriski's Kapoko Snow Park is the only freestyle snow park on the continent. Freestyle skiing and snowboarding involves tricks like jumps, twists and flips⁶.

Last month, competitors entered the Winter Whip⁷ Slopestyle snowboard and ski competition. Sekholo Ramonotsi is a 13-year-old from the Lesotho city of Butha-Buthe. He practices at Afriski. He has won the junior snowboard and ski divisions⁸.

"I would really like to ski in Europe," he said.

British-born Meka Lebohang Ejindu said he has taught skiing and snowboarding in Austria for more than 10 years. This was his first time competing in the southern hemisphere.

Afriski may not be at the level of Europe's large resorts. But a love of winter sports is growing there.

"For a competition like this to happen in southern Africa is so heartwarming," Ejindu said.

Words in This Story

skiing — n. the activity or sport of gliding⁹ on skis

hemisphere — n. a half of the Earth

resort — n. a place where people go for vacations

rent — n. money that you pay in return for being able to use property and especially to live in an apartment, house, etc., that belongs to someone else

park — n. a field or stadium where a sport is played

heartwarming — adj. causing pleasant feelings of happiness

1 hemisphere   

n.半球，半球地图

参考例句：

• This animal is to be found only in the Southern Hemisphere.这种动物只有在南半球才能找到。
• In most people,the left hemisphere is bigger than the right.多数人的左脑比右脑大。

2 resort   

n.凭借，手段，常去之地，胜地；vi.求助，诉诸，采取（某种手段等），常去

参考例句：

• He couldn't have passed the exam without resort to cheating.他要不是靠作弊是通不过这次考试的。
• Beidaihe is noted for its summer resort.北戴河以避暑胜地而著称。

3 resorts   

n.求助，凭借，诉诸( resort的名词复数 )；求助[凭借]的对象；采用的办法；度假胜地v.求助于或诉诸某事物，采取某手段或方法应急或作为对策( resort的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Ferry boats ply regularly between all the resorts on the lake. 渡船定时往返于湖的各旅游景点。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Other resorts could benefit from the spillover of tourists. 其他度假胜地可以从游客带来的影响中间受益。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 equator   

n.赤道，（平分球形物体的面的）圆

参考例句：

• Singapore is near the equator.新加坡位于赤道附近。
• The United States is north of the equator.美国位于赤道以北。

5 instructor   

n.指导者，教员，教练

参考例句：

• The college jumped him from instructor to full professor.大学突然把他从讲师提升为正教授。
• The skiing instructor was a tall,sunburnt man.滑雪教练是一个高高个子晒得黑黑的男子。

6 flips   

轻弹( flip的第三人称单数 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥

参考例句：

• Larry flips on the TV while he is on vacation in Budapest. 赖瑞在布达佩斯渡假时，打开电视收看节目。
• He flips through a book before making a decision. 他在决定买下一本书前总要先草草翻阅一下。

7 whip   

n.鞭子，鞭打，奶油甜食，车夫，组织秘书；vt.抽出，鞭打，捆扎，搅拌，打败；vi.突然移动，飘浮

参考例句：

• The cruel man lashed the horse with his whip.那个粗暴的人用鞭子抽马。
• The cruel master beat his slaves with a whip.残酷的主人鞭打他的奴隶。

8 divisions   

n.分开( division的名词复数 )；分界线；分歧；分离

参考例句：

• The country's political divisions are deep-seated. 这个国家的政治分歧根深蒂固。
• The country's political divisions are deep-seated. 这个国家的政治分歧根深蒂固。

9 gliding   

v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的

参考例句：

• Swans went gliding past. 天鹅滑行而过。
• The weather forecast has put a question mark against the chance of doing any gliding tomorrow. 天气预报对明天是否能举行滑翔表示怀疑。