英语听力：自然百科 探索世界奥秘之Wild Africa - Deserts(浩瀚沙漠) Unit11

（单词翻译）

Cheetahs¹ are sprinters, not made for a long-distance chase. So they must get close. But springbok have keen senses. True to their name, springbok can leap two meters high. It's jumping with a purpose. It signals a warning to the others and confuses the attackers.

After such a burst of activity, springbok need to cool down fast. Here in the Kalahari, temperatures can be unbearable³. But large animals can at least find a shady haven⁴ under the broad canopies⁵ of camelthorn trees.

For ground squirrels, it's also time to seek shade. The sand is much cooler just beneath the surface. So each squirrel digs its own special trench⁶.

For most Kalahari mammals, mid-day is siesta⁷ time, a chance to unwind. Even the meerkat sentry⁸ takes his eye off the job.

But a sociable⁹ weaver's work is never done. They're busy constructing their own unique shelter. These giant haystacks can accommodate up to three hundred individuals and can weigh over a ton. Because they're occupied year round, thatching is an endless task. The nests are a miracle of home-made air conditioning. Air trapped in the pockets of the thatch¹⁰ acts as a buffer¹¹ against extremes of temperature. In summer, it can be ten degree Celsius¹² cooler inside.

words:

1.cheetach:a long-legged, swift-running wild cat of Africa and southwest Asia, having black-spotted, tawny¹³ fur and nonretractile claws. The cheetah², the fastest animal on land, can run for short distances at about 96 kilometers (60 miles) per hour非洲的一种猎豹

2.sprinter:competitors in the short-distance racing¹⁴ competition短跑者

3.siesta:a rest or nap after the midday meal中午的小休息

4.unwind: stretch and relax伸直休息

5.sentry:a guard, especially a soldier posted at a given spot to prevent the passage of unauthorized persons岗哨