VOA慢速英语--蜂鸟公园为忙碌的哥伦比亚人提供了宁静

A Park for Hummingbirds¹ Provides Peace for Busy Colombians

Living in a city can be stressful. But some people in Bogota, Colombia have found a place to help ease stress and get a peaceful break from busy life. The place is a protected park, or sanctuary², for hummingbirds.

The park sits at the top of Monserrate Hill, east of the city, in a place known as the Paramuno corridor. The area contains a forest that has turned into a peaceful place for both people and birds.

As the hummingbirds fly from flower to flower, some people study the animals through binoculars³. Others capture pictures with cameras or phones.

"Sometimes it doesn't seem real because we are close to a city of eight million inhabitants who generate noise every day," said Camilo Cantor, a caretaker in the park. His job is to mix water and sugar that is put in bird feeders along a 300-meter path.

Cantor explains, "You can hear noise from the city, the generation of pollution and aggressiveness." But, he adds, the park is a special place, like an oasis⁴. It is a place where people can go to release stress and forget about the pressures of city life.

Visitors to the park can see between 25 to 35 different species of birds, Cantor said.

Ten years ago, the hill was completely deforested, meaning there were not any trees left on it. But workers began to replant local trees and flowers to bring the forest back to life. Presently, there are 115 species of birds, including 18 kinds of hummingbirds and some migratory⁵ species.

Hummingbirds are only found on the American continent and Colombia is home to many different kinds.

Words in This Story

stressful – adj. causing mental or emotional stress

binoculars – n. a handheld device that helps see far away

inhabitant – n. one that occupies a particular place regularly

generate – v. to bring into existence

oasis – n. a place that provides relief or water

species – n. a kind or sort

migratory – adj. relating to animals moving from one place to another

1 hummingbirds   

n.蜂鸟( hummingbird的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Hummingbirds have discovered that nectar and pollen are very nutritious. 蜂鸟发现花蜜和花粉是很有营养的。
• Why do hummingbirds and gorillas both have backbones? 为什么蜂鸟和大猩猩都有脊骨？

2 sanctuary   

n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区

参考例句：

• There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。
• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。

3 binoculars   

n.双筒望远镜

参考例句：

• He watched the play through his binoculars.他用双筒望远镜看戏。
• If I had binoculars,I could see that comet clearly.如果我有望远镜，我就可以清楚地看见那颗彗星。

4 oasis   

n.（沙漠中的）绿洲，宜人的地方

参考例句：

• They stopped for the night at an oasis.他们在沙漠中的绿洲停下来过夜。
• The town was an oasis of prosperity in a desert of poverty.该镇是贫穷荒漠中的一块繁荣的“绿洲”。

5 migratory   

n.候鸟，迁移

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• This does not negate the idea of migratory aptitude.这并没有否定迁移能力这一概念。