Wild Africa - Deserts 浩瀚沙漠 - 5

Each melon is a valuable package of moisture and seeds. The plant also benefits from this plunder¹ as its seeds may be carried for fifty kilometers in the elephant's stomach before being dropped in a pile of fertilizing² dung.

But the Nara needs more than a passing trade with elephants to spread its seeds. Under the cover of darkness, the nutritious³ melons also pull in the locals, like Cape⁴ porcupines. Porcupines⁵ may wander up to fifteen kilometers a night in search of ripe melons. They rely on a sharp sense of smell.

Nara melons have a tough outer shell, but the porcupines' large incisors make short work of them. Like elephants, porcupines help the Nara to spread its seeds. By opening up fruits, they also create opportunities for other dune⁶ creatures.

Hairy-footed gerbils are hot on their heels. In the cool of the desert night, these little rodents⁷ burn up energy quickly, and so must gather food fast. Though plentiful⁸, the Nara seeds take some plucking. The gerbils provision for leaner times ahead, but they must also keep alert.

Cave foxes patrol the Nara bushes, looking for gerbils. Surprisingly, the foxes are also partial to the thirst-quenching melons. But there is a great mystery here. This is the most extreme African environment; it may not rain for ten years at a stretch. So how does the Namib support so much life?
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words:
1.dung:粪便

2.porcupine:豪猪

3.incisor:切齿

4.gerbil:沙鼠

5.provision: (v.)提供provision a boat for grains during a long voyage

6.lean:收成不好的:a lean year

7.partial to:喜欢

1 plunder   

vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠

参考例句：

• The thieves hid their plunder in the cave.贼把赃物藏在山洞里。
• Trade should not serve as a means of economic plunder.贸易不应当成为经济掠夺的手段。

2 fertilizing   

v.施肥( fertilize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Sometimes the preliminary step must be taken of reducing weed population before fertilizing. 有时候，在施肥之前，必须采取减少杂草密度的预备性步骤。 来自辞典例句
• The self fertilizing garden can also be planted in raised beds. 自我施肥的菜园也可以在苗圃床中种植。 来自互联网

3 nutritious   

adj.有营养的，营养价值高的

参考例句：

• Fresh vegetables are very nutritious.新鲜蔬菜富于营养。
• 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。

4 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

5 porcupines   

n.豪猪，箭猪( porcupine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Porcupines use their spines to protect themselves. 豪猪用身上的刺毛来自卫。
• The59 victims so far include an elephant, dromedaries, monkeys and porcupines. 目前为止，死亡的动物包括大象、峰骆驼、子以及豪猪。 来自互联网

6 dune   

n.(由风吹积而成的)沙丘

参考例句：

• The sand massed to form a dune.沙积集起来成了沙丘。
• Cute Jim sat on the dune eating a prune in June.可爱的吉姆在六月天坐在沙丘上吃着话梅。

7 rodents   

n.啮齿目动物( rodent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Rodents carry diseases and are generally regarded as pests. 啮齿目动物传播疾病，常被当作害虫对待。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Some wild rodents in Africa also harbor the virus. 在非洲，有些野生啮齿动物也是储毒者。 来自辞典例句

8 plentiful   

adj.富裕的，丰富的

参考例句：

• Their family has a plentiful harvest this year.他们家今年又丰收了。
• Rainfall is plentiful in the area.这个地区雨量充足。