Qatar’s Camels Tired of World Cup Fans

Qatar’s Camels Tired of World Cup Fans

World Cup soccer fans in Qatar cannot spend all of their time watching matches.

So, some of them head to the desert outside Doha for camel rides and photos. They want to have a tourist experience between games.

Business is good for the animal handlers. They are making much more money than usual.

However, the interest is causing trouble for the camels.

Ali Jaber al Ali is 49. He is from Sudan but has been in Qatar for 15 years. He said he started working with camels as a boy. He said he grew up loving camels and can identify them by their faces.

On a normal day, he said, his company would offer around 20 rides during the week and 50 rides on the weekends. But with so many soccer fans visiting the country in recent weeks, he and his team are giving 500 rides in the morning and 500 in the evening.

There's a lot of money coming in, Al Ali said. "Thank god, but it is a lot of pressure."

But that means¹ the camels have little time to rest. The animals are protesting² by making loud sounds.

Before roads were built, camels were important to transportation³ and trade in Qatar. Now they are mostly used in racing⁴ and to give rides.

Al Ali said he can tell when they are tired. Usually the camels will not get up or they will sit back down after standing⁵ up.

In usual times, the camels can rest after every five rides, but not during the World Cup. They give 15 or more rides in a row.

The day begins for Al Ali at 4:30 in the morning. He said tourists want to get a photo at sunrise. The camels and their handlers get to rest for about two hours in the middle of the day but then must start giving rides again. Al Ali called it the "afternoon battle."

Not every customer is happy. Pablo Corigliano from Argentina said he was hoping for a more authentic⁶ experience. The rides start on the side of a large road, just past a city known⁷ for its oil production centers.

"I thought I would be crossing the desert," he said, "but when I arrived, I saw a typical tourist point."

Words in This Story

match –n. a sports game

tourist –n. a person who visits another location⁸ for pleasure

handler –n. a person who leads and takes care of an animal

authentic –adj. true to real life, without change from the usual experience

typical –adj. usual or normal

1 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

2 protesting   

v.声明( protest的现在分词 )；坚决地表示；申辩

参考例句：

• They were formally protesting. 他们正式提出抗议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They were protesting soaring prices. 他们抗议物价暴涨。 来自辞典例句

3 transportation   

n.运输，运输系统，运输工具

参考例句：

• The transportation of goods by air costs a lot.航空运输货物花费很高。
• He finally solved the difficulty of transportation.他终于解决了运输的困难。

4 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

6 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

7 known   

adj.大家知道的；知名的，已知的

参考例句：

• He is a known artist.他是一个知名的艺术家。
• He is known both as a painter and as a statesman.他是知名的画家及政治家。

8 location   

n.地点，位置，定位

参考例句：

• It is a suitable location for a new school.那是建一所新学校的合适地点。
• I have to find a convenient location for the shelves.我得找一合适的地方放这些书架。