纪录片《我们的地球》 第137期 辽阔平原(12)

The northern flowering is mirrored by the grasslands¹ of the southern hemisphere,

北方的开花季节跟南半球的草原互相呼应，

and nowhere is more impressive than on the veldt of South Africa.

天下最美丽动人的草原非南非的维尔德草原莫属。

Not all temperate² plains are so rich and colourful in the summer.

并非所有温带地区的草原在夏季都是如此五彩斑斓。

This is midsummer on the Tibetan plateau, the highest great plain in the world.

这是西藏高原的仲夏，世界上海拔最高的草原。

Despite the conditions, grass survives and in sufficient quantities

在这样的环境里，依然生长着漫山遍野的草，

to support the highest of all grazing herds³, those of the wild yak⁴.

维系所有食草动物的生存需要。那些是野牦牛。

Even in summer, life is hard. Temperatures rarely rise above freezing and the air is thin.

即使在夏天，日子也并不好过。温度几乎总是在零下，空气又非常地稀薄。

It's also exceptionally dry for one very big reason, the Himalayas.

而且这里又干燥异常，那是因为一个很大的原因，喜马拉雅。

The great mountain range acts as a barrier, preventing clouds moving in from the south,

雄伟的山脉犹如一道高高的屏障，阻挡了从南飘来的浮云，

and this casts a giant rain shadow that leaves Tibet high and dry.

只在大地上投下了巨大雨影，西藏高原由此变得异常地干燥。

1 grasslands   

n.草原，牧场( grassland的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Songs were heard ringing loud and clear over the grasslands. 草原上扬起清亮激越的歌声。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Grasslands have been broken and planted to wheat. 草原已经开垦出来，种上了小麦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 temperate   

adj.温和的，温带的，自我克制的，不过分的

参考例句：

• Asia extends across the frigid,temperate and tropical zones.亚洲地跨寒、温、热三带。
• Great Britain has a temperate climate.英国气候温和。

3 herds   

兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众

参考例句：

• Regularly at daybreak they drive their herds to the pasture. 每天天一亮他们就把牲畜赶到草场上去。
• There we saw herds of cows grazing on the pasture. 我们在那里看到一群群的牛在草地上吃草。

4 yak   

n.牦牛

参考例句：

• The most common materials Tibetan jewelry are Yak bone.藏饰最常见的材料当属牦牛骨。
• We can sell yak skin,meat and wool.我们可以卖牦牛的皮、肉和毛。