Wild Africa - Deserts 浩瀚沙漠 - 11

Cheetahs 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 unbearable. But large animals can at least find a shady haven under the broad canopies 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 trench.

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

But a sociable 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 thatch acts as a buffer against extremes of temperature. In summer, it can be ten degree Celsius cooler inside.
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words:

1.cheetach:a long-legged, swift-running wild cat of Africa and southwest Asia, having black-spotted, tawny fur and nonretractile claws. The cheetah, the fastest animal on land, can run for short distances at about 96 kilometers (60 miles) per hour非洲的一種獵豹

2.sprinter:competitors in the short-distance racing 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崗哨