纪录片《我们的地球》 第95期 奇幻沙漠(12)

During four weeks of the summer, the saguaros bloom at night to attract visitors.

在夏季的4个星期里，弁庆柱在晚上开花，吸引了不少拜访者。

The pollen¹ and nectar with which these flowers are loaded, attract long-nosed and long-tongued bats.

这些花中装满了花粉和花蜜，吸引了长鼻蝠和长舌蝠。

The bats left Mexico a few days earlier to escape the heat of summer

蝙蝠数日前离开墨西哥以躲避酷暑

and are on their way north to the southern United States.

正向北飞往美国南部

To get there, they have to cross the Sonoran Desert.

要想到达那里，它们必须穿越索诺兰沙漠。

But the desert is so big that for most of the year they would be unable to cross it.

不过这片沙漠很大，它们一年中大部分时间都无法穿越这里。

Now, with the saguaro in bloom, they can refuel on the way.

现在，有了正在开花的弁庆柱，它们便能在旅途中得到休整。

So the saguaro's success in developing a way to store water

看来弁庆柱进化出的这种成功的储水方式，

is now crucial to most of the animals that live or even travel through this land.

如今已关系到大部分在此生活和旅行的动物。

The scarcity² of rain determined³ the shape of this icon⁴ of the desert.

缺少雨水的环境塑造了这些沙漠中的图标

But water, scarce though it is, has also, like the wind, shaped the land itself.

尽管水很少，但它也和风一样，造就了各种地形。

1 pollen   

n.[植]花粉

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。
• He developed an allergy to pollen.他对花粉过敏。

2 scarcity   

n.缺乏，不足，萧条

参考例句：

• The scarcity of skilled workers is worrying the government.熟练工人的缺乏困扰着政府。
• The scarcity of fruit was caused by the drought.水果供不应求是由于干旱造成的。

3 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

4 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。