Unit 7 Racing in the Wild
第7单元 荒野中的赛跑

The zebra grazing, looked up only slightly when two of the world's tallest animals galloped past. The lanky animals' long, but awkward legs traveled across the desert in half the time it took most other desert animals.

当两只世界上长得最高的动物疾驰而过时，吃着草的斑马只是稍微抬头看了一下。这种瘦长动物的腿很长也很笨拙，但穿越沙漠的时间却比大部分其他沙漠动物还要快上一倍。

The extra weight of a single passenger and his bags did not seem to slow down the animals' speed.
背上多坐一个人再加上他的行李重量，似乎不会减慢这种动物的跑步速度。

March was the annual giraffe race. People from surrounding villages came to watch. This year, Ahul was racing for his first time. He was only 11. Before he died, Ahul's father had been a famous racer. It was up to Ahul to carry on in his father's footsteps.
三月是一年一度的长颈鹿赛跑大赛，附近的村民都会前来观赏。今天是阿哈第一次参赛，他只有十一岁。阿哈的爸爸生前是有名的长颈鹿赛鹿手，至于阿哈要不要跟随父亲的脚步，就由他自己决定。

Ahul held on tightly to the giraffe as it raced across sand dunes and past trees. They were in the lead. The finish line was close.
长颈鹿跑过沙丘、穿越树林时，阿哈紧紧抓着长颈鹿。他们目前居于领先地位，终点线就在前面不远了。

“Come on, Ginger,” Ahul called out. “You can do it.” What a rush to be sitting on top of a giraffe as it raced across the desert, the sun warm on his back, the cool wind blowing in his face.
“加油，金杰。”阿哈大喊着：“你一定行的。”长颈鹿在沙漠上奔跑时，坐在它上面那种感觉可真是快啊！温暖的阳光照在背上，脸上还有凉风吹过。

Ahul cried out, “You did it” as they crossed the finish line.
他们越过终点线时，阿哈大喊着：“你办到了。”

【美】 Tara McAteer 著 黄惟郁 译

上海交通大学出版社出版