VOA慢速英語：歐洲還在感受夏天的炎熱，非洲已經(jīng)可以滑雪

While millions across Europe live through a summer of record-breaking heat, others are skiing down snowy mountains in Africa.
當(dāng)歐洲數(shù)百萬人正在創(chuàng)紀(jì)錄的炎熱夏季里煎熬時，而有人卻在非洲的雪山上滑雪。
 
This is not another sign of climate change. Rather, it is a result of the special climate of Lesotho. Lesotho is a small mountainous nation surrounded by South Africa. It is the only country on Earth where its whole land surface sits more than 1,000 meters above sea level.
這不是什么氣候變化的跡象，相反，這是萊索托特有的。萊索托是一個被南非包圍的山區(qū)小國。它是地球上唯一一個整個地表海拔超過 1000 米的國家。
 
That gives Lesotho snow during the southern hemisphere's winters. Cold winters are not rare in southern Africa. But snow is rare.
這種獨(dú)特的地理環(huán)境使得萊索托在南半球的冬天下雪了。在南部非洲，寒冷的冬天并不罕見，但雪確實(shí)稀有。
 
And ski resorts are even rarer. At a height of 3,000 meters above sea level, Afriski is Africa's only ski resort south of the equator. It is in Lesotho's Maluti Mountains.
滑雪勝地就更少了。阿弗里斯基海拔 3,000 米，是非洲赤道以南唯一的滑雪勝地，地處萊索托的馬魯?shù)偕矫}。
 
"I've never seen snow in my life," said Kafi Mojapelo. She traveled the short distance from South Africa for a skiing vacation she never thought she would take.
“我這輩子從沒見過雪。”卡菲·莫哈佩洛說。她從南非過來很近，在這度過了一個她從未想過的滑雪假期。
 
"This is a great experience," she added.
“這是一次很棒的經(jīng)歷。”她補(bǔ)充道。
 
Bafana Nadida is from Johannesburg. He was happy to put on ski boots for the first time. He planned a day full of ski lessons, taking pictures and playing in the snow.
納迪達(dá)(Bafana Nadida)來自約翰內(nèi)斯堡。他很高興首次嘗試滑雪，還計(jì)劃了一整天的滑雪課程，拍照和玩雪。
 
Skiers and snowboarders waited to rent the correct equipment. Some people took lessons from Hope Ramokotjo. He is from Lesotho and has worked as a self-taught ski and snowboard instructor for 12 years.
滑雪和滑板愛好者在排隊(duì)租用設(shè)備。有些人在霍普·拉莫科喬(Hope Ramokotjo)那里得到了指導(dǎo)。他來自萊索托，作為一名自學(xué)的滑雪和單板滑雪教練，他已經(jīng)工作12年了。
 
"Push your heels out. Don't pull your shoulders," he said to his class.
“把你的腳后跟伸出來，不要聳肩膀。”他對全班說。
 
Afriski's Kapoko Snow Park is the only freestyle snow park on the continent. Freestyle skiing and snowboarding involves tricks like jumps, twists and flips.
阿弗里斯基的 Kapoko 雪地公園是非洲大陸上唯一的自由式雪地公園。自由式滑雪和單板滑雪涉及跳躍、轉(zhuǎn)體和翻轉(zhuǎn)等技巧。
Last month, competitors entered the Winter Whip Slopestyle snowboard and ski competition. Sekholo Ramonotsi is a 13-year-old from the Lesotho city of Butha-Buthe. He practices at Afriski. He has won the junior snowboard and ski divisions.
上個月，參賽者參加了坡面障礙技巧單板滑雪和自由滑雪比賽。拉莫諾齊(Sekholo Ramonotsi)是一名13歲的男孩，來自萊索托市布塔-布泰。他就在阿弗里斯基練習(xí)，并最終贏得了初級滑雪板和滑雪部門的冠軍。
 
"I would really like to ski in Europe," he said.
“我真的很想在歐洲滑雪。”他說。
 
British-born Meka Lebohang Ejindu said he has taught skiing and snowboarding in Austria for more than 10 years. This was his first time competing in the southern hemisphere.
出生于英國的艾金杜(Meka Lebohang Ejindu)說，他在奧地利教滑雪和單板滑雪已經(jīng)10多年了，這是他第一次參加南半球比賽。
 
Afriski may not be at the level of Europe's large resorts. But a love of winter sports is growing there.
阿弗里斯基可能無法達(dá)到歐洲大型度假村的水平，但那里對冬季運(yùn)動的熱愛正在增長。
 
"For a competition like this to happen in southern Africa is so heartwarming," Ejindu said.
“這樣的比賽能在南部非洲舉辦真是太令人心動了。”艾金杜說。
 
I'm Dan Novak.
丹·諾瓦克報(bào)道。