03 Disaster

Chapter 3 Disaster Come on, Jack! Annie called. She was almost to the river. Just a minute! He shouted. He wanted to study the giraffes and zebras. He pulled out the Africa book and found a picture of giraffes. He read, The giraffe is the tallest animal in the world. Its legs alone can be six feet tall, and its hooves can be as big as dinner plates. The giraffe has a

第三章 灾难 加油呀，杰克！ 安妮大声喊着。 她都快走到河边了。 等一下！ 他大喊道。 他想好好研究一下长颈鹿和斑马。 他掏出那本非洲主题的书，找到了长颈鹿的配图。 他读道： 长颈鹿是世界上最高的动物。 光是它的腿就有六英尺高，蹄子大得和餐盘一样。 长颈鹿的

very powerful kick which makes it dangerous to attack. For this reason, lions tend to avoid giraffes. Jack pulled out his notebook and wrote, notes on Africa, lions avoid giraffes. He turned the page and read more. Zebras live in family groups. As no two zebras have exactly the same pattern of stripes, every baby zebra must learn its own mother's pattern. Jack studied the zebras, trying to see their different patterns. But in the hazy afternoon light, all the stripes made him dizzy. He blinked to clear his head, then read more.

蹄子踢力极强，所以攻击它是很危险的。 正因如此，狮子通常都会躲开长颈鹿。 杰克掏出他的笔记本，写下： 非洲笔记：狮子会避开长颈鹿。 他翻过页，继续读更多内容。 斑马以家族为单位群居。 因为没有哪两只斑马的条纹图案是完全一样的， 所以每只小斑马都要记住自己妈妈的条纹样式。 杰克仔细观察斑马，努力分辨它们各不相同的条纹。 可下午的光线朦朦胧胧的，那些条纹看得他头都晕了。 他眨了眨眼清醒一下，接着继续看书。

Zebras are the first to cross the river because they eat the coarsest grass. After they've thinned down the top layer, the wildebeests arrive and eat the next layer. They prepare the grass for the gazelles who come last. Wow, thought Jack. Each animal depends on the one that goes before. He wrote, animals all connected. Jack heard Annie shouting from the riverbank, Jump, beasts, jump, you can do it. Don't be afraid, come on. He looked up. Annie herself was jumping as she called to the wildebeests. Jack sighed, I'd better stop her before there's trouble, he thought.

斑马会第一批过河，因为它们吃的是最粗糙的草。 等它们把表层的草啃薄之后，角马就会来吃下面一层的草。 它们会为最后来的瞪羚把草整理好。 哇，杰克心想。 每种动物都依赖前面先来的动物。 他写下：所有动物都是互相关联的。 杰克听见安妮在河岸大喊， 跳呀，小家伙们，跳呀，你们可以的。别害怕，加油。 他抬头一看，安妮正一边跳，一边给角马们加油。 杰克叹了口气，心想：我最好在惹出麻烦之前拦住她。

He put away the Africa book and his notebook. Then he jogged toward the river. His pack was heavy and lumpy, bumping against his back. He'd forgotten to take out the jar of peanut butter and the loaf of bread. Jack decided to leave them at the treehouse. He turned to go back. But just then, Annie's shouting stopped. Jack looked at the river. She had vanished. Annie? He called. No answer. Where was she? Annie! Jack shouted. She had completely disappeared. Oh, man, said Jack. Their trip had barely begun and already disaster had struck.

他把那本非洲的书和笔记本收了起来。 然后他朝着河边慢跑过去。 他的背包又沉又鼓，在他背上晃来晃去撞得慌。 他之前忘了把花生酱罐和那条面包拿出来了。 杰克决定把这些东西放回树屋去。 他转身准备往回走。 可就在这时，安妮的喊声停了。 杰克朝河边望去。 她不见了。 安妮？ 他喊道。 没人答应。 她去哪儿了？ 安妮！ 杰克大喊道。 她彻底消失不见了。 天啊，杰克说道。 他们的旅程才刚刚开始，灾难就已经降临了。

He forgot about the stuff in his pack. He just ran as fast as he could. He wove his way between the grazing zebras and giraffes as he raced to the river. Help! called Annie.

他完全忘了背包里的东西，只顾着拼命往前跑。 他一边往河边冲，一边在正在吃草的斑马和长颈鹿之间穿来穿去。 救命啊！安妮的喊声传来。