The Baobab

The Baobab. Written by Susan Lennox. Focus Question. How do baobabs support life in Africa?

《猴面包树》，作者：苏珊·伦诺克斯。 核心问题：猴面包树如何维系非洲的生命？

The lands of Africa. Africa has large sandy deserts. It has thick, dark jungles. It also has open grassy plains. The plains, known as the African savanna, are not just made up of grass, however. Strange ancient trees grow there too. They are called baobabs. These trees of life have helped the people and other animals of the savanna for thousands of years.

非洲这片土地上。 有大片的沙质沙漠。 有茂密幽暗的丛林。 还有开阔的草原。 这片被称为非洲稀树草原的平原上， 可不只有草。 那里还生长着奇特的古树。 它们叫猴面包树。 这些“生命之树”几千年来，一直帮助着稀树草原上的人类和其他动物。

Giants of the Savannah. Finding a baobab is easy. These trees rise high above the flat plains. A full -grown baobab can be 18 meters, 59 feet tall. That's taller than a five -story building.

稀树草原上的巨人。 找猴面包树很容易， 它们高高耸立在平坦的草原之上。 一棵成年猴面包树可达18米（59英尺）高， 比五层楼还要高。

Baobab trees have thick barrel -shaped trunks. The oldest trees have trunks that are nine meters, 30 feet across. Like barrels, the trunks hold a lot of water. This is important because the savanna is a dry place. Being able to store water helps Baobabs survive in the savanna. Baobabs also have strange branches. Their branches spread out like roots. When a Baobab sheds its leaves, the tree looks as if it is upside down.

猴面包树有着桶状的粗壮树干。 树龄最老的猴面包树，树干直径可达9米，也就是30英尺。 树干就像桶一样，能储存大量水分。 这一点非常重要，因为稀树草原气候干燥。 储水的能力能帮助猴面包树在稀树草原存活下来。 猴面包树的树枝也很奇特。 它们的树枝像树根一样四散张开。 当猴面包树落叶之后，整棵树看起来就像是倒过来长的一样。

The Baobabs' Gifts The wildlife and people of the savanna get many things from the baobab. The tree's soft wood is filled with water. The leafy branches give cool shade from the hot sun.

猴面包树的馈赠 稀树草原上的野生动物和人类能从猴面包树身上获得好多东西。 猴面包树松软的木质里储存满了水分。 长满叶子的树枝能挡住烈日，带来凉爽的树荫。

Bats drink sweet nectar from the tree's white flowers. The flowers grow into fruit. The fruit bakes in the sun and dries. Its green coating turns into a hard shell. Then it is picked by hand.

蝙蝠会吸食猴面包树白色花朵里甜甜的花蜜。 花朵凋谢后就会结出果实。 果实在太阳的烘烤下会变干。 它绿色的外皮会变成坚硬的外壳。 之后人们就会亲手把它摘下来。