与苏菲在内罗毕长颈鹿庄园喝咖啡

2020-03-02

阅读与作文（英语高中版） 2020年2期

A giraffe awakened me on my first morning in Nairobi. Just after 7：30 am， I heard a sound outside my hotel window， so I 1）cautiously opened the curtains. To my 2）astonishment， there before me stood a giraffe looking through the window of my second-story room， begging with her big brown eyes for breakfast.

Excited to be standing eye-to-eye with such a big creature， I cautiously opened the hotel rooms window just a little， only to have the giraffe push open the window the rest of the way with her head. Obviously she had done this before. Then， 3）in a flash， her ten-inch tongue went for a bucket of giraffe food that the hotel 4）staff had set on my window.

The giraffe，（which I later learned is named Sophie） 5）batted her long 6）eyelashes at me， and soon I was fearlessly hand-feeding her. When two other giraffes in the garden noticed Sophie was getting breakfast （and all my attention）， they came over and gathered together below my window. Before my first cup of coffee， I enjoyed the 7）thrill of a lifetime breakfast with giraffes in Africa.

Obviously， Giraffe 8）Manor is not your 9）average hotel. Its a large English manor set on land near the 10）former coffee farm of writer Karen Blixen （author of Out of Africa）， and is one of Nairobis most famous 11）inns.

Ever since the 1930s， when European visitors first arrived in East Africa to enjoy 12）safaris， Giraffe Manor has been an extraordinary place to stay.

The most 13）fascinating thing about Giraffe Manor is not its historic manor house， or its classic 14）interiors filled with 15）antiques， fireplaces， china cups and silver tea services， books and paintings： rather， its the Rothschilds giraffe that greets guests there each day.

They visit morning and evening， 16）poking their long necks into peoples windows in hopes of a meal， before returning to the safety of the forest.

After feeding the giraffe at my window， I took a hot shower， and then I put on a hotel robe and went to sit outside and drink coffee on the 17）terrace just outside French doors that open from my room （The Betty 18）Suite， named for one of the giraffes here）. The terrace sits just above the breakfast room of the inn， which I quickly realized was another place giraffes like to meet for breakfast with guests.

From the terrace， I could see the giraffes coming toward the manor house. In the distance， the 19）outline of the Ngong Hills， which Blixen wrote about in Out of Africa， were still covered in a 20）mist leftover from the nights rain.

I dressed and walked down the wooden staircase into the great room of the manor. There， in the rooms front doorway， a staff member was feeding a large giraffe by hand.

I joined in the fun， even 21）petting the giraffe， Betty， for whom my room is named， and then I walked to the breakfast room.

To my astonishment， the long necks of several giraffes were 22）arched over the guests breakfast tables， and families were feeding the giraffes by hand.

Even children were taking part in the fun. The animals werent interested in our omelets， fruit and French toast， they only wanted their own food. While their size can be scary， the giraffes seem 23）at ease with people and safe to feed.

The biggest concern is that they might accidentally knock their heads against someone， so the staff is careful about teaching guests how to behave with these big， loveable creatures.

During a stay at Giraffe Manor， guests can walk across the Giraffe Manor 24）lawn to the Giraffe Centre to learn about the endangered Rothschilds Giraffe， or take a guided walk around the giraffe 25）sanctuary.

From Giraffe Manor， sightseeing 26）vehicles can also show guests around the area. Local adventures include the Sheldrick Wildlife 27）Trust， where guests can meet， feed and even 28）adopt baby elephants， and visits to the Nairobi Animal 29）Orphanage and Education Centre， where guests can enjoy a walking safari and see native African animals up close.

The nearby Karen Blixen Museum is another popular attraction for Out of Africa fans who want to visit the historic home of famed explorer and writer Karen Blixen. The Kazuri 30）Beads factory and store is also another popular attraction; there local women make and sell colorful jewelry.

Giraffe Manor is a 31）high-end British hotel with the Downton Abbey style. With eight 32）luxury rooms and two standard rooms， each space feels like a suite， and all are 33）decorated in a 34）unique style.

The Manors food is delicious， so meals are a special event each evening. Even my 35）vegetarian friends were impressed.

At Giraffe Manor， guests enjoy 36）full-board during their stay， which means all meals and most drinks are included， as is all the giraffe food youll need to feed your tall new friends. As I left Giraffe Manor， I could see Sophie looking longingly toward my bedroom window and wishing Id come back. Im sure I will someday， and I hope you will too. Youll never forget your first morning at Giraffe Manor.

在内罗毕的第一个清晨，我被长颈鹿叫醒了。七点半刚过，我就听到酒店的窗外传来声响。我小心翼翼地拉开窗帘，赫然发现面前站着一只长颈鹿，正透过我在酒店二楼的房间窗户往里张望。它眨着一对棕色大眼，想讨份早餐。

站在如此庞大的生物面前与之四目相对，无比激动的我小心翼翼地把酒店房间的窗户打开了一条缝，没想到它却把窗子全部推开了——显然它以前就这么做过。接着一眨眼，它已经把10英寸（25.4厘米）长的舌头伸向了酒店员工放在我窗台上的长颈鹿饲料。

这头长颈鹿（后来我才知道它叫苏菲）扑闪着长长的睫毛看着我，很快我就壮起了胆，亲手喂起它来。这时，花园里的其他两只长颈鹿发现苏菲已经赢得了早餐（和我全部的注意力），便也走了过来，聚集在我的窗下。在喝第一杯咖啡之前，我已经先和非洲的长颈鹿一起享用了一顿毕生难忘的早餐了。

长颈鹿庄园显然不是一家普通的酒店。这座英式大庄园位于作家卡伦·布里克森（《走出非洲》的作者）以前的咖啡农场附近，是内罗毕最负盛名的旅馆之一。

自20世纪30年代欧洲游客开始到东非游猎以来，长颈鹿庄园便一直是非一般的宿地。

长颈鹿庄园最吸引人的地方，不是历史悠久的庄园，也不是放满古董、壁炉、瓷杯、银制茶具和书画的古典室内装潢，而是每天在那里欢迎客人的罗氏长颈鹿。

它们白天和晚上都在这里出没。它们把长长的脖子探入窗内，希望先在这里填饱肚子，再返回安全的森林。

在窗前喂完长颈鹿之后，我去洗了个热水澡，换上酒店的浴袍，走到房间（我的房间叫贝蒂套房，以这里的一只長颈鹿命名）法式落地窗外的阳台，坐下来喝咖啡。阳台下方正是酒店的早餐室，我很快就发现长颈鹿也很喜欢到那里向客人讨早餐吃。

我从阳台上可以望见长颈鹿朝庄园走来。布里克森在《走出非洲》里写到了恩贡山，此时，它遥远的轮廓仍然笼罩在昨晚雨后未散的薄雾当中。

我换好衣服，下了木楼梯，走进庄园的大厅。在大堂门口，一名员工正在用手给一只大长颈鹿喂食。

我也去凑热闹，还摸了摸这头长颈鹿。它叫贝蒂，我的房间就是以它命名的。然后我向早餐室走去。

没想到，几只长颈鹿正把长长的脖子垂到客人的餐桌上，几家人正在用手给它们喂食。

就连小孩子也乐在其中。这些动物对我们的煎蛋、水果和法国吐司并不感兴趣，它们只要自己的食物。尽管长颈鹿的体型大得吓人，但它们似乎与人相处得十分自在，给它们喂食也很安全。

最大的问题是它们的头可能会不小心撞到人，所以工作人员会细心地教客人如何与这些可爱的大型动物相处。

住在长颈鹿庄园期间，客人可以穿过长颈鹿庄园的草坪，走到长颈鹿中心，去了解一下濒危的罗氏长颈鹿，或者与导游一起参观长颈鹿庇护所。

从长颈鹿庄园出发的观光车也可以带客人游览周边地区。要参加当地的探险活动，可以去谢尔德里克野生动植物信托基金，客人可以在那里看到小象，给它们喂食，甚至还可以领养小象;客人也可以去内罗毕动物孤儿院和教育中心，在那里徒步参观野生动物园，近距离观察非洲本土动物。

对于想参观著名探险家及作家卡伦·布里克森故居的《走出非洲》迷们来说，附近的卡伦·布里克森博物馆是另一处人气景点。卡祖里珠子工厂和商店也是很受欢迎的景点之一，当地妇女在那里制作和出售五颜六色的珠宝。

长颈鹿庄园是一个带有唐顿庄园风格的高端英式酒店，有八间豪华客房和两个标准间，每个房间都像一间套房，装修风格各异。

长颈鹿庄园的食物很美味，所以每天的晚餐都是一件值得期待的盛事，连我的素食朋友都对这里的美食难以忘怀。

住在长颈鹿庄园期间，客人的伙食是全包的，包括一日三餐和大多数饮料，以及你喂给高大的新朋友——长颈鹿的所有饲料。在离开长颈鹿庄园的时候，我看到苏菲望眼欲穿地望着我的卧室窗户，盼着我再次回来。我相信有一天我会回来的，希望你也一样。你永远不会忘记在长颈鹿庄园度过的第一个清晨。

卡伦·布里克森

（1885—1962），丹麦著名女作家。生于丹麦鲁斯特，曾在哥本哈根、巴黎、罗马攻读艺术。婚后不久即旅居肯尼亚经营咖啡种植园。1931年返回丹麦，一直从事文学创作。卡伦·布里克森曾获得安徒生奖和彭托皮丹奖，两次获得诺贝尔奖提名，与安徒生并称为丹麦的“文学国宝”。她的成名作为1934年出版的《哥特故事七则》。她最知名的作品莫过于自传小说《走出非洲》，同名电影曾一举斩获奥斯卡七项大奖。她的作品集主要有：《冬天的故事》（1942）、《最后的故事》（1957）、《命运女神轶事》（1958）、《草地绿荫》（1960）、《埃赫雷加德》（1963）等等。她的作品受到海明威、杜鲁门等人的广泛喜爱，瑞典学院的常任秘书彼得·恩德格曾经将诺贝尔奖委员会未颁发文学奖给卡伦称为“一个失误”。

罗氏长颈鹿

是一种濒临灭绝的物种。这种长颈鹿是世界上最大的哺乳动物之一，雄性罗氏长颈鹿重量可达1.1吨，属群居物种。目前尚生存在野生状态下的罗氏长颈鹿不到670头，其中60%生活在肯尼亚，其余生活在乌干达和少数其他国家。

1） cautiously ad. 慎重地

2） astonishment n. 大吃一惊

3） in a flash 一瞬间

4） staff n. （全体）工作人员

5） bat v. 眨眼

6） eyelash n. 睫毛

7） thrill n. 兴奋，激动

8） manor n. 领地，庄园

9） average a. 一般的，平均的

10） former a. 以前的，从前的