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The Mystery of the Minoans 古代启示录－米诺安文明之谜

课文朗读

课文讲解 

繁體中文譯本

Five thousand years ago, the Minoans flourished as one of the greatest European civilizations. They were a rich and powerful people living on what is now the Greek island of Crete. Their civilization was named after the mythical king Minos. In Greek mythology, Minos owns a great palace with a labyrinth where a bull-like monster feeds on humans.

五千年前，米诺安文明曾在欧洲盛极一时。米诺安人富有且势力强大，住在现今希腊的克里特岛上，其文明乃因神话中的国王米诺斯而得名。希腊神话说，米诺斯拥有一座宏伟宫殿，宫殿的迷宫内有一只似牛的吃人怪兽。

At one time, the Minoans were the envy of the Mediterranean. They had a powerful navy and controlled a trade network that spanned from mainland Greece all the way to the coast of Spain, dealing in such valuable goods as tin, saffron, silver and gold.

米诺安人一度为地中海地区居民所钦羡。他们有强盛的海军，控制着由希腊本土一路绵延至西班牙海岸的贸易网络，从事锡、番红花、银、金等这类贵重物品的交易。

The Minoans were the first civilization in Europe to develop drainage systems and paved roads. The construction of paved roads was made possible by their pioneering work with bronze. Saws fashioned from the metal were used to cut the stone blocks that made up the roads.

米诺安文明率先在欧洲开发排水系统及铺设道路。首创的青铜技术有利于道路的铺设；他们以青铜制的锯子切割石块来铺路。

The Minoans were also known for their artistic achievements. Pottery was painted with scenes of magical gardens and fancifully dressed goddesses. Frescoes featuring scenes of religious rituals decorated their 300-chamber royal palace, Knossos, then the largest building in Europe. Judging from archeological finds, the Minoans had everything they needed. However, just when the Minoan civilization was at its peak, it mysteriously disappeared.

米诺安的艺术成就也极富盛名。陶器上绘有神秘花园及穿着奇装异服的女神。欧洲当时最大建筑「诺塞斯」皇宫内的三百个房间，还有描绘着宗教仪式场景的壁画做为装饰。根据考古成果，米诺安人应有尽有，但其文明却在到达巅峰时神秘消失。

Vocabulary

单词发音

flourish [ˋflɝɪʃ] v. 繁荣，兴旺

span [spæn] v. 延伸到; 横跨，跨越

pioneering [paɪəˋnɪərɪŋ] adj. 开创的，首创的

ritual [ˋrɪtʃʊəl] n. 仪式

at its peak  处于巅峰；巅峰时期

More Information

单词发音

Crete [krit] n. 克里特岛（希腊领土）

name after 以...的名字来命名

mythology [mɪˋθɑlədʒɪ] n.（总称）神话

labyrinth [ˋlæbə͵rɪnθ] n. 迷宫，迷津

feed on someone or something:  以……为食物  to eat someone or something

envy [ˋɛnvɪ] n. 妒忌的对象；羡慕的目标[the S][（+of）]

Mediterranean [͵mɛdətəˋrenɪən] adj.（M-）地中海的; n.（M-）地中海沿岸的居民

navy [ˋnevɪ] n. 海军

deal in 卖某物; 经营某物 to buy and sell something

saffron [ˋsæfrən] n. 藏红花，番红花

drainage [ˋdrenɪdʒ] n. 排水管; 排水沟; 下水道

bronze [brɑnz] n. 青铜

saw [sɔ] n. 锯子；锯条

fashion [ˋfæʃən] v. 制作；把……塑造成

block [blɑk] n. 块

fancifully [ˋfænsɪfəlɪ] adv. 奇异地

fresco [ˋfrɛsko] n.〔用水彩颜料在湿灰浆墙面上画的〕（湿）壁画

chamber [ˋtʃembɚ] n. 室，房间

then [ðɛn] adv. 那时，当时

archeological [͵ɑrkɪəˋlɑdʒɪk!] adj. 考古学的

课文朗读

课文讲解

Recently-discovered evidence sheds light on the puzzling disappearance of the Minoan civilization. At a dig site near Knossos, the remains of five murdered children were found in a jar along with an edible snail. This alarming discovering indicates that the children might have been eaten. What could have caused the Minoans to act so savagely?

近来发现的证据解开了米诺安文明消失的谜团。「诺塞斯」皇宫附近的一处挖掘现场，寻获五具遭谋杀孩童的遗骨，遗骨和一只可食用的蜗牛装在同一坛子中。此惊人发现显示，这些孩童可能被吃了。为何米诺安人有如此野蛮的行为？

Researchers believe that Minoan civilization was destroyed by natural causes. 3,500 years ago, a volcano on the island of Thera, which lies 100 km north of Crete, had a massive eruption. Ash spewed into the sky and then fell. The eruption caused a huge tsunami. Twelve-meter high waves devastated Crete’s northern shore.

研究人员相信，米诺安文明乃因自然灾害而衰亡。三千五百年前，克里特岛北方一百公里的锡拉岛有座火山猛烈爆发，火山灰喷向天际后坠落，火山爆发引发大海啸，十二公尺高的巨浪冲毁克里特岛的北海岸。

Along with the ash came clouds of deadly gas and droplets of sulfuric acid, blocking the sun’s rays. Afterwards, the Minoans would have had to endure a long period of declining harvests and famine.

火山灰使云层含有致命气体及硫酸雨，并遮蔽了阳光。之后米诺安人便得长期忍受减少的收成与饥荒。

The Minoans had believed that their rulers were able to control the forces of nature and communicate with the gods. However, the disasters most likely caused them to turn away from their rulers. As a result, the Minoan civilization collapsed, leading tochaos and unrest. People were driven to acts of desperation, including sacrificing their own children. When the mainland Greeks invaded, the Minoans went down without a fight.

米诺安人原本相信，他们的领导者可控制自然界的力量，且可与神祇沟通。然而，这些灾祸极可能使他们背离领导者；结果，米诺安文明衰败，导致混乱及动荡。人们被迫做出绝望的行为，包括牺牲自己的骨肉。当本土希腊人入侵时，米诺安人便不战而败。

−End

Vocabulary

单词发音

shed light on 阐明，解释清楚 make free from confusion or ambiguity; make clear

savagely [ˋsævɪdʒlɪ] adv. 野蛮地

massive [ˋmæsɪv] adj. 巨大的

eruption [ɪˋrʌpʃən] n.（火山）爆发

devastate [ˋdɛvəs͵tet] v. 毁坏﹐摧毁﹐毁灭

chaos [ˋkeɑs] n. 混乱

More Information

单词发音

jar [dʒɑr] n. 罐，坛，（宽口的）瓶

spew [spju] v. 喷出；放出

tsunami [tsuˋnɑmi] n. 海啸，地震海啸（系海底地震或火山爆发所致）

sulfuric [sʌlˋfjʊrɪk] acid 硫酸

decline [dɪˋklaɪn] n. 下降；减少

famine [ˋfæmɪn] n. 饥荒; 饥馑

turn away from 对... 感到厌恶

drive [draɪv] v. 迫使；逼迫

desperation [͵dɛspəˋreʃən] n. 绝望

invade [ɪnˋved] v. 侵入，侵略

Reading Questions

1.   What is one thing that we know about the Minoans?

A.  They raised a bull-like monster in a labyrinth at the royal palace.

B.  They traded with King Minos, who ruled over the Greek islands.

C.  They were envious of the wealthy people of the Mediterranean.

D.  They were the first society to have stone-paved roads.

2.   According to the article, which of the following is NOT true?

A.  The Minoans constructed drainage systems out of bronze.

B.  The Minoans probably ate human flesh after volcano erupted

C.  The Minoans decorated pottery with images of beautiful gardens and goddesses.

D.  The Minoans traded such things as spices and different types of metal.

3.   According to the article, what were some of the results of the volcanic eruption?

A.  Many Minoan children were drowned by extremely high waves.

B.  Ashes and gas intensified the sun’s rays, seriously burning people.

C.  The Minoans could not grow crops and suffered from starvation.

D.  The Greeks came over to help rebuild the Minoan civilization.

4.   What eventually happened to the Minoan civilization?

A.  It was completely buried under the ashes after a volcano erupted.

B.  It stopped listening to its rulers, causing the society to fall apart.

C.  It continued to flourish, becoming ever richer and more powerful.

D.  It finally defeated the Greek army after a long and terrible fight.

Answer