常春藤解析英语【40】The Lost Civilization of Yonagun

The Lost Civilization of Yonaguni 失落的古文明

by Kevin Lustig

Humans have been building for a long time. Structures _(1)_ 6,000 years old have been discovered that were built by ancient Egyptians, Indians, Chinese, and Mesopotamians. However, even these very old cultures recorded legends of groups that lived long before. The stories tell of places like Atlantis, Thule, and Mu that _(2)_ terrible disasters and disappeared into the ocean.

In modern times, these are commonly thought to be _(3)_ more than folktales. However, a recent discovery is making scientists and historians¹ think again. Off the shore of Yonaguni Island, just 125 kilometers east of Taiwan, divers² discovered _(4)_ appeared to be a huge building underwater. Since the first sighting in 1987, teams of scientists have been back to reexamine the site many times. The structure seems to be about the same size as the Egyptian pyramids but may be nearly 3,500 years older than those famous monuments. This would make it the oldest building on the planet.

_(5)_ Yonaguni, as many as four sites have been discovered in the waters around Taiwan that appear man-made. Nothing is known about the civilization that might have built these sites, and scientists are not sure if they are the work of ancient people. More underwater detective work will have to be done _(6)_ anything is certain. However, as more is learned about these mysterious buildings, we may want to take another look at those old tales of cities _(7)_ beneath the waves.

1. (A) up to (B) due to (C) as well (D) as many
2. (A) pleased (B) embraced (C) suffered (D) contained
3. (A) something (B) nothing (C) everything (D) anything
4. (A) where (B) that (C) which (D) what
5. (A) Other than (B) Rather than (C) Less than (D) More than
6. (A) though (B) after (C) before (D) when
7. (A) vanishing (B) to vanish (C) vanished (D) vanish

原来如此

1. Structures up to 6,000 years old have been discovered that...
理由:
a. (A) up to...　　多达……（与数字并用）
例: Some types of turtles are known to live for up to 150 years.
（有些乌龟可以活到 150 岁之久。）
(B) due to...　　由于……
例: We have a new security plan due to recent robberies at other banks.
（由于其它银行发生抢案，我们将采用新的保全措施。）
(C) as well　　也（置于句尾）
A as well as B　　A 与 B（为对等连接词）
例: Dave bought new furniture for his living room and a new TV as well.
（戴维替客厅添购了新家具，还买了新电视。）
例: Our school has students from Japan as well as other countries.
（我们学校有来自日本和其它国家的学生。）
(D) as many 之后通常与 as 并用，形成 "as many as..."（和……一样多）之用法。
b. 空格后有数字 6,000，根据上述用法，此处应置入 up to，表『长达六千多年历史的建筑物』，故 (A) 为正选。

2. The stories tell of places like Atlantis, Thule, and Mu that suffered terrible disasters and...
理由:
a. (A) please vt. 取悦
(B) embrace vt. 拥抱；接纳
例: After being apart for years, the friends embraced each other at the airport.
（分开多年后，那群朋友在机场互相拥抱。）
(C) suffer vt. 遭受 & vi. 受苦；患病
suffer from...　　受……（疾病）所苦
例: Sometimes I miss class because I suffer from really bad headaches.
（我有时会因为头痛欲裂而缺课。）
(D) contain vt. 包含
b. 根据语意，可知应选 (C)。

3. In modern times, these are commonly thought to be nothing more than folktales.
理由:
a. 本空格测试下列固定用法：
be nothing more than + N　　只不过是……
= be nothing but + N
= be just/only/merely + N
例: The spells David said he could perform were nothing more than magic tricks.
（戴维说自己能施咒，但那只不过是魔术把戏罢了。）
b. 根据上述用法，故选 (B) nothing。无 "be something/everything/anything more than + N" 的用法，故 (A)、(C)、(D) 均不可选。

4. ...divers discovered what appeared to be a huge building underwater.
理由:
a. (A) where 为修饰地方的关系副词，其后须接完整的子句，然空格后的子句尚缺主词，故 (A) 不可选。
例: I had no idea where my little sister had gone.
（我不知道我小妹去哪儿了。）
b. (B) that 虽可引导名词子句，作为其前及物动词 discovered（发现）的受词，然该子句须为一完整句构，故 (B) 不可选。
例: I can conclude that Tim was the murderer.
（我敢推论提姆就是凶手。）
c. (C) which 为关系代名词，使用时其前须有先行词（名词），空格前为动词 discovered 而无名词，故 (C) 不可选。
例: This is the book which I bought yesterday.
（这就是我昨天买的那本书。）
d. (D) what 为复合关系代名词，等于 the thing(s) which，使用时其前不须有先行词，且 what 置入空格后，亦可作及物动词 discovered 的受词，符合语意、用法，故 (D) 为正选。
例: Tell me what happened in detail.
（详细告诉我发生了什么事。）

5. Other than Yonaguni, as many as four sites have been discovered...
理由:
a. (A) other than...　　除了……（以外）
例: Other than painting, Carla has many talents like singing and photography.
（除了绘画，卡拉还有许多天份，例如唱歌和摄影。）
(B) rather than...　　而非∕与其……
例: Rather than stay home and cook, let's go out to eat tonight.
（与其在家开伙，咱们今晚不如出去外面吃。）
(C) less than...　　少于……
(D) more than...　　多于……
b. 根据语意，应是表『除了』与那国岛，在台湾周围海域底下还发现了四座遗迹，可知应选 (A)。

6. More underwater detective work will have to be done before anything is certain.
理由:
a. 空格前后均为完整的子句，得知此处应置入连接词加以连接。
b. 选项均为副词连接词，(A) though 表『虽然』、(B) after 表『之后』、(C) before 表『之前』、(D) when 表『当……时』，然根据语意，可知应选 before，表『在任何事情能确定之前，还有许多侦查工作尚待完成』，故选 (C)。

7. ...we may want to take another look at those old tales of cities vanishing beneath the waves.
理由:
a. 空格前省略了 which，本句实等于：
...take another look at those old tales of cities which vanished beneath the waves.
b. 限定修饰的形容词子句中，若关系代名词为主词时，该子句可化简为分词词组，化简原则如下：
1) 删除关系代名词；
2) 之后的动词变成现在分词；
3) 若动词为 be 动词，变成现在分词 being 后可省 略。
例: I mistook the girl (who was) standing³ there for your sister.
（我把站在那里的女生误认成你妹妹。）
c. 根据上述，可知应选 (A) vanishing。
d. vanish vi. 突然不见；消失
vanish into thin air　　凭空消失
例: The ship sailed away and vanished into thin air. It was never seen again.
（那艘船出航后就凭空消失了，从此再也没有人见过。）

精解字词词组

1. tell of...　　（书本等）描述∕叙述……
例: The children found an old book that told of a hidden cave filled with treasure.
（那群小孩找到一本旧书，内容叙述隐密的山洞里藏有宝藏的故事。）

2. discovery n. 发现
make a discovery　　发现
例: Dr. Isaacs is famous for having made many discoveries in cancer research.
（艾萨克斯医生因在癌症研究上有多项发现而享有盛名。）

3. off the shore of...　　在……外海
= off the coast of...
例: Many people on the beach saw the plane crash off the coast of our island.
（许多在海边的人都目睹了我们小岛外海的坠机事件。）

4. 表距离的名词 + 方向 + of + 某地　　位于某地……方向……（之远）处
例: Kaohsiung is situated⁴ about three hundred kilometers south of Taipei.
（高雄位于台北南方大约三百公里处。）

5. detective a. 侦查的 & n. 侦探
detect vt. 察觉；侦查
例: Special machines have been put in the airport to detect explosive material.
（机场装设了许多侦测爆裂物的机器。）

单字小铺

1. civilization n. 文明
2. structure n. 建筑物
3. discover vt. 发现
4. Mesopotamian n. 美索不达米亚人 & a. 美索不达米亚的
5. disaster n. 灾难
6. commonly adv. 一般地
7. folktale n. 传说，民间故事
8. diver n. 潜水者
9. sighting n. 看见
10. reexamine vt. 重新检查
11. pyramid n. 金字塔
12. monument n. 历史遗迹
13. mysterious a. 神秘的

词组小铺

1. in modern times　　在现代
in ancient times　　在古代

2. take a look at...　　看一看……
= check out...

中文翻译＆标准答案

人类开始筑城造墙已有好长一段时间。我们发现由古埃及、印度、中国及美索不达米亚人建造的建筑物，其历史长达六千年之久。然而，即使这么古老的文化也记录着古时生活于此的族群故事。这些故事讲述亚特兰堤斯、图勒文化、姆文化等地的往事，这些文化都遭逢可怕的灾难，消失于大海之中。

现今，一般认为这些故事不过是民间传说。不过，近代有一项发现却让科学家与历史学家重新思索。在与那国岛外海，距离台湾东部仅仅 125 公里处，潜水者在海底发现了一个疑似巨大建筑物的遗迹。自 1987 年首次被发现后，科学团队已多次往返重新研究该地点。该建筑看起来和埃及金字塔一样巨大，但却比这知名遗迹早了将近 3,500 年。这足以让它成为全世界最古老的建筑物。

除了与那国岛，在台湾周围海域底下还发现了多达四个地点疑似人造遗迹。究竟是什么文明造就了这些遗迹尚不可知，科学家也不确定这是否为古人的杰作。确定任何事之前，还有许多海底侦查工作尚待完成。然而，随着更多这些神秘建筑的面纱被揭开之际，我们或许应该再回头看看这些消失于海底的古城旧事。

标准答案: 1. (A)　2. (C)　3. (B)　4. (D)　5. (A)　6. (C)　7. (A)
 

1 historians   

n.历史学家，史学工作者( historian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Historians seem to have confused the chronology of these events. 历史学家好像把这些事件发生的年代顺序搞混了。
• Historians have concurred with each other in this view. 历史学家在这个观点上已取得一致意见。

2 divers   

adj.不同的；种种的

参考例句：

• He chose divers of them,who were asked to accompany him.他选择他们当中的几个人，要他们和他作伴。
• Two divers work together while a standby diver remains on the surface.两名潜水员协同工作，同时有一名候补潜水员留在水面上。

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。