VOA慢速英语2021--研究人员在秘鲁发现800年前的木乃伊

Researchers Find 800-year-old Mummy in Peru

Researchers have found a preserved body thought to be 800 years old in the South American country of Peru.

The body was mummified. Mummification is a method used by ancient cultures to preserve the bodies of dead people.

One archaeologist involved said the body is from the Lima area of the country. The discovery was announced last week.

Pieter van Dalen Luna of the State University of San Marcos described the mummy. "The whole body was tied up by ropes and with the hands covering the face," he said. He added that the process fits with other burials in the area.

Van Dalen Luna said the person lived high in the Andes Mountains. It is not known if the body was that of a man or a woman.

The next step is to use a process called radiocarbon dating to find a more exact date of when the person lived. The process measures the presence¹ of a radioactive² form of carbon which lets scientists estimate³ the age of something that was once alive.

Van Dalen Luna said the mummy was found outside of Lima in a burial place. The burial contained objects including stone tools, vegetables and pottery⁴.

Peru is the home of the ancient city of Machu Picchu. It has hundreds of archaeological places where researchers are learning⁵ more about the Incan Empire which ruled the area over 500 years ago.

Words in This Story

archaeologist – n. a scientist who studies past human life activities by studying bones, tools and other objects of ancient people.

preserve – v. to keep (something) in its beginning state or in good condition

1 presence   

n.出席；到场；存在

参考例句：

• Her presence lent an air of respectability to the occasion.她的到场使那种场合增添了崇高的气氛。
• His presence is indicative of his willingness to help.他的出席表示他愿意帮忙。

2 radioactive   

adj.放射性的

参考例句：

• People should keep away from the radioactive waste.人们应远离放射性废物。
• The radioactive material is stored in a special radiation-proof container.放射性材料储存在防辐射的特殊容器里。

3 estimate   

n.估计，估量；评价，看法；vt.估计，估量

参考例句：

• We estimate the cost to be five thousand dollars.我们估计费用为5000美元。
• The lowest estimate would put the worth of the jewel at ＄200.按最低的评估这块宝石也值200美元。

4 pottery   

n.陶器，陶器场

参考例句：

• My sister likes to learn art pottery in her spare time.我妹妹喜欢在空余时间学习陶艺。
• The pottery was left to bake in the hot sun.陶器放在外面让炎热的太阳烘晒焙干。

5 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。