本集內容

Mexico’s ‘underwater kingdom’ 墨西哥的 “水下王國”

學習要點

有關 “discovery（發現）” 的詞匯

邊看邊答

What is the name of the vibrant red clay often used for rituals and artwork by the first people to inhabit the Americas?

文字稿

Through the darkness and into an underwater kingdom (in Mexico).

穿過黑暗的水底，進入墨西哥的水下王國。

Here, scientists hope to find clues which could unravel prehistoric mysteries.

在這里，科學家們希望找到能揭開史前謎團的線索。

And they did.

結果他們真的找到了。

The divers discovered a perfectly preserved cave with evidence of mining from 11,000 years ago.

潛水員們發現了一個保存完好的洞穴，這里有11000年前采礦活動的痕跡。

Brandi McDonald, Archaeological science specialist
What’s really remarkable about the sites is the preservation. This is incredibly rare, in archaeology: to find evidence for human activity that’s this old and this well preserved.

布蘭迪·麥克唐納     考古科學專家
“這個洞穴遺址令人驚嘆的地方是它保存完好。這在考古學中是極為罕見的：發現這樣古老且保存如此完好的人類活動證據。”

They found ancient tools, evidence of fire pits and signs of excavation of ochre – the vibrant red clay often used for rituals and artwork by the first people to inhabit the Americas.

潛水團隊發現了古代的工具，火坑存在的證據，以及挖掘赭石的痕跡。赭石是一種顏色鮮亮的紅色粘土，曾常被最早居住在美洲的人們用來舉行儀式和創作藝術品。

The many hours spent on this underwater exhibition has shone a light on the ancient tribes.

科學家們花費大量時間對這片水下遺跡展開的研究，使人們對古代部落的風貌有了一定的了解。

But exactly why they spent their time deep within the cave remains a mystery.

但古代部落的人們為什么會呆在洞穴深處仍然是一個謎。

詞匯

unravel 揭開

preserved （古代遺跡）保存

evidence 證據

rare 罕見的，稀有的

excavation 挖掘，發掘

問題答案

The vibrant red clay is called ochre.