The ancient city of Chichen Itza in southern Mexico was one of the most powerful cities and one of the most powerful ancient cultures—the Maya.But today,no one lives there.It is only a group of old buildings.However,people from around the world still come to see it.People come to learn about its ancient culture,the culture of the Mayan people.
The Mayan culture began almost 3,000 years ago and grew in parts of Central America.But about 1,000 years ago a group called the Itza invaded the city and built new parts of the city based on natural wells.They named the city Chichen Itza,which means “mouth of the well of the Itza”.
The most interesting structure in Chichen Itza is the Pyramid of Kukulcan(库库尔坎金字塔),whose four sides all come together at one point at the top.Each side on the Pyramid of Kukulcan has 91 steps.And there is one more step at the top of the pyramid.The steps are as many as the days of a year.Some experts believe the Maya could have used this building to help them know when to plant crops.Each day the sun falls on a different step of the pyramid,which could be a way to follow the year.
The people of Chichen Itza especially designed one building to observe and study the movement of the stars and planets.Experts say that the observatory (天文台) is one of the most complex structures the Maya built.A set of steps went up and around the observatory tower.And there were windows in the tower.Each window had a purpose.Experts believe that a person looking through one of these windows could see particular stars on particular dates.The Maya might have believed that studying the stars could tell them the future.
Chichen Itza is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an important part of the world’s history.
1.Visitors came to the city of Chichen Itza to .
A.view its beautiful scenery
B.experience and explore the Mayan culture
C.study and observe other stars on the observatory
D.learn something about when to plant crops
2.Why did the invaders name the city “mouth of the well of the Itza”?
A.Because wells can be seen in or around the city.
B.Because it is large in size.
C.Because the city is newly built.
D.Because its location is vital.
3.Which of the following is TRUE?
A.Chichen Itza is one of the World Heritages.
B.The Pyramid of Kukulcan has 364 steps.
C.Windows in the tower predict the weather in the future.
D.The city of Chichen Itza has a long history of 3,000 years.
4.What’s the author’s purpose of writing this passage?
A.To evaluate the Mayan culture.
B.To persuade readers to pay a visit.
C.To introduce the structure of Chichen Itza.
D.To present the development of the Mayan construction.
语篇解读:本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍了墨西哥南部玛雅古城遗址以及这个古城的著名的古老文化——玛雅文化。
答案及剖析:
1.B 细节理解题。由第一段的最后一句话“People come to learn about its ancient culture,the culture of the Mayan people.”可知,游客来到Chichen Itza的目的是探索和体验玛雅文化。
2.A 细节理解题。由文章第二段最后两句话可知,此处有许多天然的井,故得此名。
3.A 细节理解题。文章最后一段说Itza是联合国教科文组织的世界遗产,故A正确。从倒数第三段的“The steps are as many as the days of a year.”可以排除B项。根据倒数第二段的“Experts believe that a person looking through one of these windows could see particular stars on particular dates.”可以排除C项;根据第二段可知D项不符合原文,故也排除。
4.B 写作意图题。本文介绍玛雅古城的概况和特点,是想引起游客的兴趣,来参观这个城市。
