Reading---The Lost City of the Incas
Machu Picchu is one of the world's most impressive historical sites. It was built around 1450 by the Incas, who ruled most of South America at that time. They called themselves children of the Sun, the powerful god they worshipped as the source of light and life.
PS :马丘比丘是世界上最令人印象深刻的历史遗迹之一。它是由印加人在1450年左右建造的，当时印加人统治着南美洲的大部分地区。他们称自己为太阳之子，他们崇拜的强大的上帝是光和生命的源泉。
worshipped 英 [ˈwɜːʃɪpt] 美 [ˈwɜːrʃɪpt] v. 崇敬，崇拜(上帝或神);(尤指在宗教场所)做礼拜;到宗教场所参加礼拜;热爱;爱慕，崇拜(尤指达到看不到缺点的地步) worship的过去分词和过去式
historical site历史遗迹
Located in the Andes Mountains of Peru, at 8,000 feet above sea level, the"City of the Incas" was mysteriously abandoned just 100 years after its construction. This was when the Spanish were beginning their conquest of the Inca Empire, in the 1530's. There is no evidence that the Spanish invaders ever attacked or even reached the mountaintop city, so many believe that the city's inhabitants deserted the site because of a small pox epidemic.
PS: “印加之城”位于秘鲁的安第斯山脉，海拔8000英尺，在建造仅仅100年后就被神秘地遗弃了。这是西班牙人在15世纪30年代开始征服印加帝国的时候，没有证据表明西班牙侵略者曾经攻击甚至到达山顶城市，所以许多人认为该城市的居民因为天花的流行而离开了此地。
inhabitants居民，栖息动物; inhabitant的复数
deserted无人居住的; 空寂无人的; 被抛弃的; 被遗弃的; 被舍弃的; 抛弃，离弃，遗弃; 舍弃，离弃; 擅离; 逃走; 开小差; desert的过去分词和过去式
because of因为，由于①because of是复合介词，其后可接名词、代词、动名词或由what引导的从句。②because of一般引导状语，不引导表语；但当主语是代词时，because of短语在句中可用作表语。
epidemic流行病; 泛滥，蔓延; 流行性的; 极为盛行的
conquest 英 [ˈkɒŋkwest] 美 [ˈkɑːŋkwest] n. 征服;占领;占领(或征服)的地区;(爱情或性方面)被俘虏的人
Andes Mountains安第斯山脉
pox 英 [pɒks] 美 [pɑːks] n. 梅毒
epidemic 英 [ˌepɪˈdemɪk] 美 [ˌepɪˈdemɪk] n. 流行病;(迅速的)泛滥，蔓延 adj. 流行性的;极为盛行的
small pox epidemic天花疫情
The city was almost forgotten until 1911 when it was discovered by an American historian, Hiram Bingham, after he heard rumors of its existence. Bingham was led to the site by local farmers and was amazed by what he saw, which seemed like an unbelievable dream. He wondered if anyone would believe what he had found. Though the surrounding jungle had overgrown the site, what remained was impressive. The city had been built on a remote and nearly inaccessible mountaintop, often shrouded in clouds. Forty rows of farming terraces hugged the steep mountainside, each over 10 feet high and linked together by over 3000 stone steps. Among the city were what appeared to be neighborhoods of homes and exquisite stone buildings that are thought to be temples. Even today, the mystery remains as to the purpose of these temples, how the city was used and what its citizens did.
PS: 这座城市几乎被遗忘了，直到1911年，当一位美国历史学家海勒姆·宾厄姆听说了它存在的谣言后才发现它。宾厄姆被当地农民带到了工地，他对自己看到的景象感到惊讶，这似乎是一个难以置信的梦。他想知道是否有人会相信他所发现的。虽然周围的丛林已经长满了这片土地，但留下来的却是令人印象深刻的。这座城市建在一座偏僻、几乎无法到达的山顶上，经常被云层笼罩。四十排梯田环绕着陡峭的山腰，每一排都有10英尺高，由3000多个石阶连接在一起。在这座城市中，似乎是住宅区和被认为是寺庙的精美石楼。即使在今天，这些寺庙的用途、城市的使用方式以及市民的所作所为仍然是个谜。
overgrown植物蔓生的; 杂草丛生的; 发展过快的; 长得过大的; 在…上长满；在…上蔓生; 长得超过；长得过大; overgrow的过去分词
inaccessible难以达到的; 不可得到的
inaccessible 英 [ˌɪnækˈsesəbl] 美 [ˌɪnækˈsesəbl] adj. 难以达到的;不可得到的 派生词： inaccessibility n.
shrouded覆盖; 隐藏; 遮蔽; 隐瞒; 保密; shroud的过去分词和过去式
terraces 英 [ˈtɛrəsɪz] 美 [ˈtɛrəsəz] n. (相同的一排)排房，排屋;(尤指房屋或餐馆外的)露天平台，阳台;(足球场的)阶梯看台 v. 使成阶地（或梯田） terrace的第三人称单数和复数
steep陡的; 陡峭的; 突然的; 急剧的; 大起大落的; 过高的; 过分的; 不合理的; 泡;
as to至于，谈到; 关于; 成比例
appeared显得; 看来; 似乎; 出现; 呈现; 显现; 起源; 首次使用; appear的过去分词和过去式
neighborhoods地区；某地区的人；与某处邻近的地区; neighborhood的复数
homes家; 住所; 房子，住宅，寓所; 家乡; 故乡; 定居地; 归巢，回家; home的第三人称单数和复数
exquisite精美的; 精致的; 剧烈的; 强烈的; 微妙的; 雅致的; 敏锐的; 敏感的; 过分讲究穿戴的人
buildings建筑物; 房子; 楼房; 建筑; 建筑业; building的复数
temples庙宇，寺院，神殿，圣堂; 太阳穴; 鬓角; 颞颥; 颞部; temple的复数
mystery神秘的事物; 不可理解之事; 奥秘; 神秘的人; 陌生而有趣的人; 神秘; 不可思议
remains剩余物; 残留物; 剩饭菜; 古代遗物; 古迹; 遗迹; 遗址; 遗体; 遗骸; 仍然是;
exquisite 英 [ɪkˈskwɪzɪt] 美 [ɪkˈskwɪzɪt] adj. 精美的;精致的;剧烈的;强烈的;微妙的;雅致的;敏锐的;敏感的 n. 过分讲究穿戴的人
Despite its remote location, Machu Picchu has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Every year, thousands of people travel to Peru to admire its magnificent stonework and breath taking design. What they see is a wonderful harmony between the city and the landscape around it that is captivating.
PS: 尽管地理位置偏远，马丘比丘已成为世界上最受欢迎的旅游目的地之一。每年，成千上万的人前往秘鲁欣赏其宏伟的石雕和令人叹为观止的设计。他们看到的是这座城市与周围景观之间的美妙和谐，令人着迷。
admire钦佩; 赞赏; 仰慕; 欣赏
stonework石造部分
captivating迷人的; 有魅力的; 有吸引力的; 迷住; 使着迷; captivate的现在分词
Exercises:
1.The purpose of this article is probably to encourage tourists to visit the site.
2.Why did the city's inhabitants leave the city？
it may have been because of an epidemic.
3. If something is remote it is far away.
4. To admire something means to look at it with respect.
5. As a piece of writing this article succeeds in expressing the author's fascination with the site.
6. How did the American historian find the site?
He was led to the site by local farmers.
7. If something is inaccessible, it is difficult to reach.
8. Exquisite means about the same thing as extremely beautiful.
6. What led to the discovery of the city?
An American historian heard rumors of its existence.
7. How does the author describe the relationship between the city and landscape around it?
harmonious
Please tap the first correct sentence to appear:
1. What was the purpose of the temples?
Even today, the mystery remains as to the purpose of these temples, how the city was used and what its citizens did.
2. When was the city build?
It was built around 1450 by the Incas, who ruled most of South America at that time.
3. What do the Incas call themselves?
They called themselves children of the Sun, the powerful god they worshipped as the source of light and life.
4. Who conquer the Incar Empire?
This was when the Spanish were beginning their conquest of the Inca Empire, in the 1530's.
Fill in the blanks:
1. Among the city were what appeared to be neighborhoods of homes and exquisite stone buildings that are thought to be temples. Even today, the mystery remains as to the purpose of these temples, how the city was used and what its citizens did.
2. Though the surrounding jungle had overgrown the site, what remained was impressive. The city had been built on a remote and nearly inaccessible mountaintop, often shrouded in clouds. Forty rows of farming terraces hugged the steep mountainside, each over 10 feet high and linked together by over 3000 stone steps. Among the city were what appeared to be neighborhoods of homes and exquisite stone buildings that are thought to be temples.
Repeat & Read Sentences:
1.He wondered if anyone would believe what he had found.
2. An American historian discovered the city after he heard rumors of its existence.
3.This article succeeds in expressing the author's fascination with the site.
4.Machu Picchu has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.
5. Though the surrounding jungle had overgrown the site, what remained was impressive.
6. The American historian was led to the site by local farmers.
7. Even today, the mystery remains as to the purpose of these temples, how the city was used and what its citizens did.
8. Every year, thousands of people travel to Peru to admire its magnificent stonework and breath taking design.
9. The author of the article sees a wonderful harmony between the city and the landscape around it.
