1 . Discoveries at the famous Sanxingdui ruins in Southwest China show that the region’s ancient Shu Kingdom Civilization shared similarities with the Maya.
The Sanxingdui ruins belonged to the Shu Kingdom that existed at least 4,800 years ago and lasted more than 2,000 years, while the Mayan civilization built its city-states around 200 AD．
The bronze-made remains of trees unearthed at the ruins of the Shu Kingdom resemble the sacred ceiba tree, which symbolized the union of heaven, earth and the underworld in the Mayan civilization. “They are very important similarities,” says Santos, a Mexican archaeologist (考古学家) stressing that “the representations of trees in both cultures provide a symbolism that is very similar”.
The findings at the Sanxingdui ruins, considered one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century, also show a new aspect of Bronze Age culture, indicating the ancient civilization already had technologies that were thought to have been developed much later.
While the time span between the Shu kingdom and the Mayan culture is great, the findings highlight the closeness between the two civilizations. They developed in areas with comparable climates and reflected their worldview through related symbols. “In the end, man is still man, independent of time and space. What we have is that, at this latitude (纬度), both the Shu people and the Mayans looked at the same sky and had the same stars on the horizon,” the expert says.
One notable feature of the recent discoveries at Sanxingdui was the cross-subject work and technology applied by teams of Chinese archaeologists, which allowed the unearthing of artifacts as fragile as silk remains, which other types of less careful digging methods would not have been able to register.
Cooperation between Chinese and Mexican archaeologists could benefit projects in the Mayan world, where the rainy climate and humidity are problematic for the conservation of ruins.
“Every time our cultural knowledge increases, regardless of whether we speak one language or another, what it shows us is that we continue to be sister cultures and, therefore, the exchange of such knowledge is fundamental,” says Santos.
1. What is a similarity between the Shu Kingdom and Maya civilization?| A．Their starting time. | B．Their historical origins. |
| C．Their cultural symbols. | D．Their ceremony traditions. |
| A．silk was a common clothing material then |
| B．some technologies were developed much earlier |
| C．the Bronze Age started earlier than previously assumed |
| D．the Shu Kingdom and the Mayan world had close contact |
| A．Damp weather. | B．Positioning of ruins. |
| C．High latitude. | D．Language barriers. |
| A．Our cultural knowledge is increasing. |
| B．The benefits of speaking a different language. |
| C．The increasing sisterhood in culture between China and Mexico. |
| D．The importance of the exchange of cultural knowledge. |
2 . A long lost 16th century civilization has been unearthed in rural Kansas-all thanks to a teen who helped archaeologists(考古学家)confirm the incredible discovery.
The long-lost city called Etzanoa-where up to 20,000 Indians once lived-was discovered in Arkansas City, in the south-central part of the state, when a high school boy found a cannon(炮)ball that tipped off the experts that their long-held suspicions about the existence of Etzanoa were correct.
The city, whose name means “The Great Settlement”, is believed to be the second-largest Native American city in the U.S. and was the site of a battle between Spanish explorers and Indian soldiers in 1601.
“The Spanish were amazed by the size of Etzanoa, ” according to Donald Blakeslee, a 73-year-old Wichita State University archaeologist, who announced the discovery. “They counted 2,000 houses that could hold ten people each. They said it would take two or three days to walk through it all.”
For years, he and other scientists hunted for the fabled city. They dug up pottery, knives and stone tools that would link it to records from Spanish explorers - but couldn’t confirm that it was Etzanoa. Then last year, Adam Ziegler, who attends a nearby high school, discovered a half-inch iron cannon ball — linking it to the 1601 battle. During the battle, the Spanish fired cannons at Indian soldiers, who eventually fled the city.
Kansas officials now want to turn the long-lost city into a scenic spot. “We’re looking at creating something that could be great for the region, and for 50 years and more down the road,” said Jay Warren, an Arkansas City Council member. “And we think the site could also be a hands-on field training facility for archaeologists from all over the world. ”
1. What does the underlined phrase “tipped off” in paragraph 2 refer to?| A．Gave information to. | B．Let down. |
| C．Played tricks on. | D．Knocked off. |
| A．It was once home to over 20,000 Indians. |
| B．It witnessed great changes in the last few centuries. |
| C．It was a famous tourist attraction in the 16th century. |
| D．It was the largest Indian settlement in the U.S. at the time. |
| A．The Indians were at war with the Spanish. |
| B．The Spanish explorers settled down in Arkansas City. |
| C．The Indians set up a large settlement in Arkansas City. |
| D．Etzanoa was abandoned by the Spanish and became a lost city. |
| A．A museum will be set up there. |
| B．Tourism will be promoted there. |
| C．It will be returned to the native Indians. |
| D．It will be rebuilt into a large settlement. |
