在墨西哥叢林樹冠下消失幾個世紀後，一座巨大的瑪雅城市重見天日。考古學傢認它是拉丁美洲瑪雅遺址中密度第二大的城市，僅次於最大的卡拉克穆爾。
The archaeologists found the site under the jungle canopy in the southeastern state of Campeche by accident during an internet search. A PhD student spotted a radar survey posted by an environmental organisation that could peer through thick vegetation.
考古學傢們在一次互聯網搜索中意外地在叢林樹冠下發現瞭這處位於墨西哥東南部坎佩切州的遺址。一名博士生註意到瞭一個環境監測組織發佈的雷達測繪圖，這個雷達可以透過茂密的植被進行勘測。
Using archaeological tools, the researchers were able to see evidence of nearly 7,000 buildings and a huge city they called Valeriana. Valeriana had temple pyramids, plazas, houses, causeways and reservoirs, and may have been home to up to 50,000 people in the 9th century. Luke Auld-Thomas from Tulane University says it reveals the complexity of Mayan society.
借由考古學工具，研究人員能看到近七千棟建築物以及一座巨大的城市存在的證據，他們把這座城市稱為瓦萊裡亞納（Valeriana）。瓦萊裡亞納建有許多神廟金字塔、廣場、房屋、堤道和蓄水池，並且在公元九世紀時可能有 5 萬人居住在此。杜蘭大學的盧克·奧爾德-托馬斯表示這座城市展現瞭瑪雅社會的復雜性。
But war, climate change and the Spanish invasion led to the demise of most Mayans. Their descendants still live in the region today, their ancient cities buried beneath their feet.
但是，戰爭、氣候變化和西班牙的入侵導致瞭大多數瑪雅人的死亡。瑪雅人的後代如今依然生活在這個地區。他們古老的城市已經被掩埋在瞭他們腳下。
詞匯表
archaeologists 考古學傢
jungle canopy 叢林樹冠
spotted 註意到，發現瞭
peer through 透過…看
plazas 廣場
causeways 堤道
reservoirs 蓄水池
demise 死亡
descendants 後代
buried 掩埋
閱讀理解：請在讀完上文後，回答下列問題。
1. Where was the Mayan city found?
2. True or False? The radar survey could detect the city through the jungle plant life.
3. Name five structures that were found in Valeriana.
4. What contributed to the demise of most Mayans?
答案
1. Where was the Mayan city found?
The Mayan city was found under the jungle canopy in Mexico’s southeastern state of Campeche.
2. True or False? The radar survey could detect the city through the jungle plant life.
True. The radar survey could peer through thick vegetation.
3. Name five structures that were found in Valeriana.
Structures that were found in Valeriana include temple pyramids, plazas, houses, causeways and reservoirs.
4. What three things contributed to the demise of most Mayans?
War, climate change and the Spanish invasion led to the demise of most Mayans.
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