An unknown goddess

無名女神

Some time ago, and interesting discovery was made by archaeologists on the Aegean island of Kea. An American team explored a temple which stands in an ancient city on the promontory of Ayia Irini. The city at one time must have been prosperous, for it enjoyed a high level of civilization. Houses-often three storeys high-were built of stone. They had large rooms with beautifully decorated walls. The city was equipped with a drainage system, for a great many clay pipes were found beneath the narrow streets.
The temple which the archaeologists explored was used as a place of worship from the fifteenth century B.C. until Roman times. In the most sacred room of temple, clay fragments of fifteen statues were found. Each of these represented a goddess and had, at one time, been painted. The body of one statue was found among remains dating from the fifteenth century B.C. It's missing head happened to be among remains of the fifth century B.C. This head must have been found in Classical times and carefully preserved. It was very old and precious even then. When the archaeologists reconstructed the fragments, they were amazed to find that the goddess turned out to be a very modern-looking woman. She stood three feet high and her hands rested on her hips. She was wearing a full-length skirt which swept the ground. Despite her great age, she was very graceful indeed, but, so far, the archaeologists have been unable to discover her identity.

1.Some time ago, and interesting discovery was made by archaeologists on the Aegean island of Kea.
不久之前，在愛琴海的基亞島上，考古工作者們有一項有趣的發現。

語言點1:句子結構分析:some time ago作時間狀語。Was made是一般過去時的被動語態。On the Aegean island of Kea作地點狀語。

語言點2:由some time ago拓展學習與時間有關的短語:

Ahead of time 提前
At one time 曾經
At a time 一次
Each time 每一次
For the time being 暫時

2.An American team explored a temple which stands in an ancient city on the promontory of Ayia Irini.
一個美國考古隊在阿伊亞·依里尼海角的一座古城里考察了一座廟宇。

語言點1:句子結構分析:which引導定語從句，修飾temple，說明廟宇的具體位置。One the promontory of Ayia Irini是地點狀語。

語言點2:stand in表示“位于/處于…地方”，由此可以總結學習以下短語:

Stand in/at/on 聳立在（高處）
Lie in/at/on 位于（低處）
Be situated in/at/on 坐落于（方向）

3.The city at one time must have been prosperous, for it enjoyed a high level of civilization.
這座古城肯定一定很繁榮，因為它曾享有高度的文明。

語言點1:句子結構分析:must have been是對過去的推測。For引導原因狀語從句，說明古城繁榮的原因。

語言點2:enjoy a high level of表示“享有高度的…”。“sb.+enjoy”表示“某人喜歡/享受”，“sth.+enjoy”則表示“擁有”，enjoy在此相當于have。

例句支持:

Hongkong and Macao enjoy a high level of autonomy.香港和澳門都享有高度的自治權。

China enjoys/has a long and glorious history of over 5000 years.中國享有5000多年悠久燦爛的歷史。

4.Houses-often three storeys high-were built of stone.
房子一般有3層樓高，用石塊修建。

語言點1:句子結構分析:often three storeys high在此起到分隔主謂語的作用，實際上是作houses的定語。Were built of為被動語態，說明房屋是由什么材料建造的。

語言點2:sth.be built of sth.表示“某物由（可看見的單一）材料建造而成”。

例句支持:

The school room is built of wood. 這所學校的校舍是由木頭建造的。

5.They had large rooms with beautifully decorated walls.
里面房間很大，墻壁裝飾華麗。

語言點1:句子結構分析:with引導介詞短語，作定語，修飾rooms。

語言點2:本句可以用一個定語從句改寫:They had large rooms with walls that were beautifully decorated.

6.The city was equipped with a drainage system, for a great many clay pipes were found beneath the narrow streets.
城里甚至還鋪設了排水系統，因為在狹窄的街道底下發現了許許多多陶土制作的排水管道。

語言點1:句子結構分析:be equipped with是典型的被動語態，強調古城配備了什么。For引導原因狀語從句，說明排水系統存在的原因。

語言點2:was even equipped with和clay pipes were found都是被動語態。請大家注意英文和中文在表達上的差異:英文表達遵循的是“最重要的先說”原則，強調動作的承受者，多用被動語態；而中文則習慣于強調動作的執行者，再在其后補充說明施動對象。

7.The temple which the archaeologists explored was used as a place of worship from the fifteenth century B.C. until Roman times.
考古工作者考查的這座廟宇從公元前15世紀直至羅馬時代一直都是祭祀祈禱的場所。

語言點1:句子結構分析:which引導的定語從句修飾temple。Was used是一般過去時的被動語態。As a place of worship作主語temple的補足語。From the fifteenth century B.C.until Roman times為時間狀語。

語言點2:總結學習一組關于時間的縮寫:

B.C.=Before Christ 公元前
A.C.=Ante Christum 公元前
A.D.=Anno Domini 公元
A.M.=Ante Meridiem 上午
P.M.=Post Meridiem 下午

語言點3:sth.be used as a place of sth.指的是“某地被當作一個做某事的地方”，sth.be not used as a place of sth.指的是“某地不被當作做某事的地方”。

8.In the most sacred room of temple, clay fragments of fifteen statues were found.
在廟中最神圣的一間殿堂里發現了15尊陶制雕像的碎片。

語言點1:句子結構分析:in the most sacred room of the temple作地點狀語。Were found為一般過去時的被動語態。

語言點2:the most sacred room 這個短語中的the most sacreds sacred的最高形式，必須加定冠詞the。

例句支持:

Lhasa is the most sacred place of Tibetan buddhism.
拉薩是藏傳佛教中最為神圣的地方。