笪景行

More than a hundred new designs1 discovered in andaround Perus Nazca desert could bring new informationto light about the mysterious， ancient artworks.

在秘魯納斯卡沙漠及其周圍發(fā)現(xiàn)的100 多個(gè)新圖案可能會為人們揭開神秘古老藝術(shù)作品的神秘面紗。

The researchers have reported the discovery of 168new designs on Perus southern Pacific coast.

研究人員報(bào)告了在秘魯南太平洋海岸發(fā)現(xiàn)的168個(gè)新圖案。

The huge figures2 carved3 into the South American desert date back more than2000 years and represent cats， snakes， killer whales， birds and so on.

這些修建在南美洲沙漠中的巨大圖案可以追溯到2000 多年前，展現(xiàn)了貓、蛇、虎鯨、鳥類等動物。

They were thought to have been drawn into the ground thousands of years agoby inhabitants4 who removed5 black stones from the grounds surface to expose6the white sand below to create their designs， now known as the Nazca Lines.

它們被認(rèn)為是幾千年前由居民刻畫在地上的。人們從地表移除黑色石頭，露出下面的白色沙子，來創(chuàng)造出他們的圖案。現(xiàn)在它們被稱為“納斯卡線條”。

The purpose of the Nazca Lines remains a mystery. Most of the earlierdiscoveries can only be seen from the air. The new findings， however， are smallerand can be seen from the ground. They average7 between 2m and 6m long.

修建“納斯卡線條”的目的仍然是個(gè)謎。大多數(shù)早期的發(fā)現(xiàn)只能從空中看到。然而，新發(fā)現(xiàn)的規(guī)模較小，可以從地面上看到。它們的平均長度在2 米到6米之間。

But the vastness8 of the terrain9 they cover—a 450 sq km area—has madeit difficult to study and protect the heritage10 site.

但是，它們所覆蓋的廣闊的地形———450 平方公里的面積———使得研究和保護(hù)遺產(chǎn)變得困難。

Notes

1. design 設(shè)計(jì)；圖案

2. figure 圖形

3. carve? 雕刻，鋪，修

4. inhabitant 某地的，居民

5. remove 移開；拿開

6. expose 暴露；使顯露

7. average 平均為；平均達(dá)到

8. vastness 巨大；廣大

9. terrain 地形；地勢；領(lǐng)域

10. heritage 遺產(chǎn)；傳統(tǒng)