纪录片《文明》 第28期 创世纪的第二个瞬间（28）

More amazing still,

更令人惊讶的是

this place was built by people who were nomads¹

建造此地的人在公元前四世纪

when they first arrived here in the fourth century before Christ.

首次来到这里时还是游牧民族

The Nabataeans were goat herders,

纳巴泰人畜牧羊群

camel riders, dwellers² in tents.

驾驭骆驼 住于帐篷之中

But flocks and herds³ weren't going to produce this.

但游牧民族不会建起这样的地方

Petra was built on trade in incense⁴.

佩特拉立于熏香贸易之上

2,000 years ago,

两千年前

aromatic⁵ frankincense and myrrh were essential

乳香和没药在渗透进日常生活的

for the ceremonies and rituals which punctuated⁶ daily life.

庆典和仪式中非常重要

The nondescript little chunks⁷ and granules of dried tree resin⁸

小块干燥不起眼的树脂

produced these clouds of fragrant⁹ incense smoke,

却能产生这些弥漫的香雾

and they became the hottest trade between Africa and Persia.

它们成了非洲和波斯贸易中最火的商品

And here's the thing, the trees that produce the resin

然而 生产这种树脂的树

only grow in a particular part of Arabia,

只生长在阿拉伯的特定地区

and who knew that desert mile by stony¹⁰ mile,

而谁又能比纳巴泰人更了解那里的

oasis¹¹ by oasis, better than the Nabataeans?

一沙一石 一草一木呢

No-one.

1 nomads   

n.游牧部落的一员( nomad的名词复数 )；流浪者；游牧生活；流浪生活

参考例句：

• For ten years she dwelled among the nomads of North America. 她在北美游牧民中生活了十年。
• Nomads have inhabited this region for thousands of years. 游牧民族在这地区居住已有数千年了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 dwellers   

n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes. 城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They have transformed themselves into permanent city dwellers. 他们已成为永久的城市居民。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 herds   

兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众

参考例句：

• Regularly at daybreak they drive their herds to the pasture. 每天天一亮他们就把牲畜赶到草场上去。
• There we saw herds of cows grazing on the pasture. 我们在那里看到一群群的牛在草地上吃草。

4 incense   

v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气

参考例句：

• This proposal will incense conservation campaigners.这项提议会激怒环保人士。
• In summer,they usually burn some coil incense to keep away the mosquitoes.夏天他们通常点香驱蚊。

5 aromatic   

adj.芳香的，有香味的

参考例句：

• It has an agreeable aromatic smell.它有一种好闻的香味。
• It is light,fruity aromatic and a perfect choice for ending a meal.它是口感轻淡，圆润，芳香的，用于结束一顿饭完美的选择。

6 punctuated   

v.（在文字中）加标点符号，加标点( punctuate的过去式和过去分词 )；不时打断某事物

参考例句：

• Her speech was punctuated by bursts of applause. 她的讲演不时被阵阵掌声打断。
• The audience punctuated his speech by outbursts of applause. 听众不时以阵阵掌声打断他的讲话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 chunks   

厚厚的一块( chunk的名词复数 )； （某物）相当大的数量或部分

参考例句：

• a tin of pineapple chunks 一罐菠萝块
• Those chunks of meat are rather large—could you chop them up a bIt'smaller? 这些肉块相当大，还能再切小一点吗？

8 resin   

n.树脂，松香，树脂制品；vt.涂树脂

参考例句：

• This allyl type resin is a highly transparent, colourless material.这种烯丙基型的树脂是一种高度透明的、无色材料。
• This is referred to as a thixotropic property of the resin.这种特性叫做树脂的触变性。

9 fragrant   

adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的

参考例句：

• The Fragrant Hills are exceptionally beautiful in late autumn.深秋的香山格外美丽。
• The air was fragrant with lavender.空气中弥漫薰衣草香。

10 stony   

adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的

参考例句：

• The ground is too dry and stony.这块地太干，而且布满了石头。
• He listened to her story with a stony expression.他带着冷漠的表情听她讲经历。

11 oasis   

n.（沙漠中的）绿洲，宜人的地方

参考例句：

• They stopped for the night at an oasis.他们在沙漠中的绿洲停下来过夜。
• The town was an oasis of prosperity in a desert of poverty.该镇是贫穷荒漠中的一块繁荣的“绿洲”。