新奇事件簿 埃及首次开放最古老的金字塔

Egypt has opened two of its oldest pyramids. The pyramids are in Dahshur, about 40 kilometers south of the Egyptian capital city Cairo. They are now open to the public for the first time since 1965. Hundreds of people gathered outside the Bent¹ Pyramid at a special opening ceremony on Saturday. The Bent Pyramid was built 4,600 years ago. It was built for the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Sneferu. It is 101 meters high. Builders used new techniques to build it and archaeologists say it was an important step in the development of pyramid building. Tourists can also enter an 18-metre high "side pyramid" next to the Bent Pyramid. This was built for King Sneferu's wife Hetepheres.

埃及开放了两个最古老的金字塔。两座金字塔位于代赫舒尔，距离埃及首都城市开罗以南约40公里处。这是它们自1965年以来首次对外开放。周六，数百人聚集在曲折金字塔外的一场特别开幕式上。曲折金字塔建于4600年前，是为了古埃及法老斯尼夫鲁所建。这座金字塔高101米。建造者们利用新技术建造了它，考古学家表示这是金字塔建筑发展中的重要一步。游客们也可以进入曲折金字塔旁边一座18米高的“侧金字塔”，这是为了斯尼夫鲁的妻子赫特芬雷斯所建。

The two pyramids are part of the Memphis Necropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage² Site. Egypt hopes the opening of the pyramids will boost³ the country's tourism industry. Egypt was a top tourist destination but tourist numbers fell after the 2011 uprising. Ancient sites in Egypt are on the bucket lists of many people around the world. At the Bent Pyramid, tourists will be able to go through a 79-meter narrow tunnel to reach two chambers⁴ deep inside. They will also be able to see ancient treasures found inside the pyramid. Egyptian archaeologists uncovered⁵ a collection of stone, clay and wooden sarcophagi - the coffins⁶ people were buried in. Some of the sarcophagi contained mummies.

这两座金字塔是世界文化遗产孟菲斯墓地的一部分。埃及希望开放这两座金字塔能够促进该国的旅游业。埃及是一个最佳旅游目的地，但2011年叛乱后，旅游人数下降。埃及的古遗址被世界上很多人列入了愿望清单。在曲折金字塔，游客可以通过一个79米的狭小隧道，来到内部深处的两个内室。他们还可以看到金字塔里边的古代宝物。埃及考古学家发现了一些石头、泥土和木质石棺—埋葬死者的棺材。一些石棺内还有木乃伊。

1 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

2 heritage   

n.传统，遗产，继承物

参考例句：

• The ancient buildings are part of the national heritage.这些古建筑是民族遗产的一部分。
• We Chinese have a great cultural heritage.我们中国人有伟大的文化遗产。

3 boost   

n.鼓励，激励，提高；v.鼓励，使增强信心

参考例句：

• This will be a great boost to the economy.这对于经济发展将是一个巨大的促进。
• These changes will help to boost share prices.这些变化将有助于提高股票价格。

4 chambers   

n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅

参考例句：

• The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间：Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网

5 uncovered   

adj.无盖的，未保险的v.揭开…的盖子( uncover的过去式和过去分词 )；揭露，发现

参考例句：

• His head was uncovered. 他光着头。
• A plot to assassinate the banker has been uncovered by the police. 暗杀银行家的密谋被警方侦破了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 coffins   

n.棺材( coffin的名词复数 )；使某人早亡[死，完蛋，垮台等]之物

参考例句：

• The shop was close and hot, and the atmosphere seemed tainted with the smell of coffins. 店堂里相当闷热，空气仿佛被棺木的味儿污染了。 来自辞典例句
• Donate some coffins to the temple, equal to the number of deaths. 到寺庙里，捐赠棺材盒给这些死者吧。 来自电影对白