英语听力：自然百科 巴比伦古城遗址损坏严重

 For more than one thousand years, Babylon was one of the world’s most celebrated¹ cities, where King Nebuchadnezzar II is believed to have built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

 

The ruins of the ancient Mesopotamian city are roughly 60 miles south of modern-day Baghdad. The site declined and fell into ruin after it was conquered by the Persians under Cyrus the Great.

 

After the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the site was occupied by multinational² troops, using it as a base.

 

After April 9th, 2003, U.S. and Polish forces entered the city, these forces made sentry³ towers around the city. In fact, the existence of the military vehicles and helicopters caused damage to this archeological site.

 

Unfortunately, a lot has been destroyed, because a military base was positioned right within the ruins of Babylon. We deeply regret that and the Iraqi colleagues will now have to clear the damage preferably with international help.

 

A major museum exhibit focusing on ancient Babylon organized by the Louvre in Paris is currently on show in Berlin. The Louvre says it had hoped the national museum in Baghdad would contribute to the exhibit.

 

But Baghdad's security status was deemed too perilous⁴ to transport priceless treasures to the airport and put them safely on a plane.

 

We had hoped for quite a number of clay tablets, but also bigger objects, such as sculptures and relief. This would have been great. Unfortunately it is not available now.

 

The Polish-led force moved out of Babylon at the beginning of 2005 when the Iraqi Culture Ministry⁵ assumed control in the site.

 

A report in 2004 by the British Museum said forces from the US-led coalition⁶ crashed part of the ancient Iraqi city’s 2600-year-old brick-paved streets with their tanks, and used soil-containing archeological fragments to fill sandbags.

 

Iraq has requested the Babylon be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and that it is hoped the ancient city will once again become a major tourist attraction.

1 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

2 multinational   

adj.多国的，多种国籍的；n.多国籍公司，跨国公司

参考例句：

• The firm was taken over by a multinational consulting firm.这家公司被一个跨国咨询公司收购。
• He analyzed the relationship between multinational corporations and under-developed countries.他分析了跨国公司和不发达国家之间的关系。

3 sentry   

n.哨兵，警卫

参考例句：

• They often stood sentry on snowy nights.他们常常在雪夜放哨。
• The sentry challenged anyone approaching the tent.哨兵查问任一接近帐篷的人。

4 perilous   

adj.危险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• The journey through the jungle was perilous.穿过丛林的旅行充满了危险。
• We have been carried in safety through a perilous crisis.历经一连串危机，我们如今已安然无恙。

5 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

6 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。