VOA慢速英语2024--4,000-year-old Building Discovered in Greece

4,000-year-old Building Discovered in Greece

Greek officials recently announced the discovery of a 4,000-year-old-stone building on the island of Crete. The historical find could block progress on a big airport project.

Greece’s Culture Ministry¹ said recently that the structure is unlike any other from Crete’s ancient Minoan civilization. The Culture Ministry described the find as “extremely interesting.”

Crete’s Minoan civilization is famous for its complex palaces, colorful art, and mysterious writing system.

The whole structure is about 1,800-square-meters in area. When seen from above, the structure looks like a big automobile² wheel.

Archaeologists found it during a recent dig.

The structure is in an area chosen as the site for a new radar³ station. The radar station is to serve a new airport being built near the town of Kastelli. The new airport is designed to serve up to 18 million travelers each year. Officials say it will open in 2027.

Archaeologists continue to dig at the site and are studying the remains⁴. They do not yet know what the hilltop structure was for.

Experts say it could have a traditional or religious purpose.

Surrounded by eight stone walls as tall as 1.7 meters high, the inner⁵ structure is divided into smaller, connected spaces.

The ministry’s statement said the structure did not appear to have been a place where people lived.

The finds from inside it include a large quantity of animal bones.

The statement also said the size, design, and building quality required labor⁶, specialized⁷ knowledge, and a strong central administration⁸. The structure was likely a communal⁹ building that stood out in the entire area, officials said.

Culture Minister Lina Mendoni promised that the find would be preserved while a different site would be found for the radar station.

“We all understand the value and importance of cultural heritage¹⁰," she said.

“It’s possible to go ahead with the airport,” she said, and protect the ancient objects as well.

The ministry said the building was probably made around the time Crete’s first palaces were being built — including at Knossos and Phaistos.

Greece’s rich cultural history often results in conflicts of interest during building projects.

At the end of the last century, remains of an ancient hilltop settlement were dug up and then destroyed during building work for Athens International Airport.

So far, at least another 35 archaeological sites have been uncovered¹¹ during work on the new Kastelli airport and its road connections, the ministry said.

Words in This Story

archaeologist – n. a scientist that deals with past human life and activities

preserve – v. to keep (something) in good condition

heritage – n. the traditions or beliefs that are part of the history of a group or country

1 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。

2 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

3 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 inner   

adj.内部的，里面的；内在的，内心的；精神的

参考例句：

• The label is on the inner side of the box.标签贴在盒子内侧。
• Other people seek the mountains for renewal of their inner lives.另一些人到深山中去，寻求新的精神生活。

6 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

7 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

8 administration   

n.经营，管理；行政，行政机关，管理部门

参考例句：

• Who is in charge of the administration of your company?你们公司的行政工作由谁负责？
• The teachers are responsible to the school administration.教师向学校行政负责。

9 communal   

adj.公有的，公共的，公社的，公社制的

参考例句：

• There was a communal toilet on the landing for the four flats.在楼梯平台上有一处公共卫生间供4套公寓使用。
• The toilets and other communal facilities were in a shocking state.厕所及其他公共设施的状况极其糟糕。

10 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。

11 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》