An unknown goddess

无名女神

Some time ago, and interesting discovery was made by archaeologists on the Aegean island of Kea. An American team explored a temple which stands in an ancient city on the promontory of Ayia Irini. The city at one time must have been prosperous, for it enjoyed a high level of civilization. Houses-often three storeys high-were built of stone. They had large rooms with beautifully decorated walls. The city was equipped with a drainage system, for a great many clay pipes were found beneath the narrow streets.
The temple which the archaeologists explored was used as a place of worship from the fifteenth century B.C. until Roman times. In the most sacred room of temple, clay fragments of fifteen statues were found. Each of these represented a goddess and had, at one time, been painted. The body of one statue was found among remains dating from the fifteenth century B.C. It's missing head happened to be among remains of the fifth century B.C. This head must have been found in Classical times and carefully preserved. It was very old and precious even then. When the archaeologists reconstructed the fragments, they were amazed to find that the goddess turned out to be a very modern-looking woman. She stood three feet high and her hands rested on her hips. She was wearing a full-length skirt which swept the ground. Despite her great age, she was very graceful indeed, but, so far, the archaeologists have been unable to discover her identity.

1.Some time ago, and interesting discovery was made by archaeologists on the Aegean island of Kea.
不久之前，在爱琴海的基亚岛上，考古工作者们有一项有趣的发现。

语言点1:句子结构分析:some time ago作时间状语。Was made是一般过去时的被动语态。On the Aegean island of Kea作地点状语。

语言点2:由some time ago拓展学习与时间有关的短语:

Ahead of time 提前
At one time 曾经
At a time 一次
Each time 每一次
For the time being 暂时

2.An American team explored a temple which stands in an ancient city on the promontory of Ayia Irini.
一个美国考古队在阿伊亚·依里尼海角的一座古城里考察了一座庙宇。

语言点1:句子结构分析:which引导定语从句，修饰temple，说明庙宇的具体位置。One the promontory of Ayia Irini是地点状语。

语言点2:stand in表示“位于/处于…地方”，由此可以总结学习以下短语:

Stand in/at/on 耸立在（高处）
Lie in/at/on 位于（低处）
Be situated in/at/on 坐落于（方向）

3.The city at one time must have been prosperous, for it enjoyed a high level of civilization.
这座古城肯定一定很繁荣，因为它曾享有高度的文明。

语言点1:句子结构分析:must have been是对过去的推测。For引导原因状语从句，说明古城繁荣的原因。

语言点2:enjoy a high level of表示“享有高度的…”。“sb.+enjoy”表示“某人喜欢/享受”，“sth.+enjoy”则表示“拥有”，enjoy在此相当于have。

例句支持:

Hongkong and Macao enjoy a high level of autonomy.香港和澳门都享有高度的自治权。

China enjoys/has a long and glorious history of over 5000 years.中国享有5000多年悠久灿烂的历史。

4.Houses-often three storeys high-were built of stone.
房子一般有3层楼高，用石块修建。

语言点1:句子结构分析:often three storeys high在此起到分隔主谓语的作用，实际上是作houses的定语。Were built of为被动语态，说明房屋是由什么材料建造的。

语言点2:sth.be built of sth.表示“某物由（可看见的单一）材料建造而成”。

例句支持:

The school room is built of wood. 这所学校的校舍是由木头建造的。

5.They had large rooms with beautifully decorated walls.
里面房间很大，墙壁装饰华丽。

语言点1:句子结构分析:with引导介词短语，作定语，修饰rooms。

语言点2:本句可以用一个定语从句改写:They had large rooms with walls that were beautifully decorated.

6.The city was equipped with a drainage system, for a great many clay pipes were found beneath the narrow streets.
城里甚至还铺设了排水系统，因为在狭窄的街道底下发现了许许多多陶土制作的排水管道。

语言点1:句子结构分析:be equipped with是典型的被动语态，强调古城配备了什么。For引导原因状语从句，说明排水系统存在的原因。

语言点2:was even equipped with和clay pipes were found都是被动语态。请大家注意英文和中文在表达上的差异:英文表达遵循的是“最重要的先说”原则，强调动作的承受者，多用被动语态；而中文则习惯于强调动作的执行者，再在其后补充说明施动对象。

7.The temple which the archaeologists explored was used as a place of worship from the fifteenth century B.C. until Roman times.
考古工作者考查的这座庙宇从公元前15世纪直至罗马时代一直都是祭祀祈祷的场所。

语言点1:句子结构分析:which引导的定语从句修饰temple。Was used是一般过去时的被动语态。As a place of worship作主语temple的补足语。From the fifteenth century B.C.until Roman times为时间状语。

语言点2:总结学习一组关于时间的缩写:

B.C.=Before Christ 公元前
A.C.=Ante Christum 公元前
A.D.=Anno Domini 公元
A.M.=Ante Meridiem 上午
P.M.=Post Meridiem 下午

语言点3:sth.be used as a place of sth.指的是“某地被当作一个做某事的地方”，sth.be not used as a place of sth.指的是“某地不被当作做某事的地方”。

8.In the most sacred room of temple, clay fragments of fifteen statues were found.
在庙中最神圣的一间殿堂里发现了15尊陶制雕像的碎片。

语言点1:句子结构分析:in the most sacred room of the temple作地点状语。Were found为一般过去时的被动语态。

语言点2:the most sacred room 这个短语中的the most sacreds sacred的最高形式，必须加定冠词the。

例句支持:

Lhasa is the most sacred place of Tibetan buddhism.
拉萨是藏传佛教中最为神圣的地方。