托福阅读真题+题目+答案：The Rise of the Maya

托福阅读真题+题目+答案：The Rise of the Maya

A hundred and fifty years of painstaking archaeological inquiry allows us today to understand how the Maya emerged to transform the rain forest of Central America into a scene of urban civilization. By 1000 B.c. the Maya were settled agriculturalists growing a variety of crops in clearings in the forest, which they turned into villages They appear to have lived in a society of equals, without clear rulers or ceremonial centers. Then between 800 and 500 B.C, signs of a ruling elite within Maya society start to emerge in the form of elaborate burial monuments. At Los Mangales in the Salama Valley of highland Mexico, a chief was buried on a special mortuary platform accompanied by rich grave goods of jade and shell. Slightly later the ceremonial center at El Portón was built, involving the construction of earth terraces and platforms, on which were located altars and standing stones. one with a brief written inscription, although too damaged to be read today.

1.The word “painstaking”in the passage is closest in meaning to

O remarkable

O very thorough

O cooperative

O highly creative

2.According to paragraph 1, which of the following was true of the Maya around 1000 B.C ?

O They had become a largely urban civilization.

O They had left the rain forest in order to grow a variety of crops.

O They were beginning to develop elaborate burial customs

O They lived in villages in the rain forest

In the lowlands of Guatemala and the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, vast ceremonial centers appeared quite suddenly after 600 B.C. At Nakbe in northern Guatemala, the site was swiftly transformed from a modest village into a city with a major monumental structure at its heart. A massive platform was constructed on the ruins of the original settlement, on top of which were a series of terraced buildings up to 60 feet tall. Without any doubt we can see here the development of a more complex society. From 400 B.C. to Ad 250, major ceremonial centers developed in all parts of the Maya area, many carved out of the tropical rain forest that covered the southern lowlands of Guatemala. Belize, and Mexico. These cities were dominated by enormous terraced platforms, some forming giant temple-pyramids. Vast palaces of limestone masonry with vaulted rooms were constructed. set within architectural layouts that emphasized the most important buildings of a city, arranged around plazas with rows of standing stones lined up in front of them. A highly sophisticated art style emerged, seen in bas-reliefs, wall paintings, and beautiful pottery with multicolored fired decorations. Hieroglyphic writing became widespread, and inscriptions can be dated using the Maya Long Count, an elaborate but incredibly accurate calendarical system.

3.The word “incredibly” in the passage is closest in meaning to

O unbelievably

O apparently

O completely

O uncommonly

4.In paragraph 2, why does the author describe the Nakbe site in northern Guatemala?

O To indicate that earlier settlements were commonly destroyed in order for the Maya to build monumental structures

O To illustrate the rapid development of a more complex society after 600 B.C.

O To demonstrate the steps involved in constructing early Maya ceremonial centers

O To contrast the Nakbe ceremonial center with those developed in other regions

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