納斯卡線再添傳奇
A new geoglyph which portrays a cat lounging on a hillside has recently been discovered in the Nazca lines, a Unesco world heritage site in Peru since 1994.
祕魯的納斯卡線自1994年起被列為世界文化遺產，日前在當地發現了一幅描繪一隻貓慵懶地躺在斜披上的地畫圖像。
geoglyph(n.)地畫圖像=a large design produced on the groundportray(v.)描繪;描寫lounge(n.)(機場或酒店的)休息室;等候室(v.)很放鬆地躺hillside(n.)山坡heritage(n.)文化遺產或遺址
“The figure was scarcely visible and was about to disappear because it’s situated on quite a steep slope that’s prone to the effects of natural erosion,” Peru’s culture ministry said in a statement.
祕魯文化部在聲明中表示：「圖樣幾乎不太好辨識，甚至都快消失了。因為該遺址落在一個陡坡上，容易遭受自然侵蝕。」
figure(n.)外形;輪廓;畫像scarcely(adv.)幾乎不;勉強地=almost notvisible(adj.)可見的;清楚的;顯眼的disappear(v.)消失be situated 位於~;處於~steep(adj.)陡峭的slope(n.)斜坡be prone to...容易遭受~natural erosion自然侵蝕
They found the feline figure during the work to improve access to one of the hills which provides a natural viewpoint to see the geoglyphs.
當局在修築一條山坡上的觀景路線時，發現了這幅貓樣的地畫。
feline(adj.)(n.)貓科的(動物)access(n.)通道;途徑;使用~的機會或權利access to a buildinginternet accessviewpoint(n.)觀察位置;視角
The feline geoglyph was cleaned and conserved over the past few weeks, showing a feline figure in profile with its head facing the front.
當局在過去幾週清理並保存了那幅貓樣的地畫，該畫顯露出一隻頭面向前的貓的側面。
conserve(v.)保護;保存profile(n.)人物簡介;側身或側面
It is 37 meters long, with lines which vary in width ranging from 30cm to 40cm.
這幅巨貓地畫長達37公尺，其線條寬度則落在30至40公分不等。
vary(v.)因~而異vary between regionswidth(n.)寬度wide(adj.)寬的ranging from A to B=範圍從A到B
Johny Isla, Peru’s chief archaeologist for the Nazca lines, suggested that the feline figure was from the late Paracas era dating back to around 500 B.C. to A.D. 200, which existed before the Nazca culture that held sway in the area from A.D. 200 to A.D. 700.
納斯卡線考古團隊隊長伊斯拉認為這幅巨貓地畫誕生於公元前500年至西元200年的帕拉卡斯時代晚期，時間早於西元200年至700年間當地強勢的納斯卡文化。
chief(adj.)主要的archaeologist(n.)考古學家archaeology(n.)考古學date back to時間追溯回...exist(v.)存在;出現hold sway=具有控制權或影響力B.C.=Before Christ 公元前A.D.=Anno Domini 西元
“The use of drones has allowed us to take images of hillsides,” said Isla, adding that between 80 and 100 ancient figures had emerged over recent years in the Nazca and Palpa valleys — all of them predating the Nazca culture.
伊斯拉表示：「使用無人空拍機讓我們得以拍攝山坡上的圖樣。」他補充說，近幾年在納斯卡與帕爾帕谷發現了約80至100幅的古老地畫，它們出現的時間全都早於納斯卡文化。
drone(n.)無人空拍機allow sb. to do sth.允許某人做某事;讓某人得以做某事ancient(adj.)古老的;年代久遠的emerge(v.)出現;露出=appearpredate(v.)時間早於~存在