秘魯殘忍大屠殺
Archaeologists in Peru announced the discovery of a centuries-old ritual massacre. They found the skeletons of 137 children, 3 adults, and 200 llamas or alpacas. The archaeologists argue that the sacrifice may have been related to a traumatic climatic event.
秘魯的考古學家發現了一處好幾世紀前的屠殺儀式，骨骸中共有137具孩童、3具成人以及200具美洲駝或羊駝。考古學家認為，這場獻祭可能與可怕的氣候事件有關，
archaeologist(n.)考古學家ritual(n.)儀式massacre(n.)(v.)屠殺（亦可指在賽事中慘敗）sacrifice(n.)犧牲、獻祭related to跟⋯⋯有關traumatic(adj.)痛苦難忘的
They believe that it is the largest known case of child sacrifice ever found.
同時可能是已知最大型的孩童屠殺案例。
sacrifice(n.)犧牲、獻祭
Children’s skeletons were found wrapped in cotton and buried beneath the sands of a site called Huanchaquito-Las Llamas in the Province of Trujillo.
在秘魯特魯希略（Trujillo）省Huanchaquito-Las Llamas的挖掘現場，露出許多裹著白布的兒童骸骨。
beneath(prep.)在⋯⋯下方
Archaeologists discovered that many of these skeletons were buried in groups of three. The llamas were placed on top of or next to the children.
考古學家發現，這些孩童多以三人為一組被埋葬，美洲駝則放在孩童的上方或旁邊。
archaeologist(n.)考古學家
They believe that priests had cut open the chests of these children and ripped out their hearts while they were still alive.
他們認為，這些孩童是被神職人員活生生劃開胸腔取出心臟。
rip(v.)撕裂、扯開，ripped(adj.)有肌肉線條的，RIP=rest in peace安息
While the actual reason behind the sacrifice is yet to be determined, the researchers say the act may have been carried out out of desperation in an attempt to stop a disastrous climatic event: the El Nino.
雖然獻祭的原因仍無法確定，但研究者指出，目的可能是迫切想要阻止造成災害的聖嬰現象。
sacrifice(n.)犧牲、獻祭determine(v.)查明、決定desperation(n.)迫切、渴求in an attempt to意圖⋯⋯disastrous(adj.)災難性的the El Niño聖嬰現象
Even though the excavation site is now a desert, the mud layer preserved in the top layers of the sand suggests that the area had once experienced periods of heavy rain due to the El Nino.
發現骨骸的區域目前是沙漠，但泥土層卻顯示出曾有過一場大雨，可能就是聖嬰現象造成。
preserve(v.)保存
Researchers say that the El Nino periodically causes coastal flooding and raises seawater temperatures, which in turn disrupts the marine food chain in northern and central Peru. It is possible that the sacrifices were made in response to the heavy rains.
研究者表示，聖嬰現象週期性地帶來沿岸洪水、使海洋溫度上升進而打亂秘魯中部與北部的海洋食物鏈，這場獻祭可能就是為了阻止聖嬰現象造成的大雨。
periodically(adv.)週期性地in turn因此disrupt(v.)打亂、中斷sacrifice(n.)犧牲、獻祭