在英语学习领域，新概念英语第三册宛如一座知识宝库，以其科学系统的教学理念、丰富多元且实用的课程内容，为无数学习者搭建起稳固的英语进阶阶梯。它精选的经典篇章，兼具趣味性与启发性。今天，就让我们围绕“女神雕像”这一主题展开探索，借助这一鲜活场景，为大家呈上有价值的学习素材！

【课文】

How did the archaeologists know that the statue was a goddess?

考古学家是如何知晓那尊雕像是女神的呢？

Some time ago, an 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 even equipped with a drainage system, for a great many clay pipes were found beneath the narrow streets.

不久前，考古学家在爱琴海的基亚岛上有了有趣的发现。一个美国考古队探索了位于阿伊亚·依里尼海角一座古城中的一座神庙。这座古城曾一度十分繁荣，拥有高度的文明。房屋通常有三层高，由石头砌成。房屋内有大房间，墙壁装饰得十分精美。这座城市甚至配备了排水系统，因为在狭窄的街道下方发现了许多陶制管道。

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. Its 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.

考古学家探索的这座神庙从公元前15世纪到罗马时代一直被用作祭祀场所。在神庙最神圣的房间里，发现了15尊雕像的碎片。这些雕像每一尊都代表一位女神，而且曾经都被上过色。其中一尊雕像的躯体是在公元前15世纪的遗迹中被发现的。而它缺失的头部恰好在公元前5世纪的遗迹中被找到。这个头部必定是在古典时期被发现的，并且被精心保存了下来。即便在当时，它也十分古老且珍贵。当考古学家将这些碎片重新拼接起来时，惊奇地发现那位女神原来是一位相貌十分摩登的女郎。她身高三英尺，双手叉腰。身穿一条拖地长裙，尽管上了年纪，但体态确实优美。不过，考古学家至今未能确定这位女神的身份。

【生词】

goddess n.女神

archaeologist n.考古学家

Aegean adj.爱琴海的

explore v.考察，勘探

promontory n.海角

prosperous adj.(经济上)繁荣的，昌盛的

civilization n.文明

storey n.楼层

drainage n.排水

worship n.祟拜

sacred adj.宗教的，神圣的

fragment n.碎片

remains n.遗物，遗迹，废墟

classical adj.(希腊和罗马)古化的

reconstruct v.修复

rest v.倚放，放置

hip n.臀部；髋

full-length adj.(裙衣)拖地长的

graceful adj.优雅的

identity n.身份

以上就是“新概念英语第三册：女神雕像”的内容，希望对大家有所帮助!