The Pyramids of Egypt

A riddle in stone that still refuses to answer · 石头里的千古之谜

The Great Pyramid on the Giza plateau in Egypt has always bewildered people.

Who built it? How was it built? What is its significance? Finding definite answers to these questions is not as straightforward as you might think.

Long ago, the history of human beings was not recorded. As ancient societies died out, their histories died with them. Now, most of this information is buried. Some of it, like the ancient pyramids of Egypt, sits above ground — unexplained and mysterious.

Archaeologists help us to explain things. They dig at old sites and collect objects that were used by ancient cultures. Using their imagination, they come up with their "best theory" about what these objects tell us about the people who used them.

We know for sure that the Great Pyramid was constructed around 2600 BC. It contains nearly two and a half million blocks of stone. Some of these stones weigh nearly 70 tons. How were these blocks moved? How did the workers move them up the tall structure to heights of 146 metres?

There are numerous measurements contained in the Great Pyramid that point to a knowledge of mathematics, science, astronomy and world geography that we would not have expected from the Egyptians.

The builders of the Great Pyramid were determined to keep their secrets to themselves. When the first modern visitor discovered the pyramid in the 19th century, he wasn't even able to find the entrance because it had been so carefully disguised by the builders.

After tunnelling aimlessly for weeks, he accidentally discovered the Entrance Passage, only to find that the builders had blocked it with a massive stone plug. His men tunnelled around this obstacle and arrived at the entrance. It was blocked by another huge stone. When they finally cut it away, another stone immediately fell into its place, blocking the passage again. An intruder would have to remove each successive block of stone to enter the Great Pyramid.

Why did the Egyptians make it so difficult to gain entry? Was it only the gold and treasure of the king's burial they wished to conceal? These questions, as with most things from the ancient past, are easier to ask than to answer.

The Pyramids of Egypt — A riddle in stone that still refuses to answer

The Great Pyramid on the Giza plateau in Egypt has always b(1)__________ people.

Who built it? How was it built? What is its s(2)__________? Finding d(3)__________ answers to these questions is not as straightforward as you might think.

Long ago, the history of human beings was not r(4)__________. As a(5)__________ societies died out, their histories died with them. Now, most of this information is buried. Some of it, like the ancient pyramids of Egypt, sits above ground — unexplained and mysterious.

Archaeologists help us to explain things. They dig at old sites and collect objects that were used by ancient cultures. Using their imagination, they come up with their "best t(6)__________" about what these objects tell us about the people who used them.

We know for sure that the Great Pyramid was c(7)__________ around 2600 BC. It contains nearly two and a half million blocks of stone. Some of these stones weigh nearly 70 tons. How were these blocks moved? How did the workers move them up the tall structure to heights of 146 metres?

There are n(8)__________ measurements contained in the Great Pyramid that point to a knowledge of mathematics, science, astronomy and world geography that we would not have expected from the Egyptians.

The builders of the Great Pyramid were determined to keep their secrets to themselves. When the first modern visitor discovered the pyramid in the 19th century, he wasn't even able to find the entrance because it had been so carefully d(9)__________ by the builders.

After tunnelling aimlessly for weeks, he accidentally discovered the Entrance Passage, only to find that the builders had blocked it with a massive stone plug. His men tunnelled around this obstacle and arrived at the entrance. It was blocked by another huge stone. When they finally cut it away, another stone immediately fell into its place, blocking the passage again. An intruder would have to remove each successive block of stone to enter the Great Pyramid.

Why did the Egyptians make it so difficult to gain entry? Was it only the gold and treasure of the king's burial they wished to c(10)__________? These questions, as with most things from the ancient past, are easier to ask than to answer.

📌 重点单词 · Key Vocabulary

🔗 重点词组 · Key Phrases

💡 语法小贴士 · Grammar Tips

🔺 文化拓展 · Questions Set in Stone

文章里那位「在黑暗中乱挖了几个星期」的访客，原型是公元 820 年的巴格达哈里发马蒙（al-Ma'mun）——他率人从金字塔侧面硬凿出一条「马蒙隧道」，绕过了层层巨石闸门，却发现墓室早已空空如也，只留下一个无盖石棺。金字塔工匠的「 successive blocking system（连环堵石系统）」至今仍在：一块石头被移走，另一块就自动落位。

吉萨大金字塔（胡夫金字塔）原高 146 米，在近 4000 年里一直是世界最高建筑，直到 19 世纪才被林肯大教堂和大教堂类建筑超过。约 230 万块巨石、每块平均 2.5 吨，在没有铁器、轮子和滑轮组的青铜时代完成——文章说的「numerous measurements 指向数学、天文、地理知识」正由此而来：它的四个面几乎精确朝向东南西北。

结尾那句 easier to ask than to answer 是对待历史最好的态度。金字塔留下的不是答案，而是一连串问题：为何墓室空空？巨石如何抬升？工匠身份是奴隶还是技术工人（近年的考古发现倾向后者）？保持提问、承认未知，正是考古学与科学共同的精神起点——这与上一篇微电影里「土办法解决拍片难题」形成有趣对照：文明靠提问前行，也靠巧思破局。