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Into the unknown
What natural phenomena are mentioned in the video
How were these explained in the past What are the scientific explanations behind them
Watch the video and answer the questions.
The natural phenomena that are mentioned in the video include: the earthquake, the solar eclipse, thunder and lightning, and the mirage.
Starting out
For the earthquake:
Native Americans used to believe that earthquakes were caused by a struggle between a large bird, called the ___________, and a whale. An ancient Japanese belief was that earthquakes were caused by the movements of a giant _______ that carried the world on its back. Scientists now know that earthquakes are actually caused by the _________(move) of tectonic plates.
Thunderbird
catfish
movement
For the solar eclipse:
In many cultures, there were ancient beliefs that solar eclipses were caused by a creature eating the Sun. In Vietnam, that creature was a giant ______, in Norway, a ____, and in China, it was a huge dog. In fact, solar eclipses happen when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, temporarily _________(block) the Sun’s light.
frog
wolf
blocking
For thunder and lightning:
In Medieval Europe, people thought that ____________(nature) forces caused thunder and lightning. It was a sign of bad times ahead. Modern science tells us that lightning is an _________(electricity) charge moving between clouds, or between clouds and the earth. Thunder is a shock wave of sound caused by lightning.
supernatural
electric
For the mirage:
In Ancient China, people believed that this was actually caused by the breath of a dragon. These days, people know that a “mirage” happens when layers of air with _______(vary) temperatures cause light to bend.
varying
What do you know about these mysteries
What other unsolved mysteries do you know of
Which of these do you most want to investigate
Look at the pictures and answer the questions.
Atlantis
Atlantis is a legendary city, which is described in the work of the Greek philosopher Plato. The story of Atlantis with its fabulously wealthy and advanced civilisation which was swept into the sea to be lost for ever has captured the imagination of readers for over two millennia.
Nazca Lines
The Nazca Lines are a collection of giant geometric patterns and animal shapes. Drawn into the landscapes of southern Peru, the majority of the lines are believed to be the work of the Nazca people around 1AD to 700. Designated(appointed as) a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, numerous studies and theories have so far not explained the reason why the lines were created.
Tunguska event
Tunguska event, enormous explosion that is estimated to have occurred at 7:14 am plus or minus one minute on 30 June 1908, at an altitude of 5–10 kilometres, flattening some 2,000 square kilometres and charring(burning) more than 100 square kilometres of pine forest near the Podkamennaya Tunguska River in Central Siberia, Russia.
Black hole
A black hole is a region of space-time exhibiting gravitational acceleration so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from it.
The Mysteries of The Maya
Understanding ideas
What do you know about these ancient civilisations
What might be the reasons behind the collapse
What other ancient civilisations do you know of Share what you know with the class.
Look at the pictures and answer the questions. Do further research if necessary.
Read the passage and find out the possible reasons for the disappearance of Maya civilisation.
Organise information from the passage and complete the file of Maya civilisation.
1 Mexico
2 Central America
3 natural disasters
4 turning wetlands into fields
5 digging huge canal systems
6 population
7 droughts
8 lasting for a couple of years
Complete the cultural comparison with information from the passage.
Comparing the highly-sophisticated civilisations of Maya and Ancient China reveals some surprising similarities. They both possessed a detailed understanding of 1____________and astronomy, which helped them maintain an accurate 2________ , and a complex 3______________ that used signs to represent sounds and meanings. It can therefore be difficult to explain why, despite their excellent construction skills, the Maya never learnt to use 4______________________________, while the ancient Chinese did. Facts such as these add to the mystery surrounding Maya civilisation, driving people to find out why it 5____________ while others, such as Ancient China, survived and thrived.
mathematics
calendar
writing system
wheels, metal tools or even animal power
disappeared
The power of the secrets of
Ancient Maya civilisation among people
Intrigued by Maya civilisation from a very young age, 15-year-old Canadian William Gadoury thought he had made an incredible discovery from his study of ancient star charts. Through comparison, he found that the locations of the 117 known Maya cities correspond to the positions of the stars. Based on this , he believed he had spotted an unknown Maya city buried deep in the jungle.
Maya civilisation
location
Extending south from parts of what we now know as Mexico into Central America
Impressive buildings
What is most extraordinary about these complex structures is how they were built without the use of wheels, metal tools or even animal power.
representative step pyramids
The Maya`s understanding of mathematics and astronomy was also quite amazing. They applied this understanding to the Maya calendar, which was accurate to within 30 seconds per year.
Maya calendar
On top of all this was an achievement unique in the Americas at that time: a true writing system. It contained more than 800 characters, with some signs representing animals , people and objects and others representing syllables. It was a writing system so complicated that, so far, no one has been able to interpret it completely.
Maya writing system
Incredible and mysterious prosperity of Maya
The fact that Maya society was technologically primitive makes its achievements all the more incredible and mysterious . By 700 AD, Maya civilisation was at its peak.
But the greatest mystery of all is what caused the Maya to abandon most of their great cities. Within just a couple of generations, it began to mysteriously decline. The cities were left to be taken back by the jungle.
The collapse of Maya
Was it a natural disaster
A deadly disease
Conflicts between cities
Or was it a combination of several different factors
They had turned wetlands into fields for growing grains, and had dug huge canal systems.
As their population expanded, yet more land was needed for agriculture and more trees for construction.
By changing the landscape in this way, it is possible that the Maya people unknowingly reduced their ability to deal with natural disasters.
These droughts would have led to food shortages, conflicts and , ultimately, the downfall of the cities.
The downfall
of the cities
Some recent studies have found that there were far fewer tropical cyclones than usual between 700 AD and 1000 AD. This is likely to have led to a series of droughts, each lasting for a couple of years, including a “ megadrought” around 900 AD.
Whatever the reasons, Maya civilisation largely disappeared within the deep jungle. Its once-great cities fell into ruin, leaving various mysteries for later people to solve.
Meanwhile , the rise and fall of this civilisation must also leave us thinking about our own past, present and future.
Maya civilisation has been a mystery since it was rediscovered in the 19th century . The Maya built many splendid structures , among 1______ the step pyramids are most famous.2_______ puzzles people is how they built these structures with 3_______(they) own hands . To people’s 4__________ (amaze),they applied their understanding of mathematics and astronomy to the Maya calendar , which was accurate to within 30 seconds per year . They also developed a real 5________ (write) system . It was so complicated that no one has been able to interpret it 6 ___________(complete) so far.
which
What
their
amazement
writing
completely
直击高考
Why Maya civilisation collapsed remains a mystery . Some research seems 7___________ (indicate) that the people themselves were to blame for the downfall while others also suggest that 8_________(nature) disasters many have led to the decline of it . Whatever the reasons , Maya civilisation left many 9__________(mystery) for people to solve . Meanwhile the rise and fall of the civilisation leave us thinking about our own past , present 10______future.
to indicate
natural
mysteries
and
Can we predict our future

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