​The Mayan Mystery|马雅世界末日预言

The Mayan Mystery马雅世界末日预言

by Matthew Brown

What will happen at the stroke of midnight on December 21, 2012?

2012 年 12月 21 日午夜钟声响起时，世界将变得如何？

The year 2012 is coming, so you'd better make sure you have finished doing everything important by then. According to some people that study the Mayan calendar, 2012 is the year when the world will end. Once one of the most advanced cultures in the world, the Mayans were a civilization from Mexico and Central America. The Long Count Mayan calendar, which is different from the 12-month Gregorian calendar used in most of the world today, ends in 2012. Some Mayan writings seem to tell us that when the Mayan calendar ends, the world will come to an end as well.

However, researchers do not agree on what is really meant by the end of the Mayan calendar. The problem with attempting to figure out exactly what the Mayans believed is that very few writings remain from this ancient civilization. The parts that do remain are unclear and some writings contradict each other. The closest thing to a warning appears in a section that says, "Black...will occur." Some insist that the Mayans did believe the world would end in 2012, while others say that it is supposed to be a date of celebration.

To modern Mayans, whose ancestors were part of that ancient civilization, the year 2012 is irrelevant. So, with numerous websites, books, and a popular movie about 2012, why are people so worked up about 2012? Some have argued that the Mayan prediction corresponds to other events: positions of the stars, changes in weather, and so on. People take these as signs that the Mayans were correct. However, maybe because the world today seems so logical and scientific, people just want to have something mystical and mysterious to get excited about.

1.  Why do some people believe the world will end in 2012?

(A) Economic recessions make people paranoid.

(B) A devastating flood will happen then.

(C) Supposedly, the Mayan calendar ends then.

(D) A war between Mexico and Central America may break out then.

2.  Why are there disagreements about what ancient Mayans believed?

(A) No one knows the Mayan language today.

(B) There is so little literature being published about Mayan civilization.

(C) There aren't many Mayan writings left, and the remaining ones contradict each other.

(D) The Mayans never even used their own calendar.

3.  What is the other explanation mentioned about the end of the Mayan calendar?

(A) It will be a time when the sun disappears for a while.

(B) It will be a time for festivities and partying.

(C) It will be a time when the Mayans become the dominant civilization again.

(D) It will be a time when the Gregorian calendar takes over.

4.  What seems to be the author's opinion about 2012?

(A) The world might end, and it's very frightening.

(B) The world probably won't end.

(C) The world definitely won't end, but something big is going to happen.

(D) The Mayans were right, and we must prepare for the end of the world.

2012 年即将到来，所以你最好确认自己到那时已经完成所有重要的事情。根据一些研究马雅历法的人，2012 将是世界走到尽头的一年。马雅地处墨西哥和中美洲一带，曾是世上最先进的文明国家之一。不同于今日普遍使用的 12 个月份阳历，马雅的长计历在 2012 年结束。而一些马雅文献似乎在告诉世人：当马雅历法结束时，世界也将随之终结。

　　然而，研究人员对马雅历法结束所代表的真正意义意见纷歧。要找出马雅人确切相信的事情其困难在于，古马雅文明遗留下来的文献资料极少。而那些真正遗留下来的记载也不够清楚，有些文献的论述甚至相互矛盾。文献中最接近警告的字眼出现在某个段落，里头提到：『黑暗……即将发生。』有些研究人员坚信马雅人确实相信世界会在该年终结，而有些则认为那是庆祝的时刻。

　　对祖先来自那古老文明的现代马雅人来说，2012 这一年是无关紧要的。有那么多网站、书籍和一部热门电影大谈 2012 年，为什么人们会对 2012 年感到不安呢？有些人的论点是：马雅预言和星象的位置、天气的变化等其他事件相符。人们将这些视为预兆，认为马雅人的看法是正确的。然而，这或许是因为今日世界似乎充满了逻辑性与科学性，人们只是想藉此神秘与难解的事物获得刺激。

   1.  为什么有些人相信世界将于 2012 年终结？

(A) 经济不景气让大家疑神疑鬼。

(B) 一场毁灭性的洪水会在那时发生。

(C) 一般相信是因为马雅历法在那一年结束之故。

(D) 墨西哥和中美洲届时将爆发战争。

题解:   文章第一段中提到，根据马雅历法，2012将是世界走到尽头的一年，而一些马雅文献似乎在告诉世人：当马雅历法结束时，世界也将随之终结。由此可知，(C)应为正选。

   2.  关于古马雅人相信之事，为什么会有争论？

(A) 现今无人懂马雅语言。

(B) 有关马雅文明的文学出版品非常少。

(C) 没有太多马雅文献遗留下来，而流传下来的文献还彼此矛盾。

(D) 马雅人根本不使用自己的历法。

题解:   根据第二段，要找出马雅人确切相信的事情其困难在于，古马雅文明遗留下来的文献资料极少。而那些真正遗留下来的记载也不够清楚，有些文献的论述甚至相互矛盾，故选 (C)。

   3.  关于马雅历法的结束，本文中还提到其他什么解释？

(A) 它将是太阳暂时消失的时候。

(B) 它将是庆典和欢乐的时候。

(C) 它将是马雅人再度主宰文明的时候。

(D) 它将是阳历接手的时候。

题解:   根据第二段，有些研究人员坚信马雅人确实相信世界会在该年终结，而有些则认为那是庆祝的时刻，可知 (B) 为正选。

   4.  关于 2012，何者可能是作者的论点？

(A) 世界可能会毁灭，而这真的很吓人。

(B) 世界可能不会终结。

(C) 世界绝对不会终结，但某件大事将会发生。

(D) 马雅人是对的，我们必须为世界末日做好准备。

题解:   根据第三段，人们将星座位置、天气变化等视为预兆，认为马雅人的看法为正确的。但这也许只是因为今日的世界似乎都具有逻辑性与科学性，而人们想藉此拥有神秘与难解的事物以获得刺激的结果，可知应选 (B)。

标准答案: 1. (C)2. (C)3. (B)4. (B)

For Your Information

马雅残暴的祭祀

马雅的祭祀充满着血腥，最常举行的仪式是『流血』。这种仪式必须手持盛者由舌头、耳朵、手腕、鼻子和脚掌等处取得血液献给神祇。取血的方法都是利用尖的鱼骨或黑曜石刃，在人体挖个血洞取血。取血后会在血洞中塞进一丛草或一条绳止血。

此外，开胸破肚、斩首等各种仪式也在马雅人所留下来的文明清楚地表现出来。举行活人祭神的仪式时，准备用来祭神的活人会躺在蓝色的石台上，由 4 个人抓着，祭司会用刀刃在乳头下方刺进，再挖出心脏，活祭品来不及发出任何声音之前，已一命呜呼。而且马雅人相信水池或井底是雨神的家，所以将活人杀掉丢入，祈求降雨。