英语畅谈世界文化Lesson25 尼罗河 The Nile (埃及).pdf

Lesson25:尼罗河TheNile（埃及）

原文：

T:TravellerG:Tourguide

T:TheNile.IknowitbeginsinthesouthofEgyptand

stretchedabout4,000milesnorthtotheMediterraneanSea.

Itsthelongestriveronearth,right?

G:Thatsright.ItgetsitsnamefromaGreekword,word,

growingfood,drinkingandfortransportation.Infact,the

Egyptiancalendarofthreeseasonswasbasedontheyearly

cycleoftheNile.

T:Really?IneverknewtheEgyptiansonlyhadthreeseasons.

ItsaysherethattheEgyptianyearbeganinJuly,whenthe

floodscame.

G:ItwasalsothemainroadofancientEgypt,becauseroads

couldntbebuiltonsandydesertorplacesthatflooded

eachyear.

T:Soitwaslikeariverroad?

G:Exactly.Travellingwaseasy,goingnorth,boatsjust

driftedalongwiththeflowoftheriver.And,because

prevailingwindsblewsouth,theyhelpedtravellersgoing

1

inthatdirection,too.

T:Thatmustbewhythereweresomanytradersinancient

Egypt.Itmusthavebeenreallyeasytotransportgoodsup

anddownthewholecountry.

G:TheNilealsohelpedtheEgyptianscosurvivein

anotherway:food.Everyyear,theNileflooded,

spreadingrichsodacrosstheland.Withoutthisannual

flooding,theEgyptianscouldnothavegrownsomanycrops.

T:Wethinkofextremeweatherdestroyingcrops,not

helpingthem!

G:But,inthedesertisverydifferent.Waterisofutmost

importance,becausethereissolittleofit.

T:Yes,ofcourse.HowaboutthewildlifeoftheNile?

G:Therearemanydifferenttypesofanimalslivinginor

nearthewatersoftheNile,includingcrocodiles,birds,

fishandmanyothers.