Прочитайте текст. Определите, какие из приведенных ниже утверждений соответствуют содержанию текста (True), какие не соответствуют (False) и о чем в тексте не сказано, т.е. на основании текста нельзя дать ни положительного, ни отрицательного ответа (Not Stated).
The Maya are a group of people living in Central America and southern Mexico, whose history dates back an incredible 4,000 years. The height of their civilisation is sometimes known as the ‘Classic period’. This lasted from about 300 to 900AD, and then suddenly ended. Archaeologists today still ask, ‘Why did this happen?’
There are many possible explanations for the end of the Classic Maya civilisation, but no-one knows for sure exactly what happened. One possibility is that some groups of foreigners invaded and destroyed some of the most important Maya cities. However, most archaeologists and historians who have studied this subject think this explanation is unlikely.
Another possibility involves the expansion of the civilisation during the 700s. Some buildings from that period remain unfinished. Why? The suggestion is that poor Maya citizens were forced to carry out the hard building work. Because they were badly treated, they fought back. This would explain why the buildings were never completed. However, scientific research has shown that the buildings weren’t actually very difficult to build. What’s more, other civilisations that experienced problems like these did not just disappear.
A third possibility involves the collapse of trade. Some archaeologists believe that the Maya were closely connected to the city of Teotihuacan by trade. This great city ruled central Mexico, and its collapse in 750AD changed trade routes. However, it has been discovered that the Mayas connection with this city was strong around 500AD. This means that by the time Teotihuacan fell, the Maya were already independent of the city’s influence.
One of the most likely explanations is a change in the weather, with not enough rain leading to an extremely bad drought. Scientists have been able to work out rainfall amounts at the time from soil samples. It appears that the area suffered from a mega-drought’ and the severe lack of water was enough to starve the Maya of food. Critics of this idea say that only the northern regions have been studied and the Maya civilisation was stronger in the south. Also, certain Maya cities in the north survived until 900AD or even later, but this is possibly because they were located closer to the sea and could survive on fish.
Whatever its cause, the end of the Maya Classic period did not bring a complete end to its people. Today, there are still millions of them living in the area, speaking one or more of the 21 Mayan languages still in existence.
1) The ‘Classic period’ lasted for more than 4,000 years.
1. True
2. False
3. Not stated
2) Archaeologists often have meetings with historians to discuss the Maya civilisation.
1. True
2. False
3. Not stated
3) Not all of the buildings the Maya started building in the 700s were finished.
1. True
2. False
3. Not stated
4) Maya buildings were usually very expensive to build.
1. True
2. False
3. Not stated
5) Around 500AD, the city of Teotihuacan ruled over the Maya civilisation.
1. True
2. False
3. Not stated
6) Scientists have no idea how much rain fell during the Classic period.
1. True
2. False
3. Not stated
7) Some Maya cities continued after the end of the Classic period.
1. True
2. False
3. Not stated
8) Maya people today all speak the same language.
1) – False
2) – Not Stated
3) – True
4) – Not Stated
5) – False
6) – False
7) – True
8) – False
