Angkor Wat is the largest religiousmonument1 in the world. The site is in Cambodia just outside the city of Siem Reap. It is made up of a huge complex2 of temples and other religious sites that cover more than two square kilometers. The complex was originally built in the 12th century by a king of the Khmer Empire. The temples were originally Hindu, so there are many impressive Hindu carvings3 and statues throughout the complex. Later, it became a Buddhist4 temple as the local religion began moving toward Buddhism, so statues of Buddhas are also common. Angkor Wat has been a UNESCO World Heritage5 site since 1992. Nowadays, it sees hundreds of thousands of visitors every year coming through. All these visitors mean that it is a challenge to maintain this unique historic site. So far, however, the only damage has been some minor graffiti, but there have been some structures added for protection and tourist safety. At one point, bacteria6 from tourists' hands were starting to damage the stone of the ruins7, so guests are asked not to touch any of the buildings. Between UNESCO and the Cambodian government, the monument has been protected remarkably well. It looks like this unique place will remain popular for generations to come.
religious a. 宗教的 religion n. 宗教信仰 Emma has never joined any religious groups. 艾瑪從沒參加過任何宗教團體。 Hip-hop music is popular with millions of people regardless of race or religion. 嘻哈音樂深受百萬人的喜愛,無論種族或宗教。
empire n. 帝國 A mighty empire once ruled half of the world. 有一個強大的帝國曾經統治了半個世界。
hundreds of thousands of... 數十萬的…… The price of a car can range from a few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars. 一輛汽車的價格從幾千美元到數十萬美元都有。
unique a. 獨特的 Those unique paintings date back 500 years. 這些獨特的畫作可追溯至五百年前。
minor a. 小的 We've made some minor changes to our plan. 我們的計劃做了點小小的更動。
remarkably adv. 非常地;顯著地 Though never having been to the United States, Mr. Sato speaks English remarkably well. 佐藤先生雖然從未去過美國,英語說得卻是出奇的好。
remain vi. 保持 The weather remained hot throughout the month of September. 一整個九月的天氣都還是很炎熱。
for generations to come 在未來的世代 Despite passing away, the singer will be remembered for generations to come. 儘管這位歌手已過世,但是他將世世代代被後人記住。
monument n. 遺跡,名勝古跡
complex n. 綜合建築
carving n. 雕刻物;雕刻圖案
Buddhist a. 佛教的 Buddhism n. 佛教 Buddha n. 佛
heritage n. 遺產
bacteria n. 細菌(單數為 bacterium)
ruin n. 廢墟(常用複數)
historic vs. historical 本文 "All these visitors mean that it is a challenge to maintain this unique historic site." 中的 historic 表『有歷史意義的』或『史上有名的』,如:a historic building(歷史建築);而 historical 則表『根據歷史的』,如:a historical figure(歷史人物)即相對於小說或戲劇的『虛構人物』而言。例: The fall of the Berlin Wall was a historic moment. (柏林圍牆的倒塌是歷史性的一刻。) Rita's collection of books varies from historical novels to science fiction. (麗塔的藏書從歷史小說到科幻小說都有。)