The kings of ancient Egypt planned strong tombs to keep their bodies safe after death and to hold their treasure. The Great Pyramids along the Nile are on its West Bank. The ancient Egyptians compared the rising sun to the beginning of life and the setting sun to the end of life. This is why their dead bodies were buried on the West Bank of the Nile.

    The people of Mexico also built pyramids. They did not build the pyramids for tombs. They used to build a pyramid and then a temple on top of it. The pyramids of Mexico are not as high as the pyramids of Egypt, but they are bigger. Each of the pyramids has a wide stairway(楼梯) that goes from the bottom to the top.

The biggest pyramid in Mexico is almost 2,000 years old. Scientists think it took 10,000 men more than ten years to build it. On the top they built a temple of the sun. The temple is no longer there, but people still call it the Pyramid of the Sun. Near it is another huge pyramid, the Pyramid of the Moon.

1. In ancient Mexico pyramids were built _______.

A. in honour of the gods B. for the king’s tombs

C. to hold the king’s treasure D. as places of interest

2. Which pyramid was built at least 2,000 years ago?

A. The Great Pyramid. B. The Pyramid of the Sun.

C. None of the pyramids. D. The Pyramid of the moon.

3. Which of the following is true?

A. The pyramids of Mexico are as big as those of Egypt.

B. The pyramids of Egypt are less high than those of Mexico.

C. The pyramids of Mexico are just the same as those of Egypt.

D. The pyramids of Mexico are quite different from those of Egypt.

4. The Great Pyramids were built on the west bank of the Nile, because _______.

A. the bodies of the kings’ and treasure could be safer

B. the ancient Egyptians compared death to the sunset

C. the ancient Egyptians compared death to the sun

D. the ancient Egyptians wished the kings to come back to life in west

【答案与解析】本文主要讲古埃及人和墨西哥人建的金字塔。

1. A。细节题。从第2段 They used to build a pyramid and then a temple on top of it 可知他们建金字塔是为了在上面建一座寺庙，所以此题答案选A。

2. B。细节题。从文章最后一段“最大的金字塔建于2000多年以前…人们仍然把其叫做太阳塔”可知答案选B。

3. D。判断题。从 The pyramids of Mexico are not as high as the pyramids of Egypt, but they are bigger可知A、B和C项错误，故答案选D。

4. B。细节题。从 The ancient Egyptians compared…the setting sun to the end of life推断出结论。