复活节岛之“生死”谜 The Mysterious Easter Island
<p>在这个神秘的太平洋小岛上，究竟有着什么样神秘的故事……</p>在太平洋的孤岛上，生命就像悬在刀刃上一样，总是朝不保夕。最典型的例子莫过于太平洋上这个最偏僻的孤岛——复活节岛。这一小片陆地有个奇特的故事，时至今日仍有新的转折。<span word="Just">Just</span> 20 <span word="kilometers">kilometers</span> <span word="long">long</span> <span word="and">and</span> 11 <span word="kilometers">kilometers</span> <span word="wide">wide</span>, <span word="Easter">Easter</span> <span word="Island">Island</span> <span word="rises">rises</span> <span word="like">like</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="fortress">fortress</span> <span word="from">from</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="waves">waves</span>, <span word="surrounded">surrounded</span> <span word="by">by</span> <span word="thousands">thousands</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="kilometers">kilometers</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="ocean">ocean</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="every">every</span> <span word="direction">direction</span>.复活节岛只有20公里长，11公里宽，它像一座堡垒从海面耸起，四周是一望无际的大海。<span word="People">People</span> <span word="first">first</span> <span word="arrived">arrived</span> <span word="here">here</span> <span word="less">less</span> <span word="than">than</span> <span word="one">one</span> <span word="thousand">thousand</span> <span word="years">years</span> <span word="ago">ago</span>; <span word="most">most</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="what">what</span> <span word="we">we</span> <span word="know">know</span> <span word="about">about</span> <span word="their">their</span> <span word="civilization">civilization</span> <span word="can">can</span> <span word="only">only</span> <span word="be">be</span> <span word="pieced">pieced</span> <span word="together">together</span> <span word="from">from</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="relics">relics</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="remain">remain</span>. <span word="It">It</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="strange">strange</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="desolate">desolate</span> <span word="place">place</span>. <span word="The">The</span> <span word="most">most</span> <span word="striking">striking</span> <span word="features">features</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="this">this</span> <span word="bleak">bleak</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="windswept">windswept</span> <span word="landscape">landscape</span> <span word="are">are</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="hundreds">hundreds</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="giant">giant</span> <span word="stone">stone</span> <span word="statues">statues</span>, <span word="known">known</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="moai">moai</span>, <span word="thought">thought</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="be">be</span> <span word="carved">carved</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="likeness">likeness</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="chiefs">chiefs</span> <span word="or">or</span> <span word="ancestors">ancestors</span>.不到一千年前，人类第一次到达这里。我们对他们文明的大部分了解只能从留下来的遗物拼凑起来。这是一个奇特且荒凉的地方，而在这片暴露在风中的荒野上最显著的特征就是数百座被称为“摩艾”的巨型石像，应该是照着酋长或是祖先的样子雕刻的。<span word="Its">Its</span> <span word="difficult">difficult</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="believe">believe</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="an">an</span> <span word="advanced">advanced</span> <span word="culture">culture</span>, <span word="capable">capable</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="carving">carving</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="erecting">erecting</span> <span word="these">these</span> <span word="monoliths">monoliths</span>, <span word="grew">grew</span> <span word="up">up</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="such">such</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="barren">barren</span> <span word="landscape">landscape</span>. <span word="The">The</span> <span word="truth">truth</span> <span word="is">is</span>, <span word="it">it</span> <span word="didnt">didnt</span>. <span word="When">When</span> <span word="those">those</span> <span word="first">first</span> <span word="colonizers">colonizers</span> <span word="discovered">discovered</span> <span word="Easter">Easter</span> <span word="Island">Island</span>, <span word="this">this</span> <span word="was">was</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="paradise">paradise</span>.能够雕刻并竖立这些巨石的先进文明，却生活在这样贫瘠的地方，的确令人难以置信。事实确实并非如此。当第一批开拓者发现复活节岛时，这里是个天堂。<span word="These">These</span> <span word="empty">empty</span> <span word="cliffs">cliffs</span> <span word="were">were</span> <span word="once">once</span> <span word="home">home</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="largest">largest</span> <span word="seabird">seabird</span> <span word="colonies">colonies</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="South">South</span> <span word="Pacific">Pacific</span>. <span word="Rich">Rich</span> <span word="volcanic">volcanic</span> <span word="soils">soils</span> <span word="nourished">nourished</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="forest">forest</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="giant">giant</span> <span word="palms">palms</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="was">was</span> <span word="home">home</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="many">many</span> <span word="unique">unique</span> <span word="species">species</span>, <span word="including">including</span> <span word="Easter">Easter</span> <span word="Island">Island</span> <span word="versions">versions</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="herons">herons</span>, <span word="parrots">parrots</span>, <span word="rails">rails</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="owls">owls</span>. <span word="Today">Today</span>, <span word="they">they</span> <span word="are">are</span> <span word="all">all</span> <span word="gone">gone</span>. <span word="The">The</span> <span word="people">people</span> <span word="ultimately">ultimately</span> <span word="didnt">didnt</span> <span word="do">do</span> <span word="much">much</span> <span word="better">better</span>: <span word="the">the</span> <span word="rise">rise</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="tragic">tragic</span> <span word="demise">demise</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="Easter">Easter</span> <span word="Islanders">Islanders</span>, <span word="the">the</span> <span word="Rapa">Rapa</span> <span word="Nui">Nui</span>, <span word="is">is</span> <span word="now">now</span> <span word="legendary">legendary</span>.这些空寂的峭壁曾是南太平洋最大的海鸟群栖息地。肥沃的火山灰滋养了一大片棕榈树林，那也曾是许多珍稀物种的栖息地，包括生长在复活节岛上的苍鹭、鹦鹉、秧鸡和猫头鹰，而如今他们都消失了。岛民最终的遭遇也好不了多少：经历了复活节岛的兴盛和悲惨的灭亡后，拉帕努伊人如今已成为传奇。<span word="This">This</span> <span word="quarry">quarry</span> <span word="once">once</span> <span word="occupied">occupied</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="majority">majority</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="islands">islands</span> <span word="workforce">workforce</span>, <span word="thousands">thousands</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="people">people</span>, <span word="with">with</span> <span word="each">each</span> <span word="clan">clan</span> <span word="trying">trying</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="carve">carve</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="raise">raise</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="bigger">bigger</span>, <span word="grander">grander</span> <span word="figure">figure</span> <span word="than">than</span> <span word="those">those</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="their">their</span> <span word="neighbors">neighbors</span>. <span word="Vast">Vast</span> <span word="amounts">amounts</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="timber">timber</span> <span word="would">would</span> <span word="have">have</span> <span word="been">been</span> <span word="required">required</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="transport">transport</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="erect">erect</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="giant">giant</span> <span word="moai">moai</span>, <span word="and">and</span> <span word="slowly">slowly</span> <span word="but">but</span> <span word="surely">surely</span>, <span word="the">the</span> <span word="forests">forests</span> <span word="vanished">vanished</span>. <span word="As">As</span> <span word="resources">resources</span> <span word="dwindled">dwindled</span>, <span word="Easter">Easter</span> <span word="Island">Island</span> <span word="society">society</span> <span word="descended">descended</span> <span word="into">into</span> <span word="chaos">chaos</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="warfare">warfare</span>. <span word="The">The</span> <span word="giant">giant</span> <span word="statues">statues</span> <span word="were">were</span> <span word="pulled">pulled</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="ground">ground</span>, <span word="possibly">possibly</span> <span word="acts">acts</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="sabotage">sabotage</span> <span word="between">between</span> <span word="rival">rival</span> <span word="clans">clans</span>.曾有数以千计的岛民在岛上的采石场工作，每个宗族都想把塑像雕得比邻族更大更高。运输和竖立巨型石像需要大量木材，于是渐渐地，森林消失了。当资源逐渐减少时，复活节岛的社会陷入了混乱和战争。很可能由于宗族之间的破坏行为，石像被推倒了。<span word="Houses">Houses</span> <span word="were">were</span> <span word="abandoned">abandoned</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="foundation">foundation</span> <span word="stones">stones</span> <span word="used">used</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="construct">construct</span> <span word="fortified">fortified</span> <span word="dwellings">dwellings</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="caves">caves</span> <span word="underground">underground</span>. <span word="Some">Some</span> <span word="evidence">evidence</span> <span word="even">even</span> <span word="suggests">suggests</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="once">once</span> <span word="everything">everything</span> <span word="edible">edible</span> <span word="had">had</span> <span word="been">been</span> <span word="consumed">consumed</span>, <span word="the">the</span> <span word="starving">starving</span> <span word="were">were</span> <span word="driven">driven</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="most">most</span> <span word="desperate">desperate</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="acts">acts</span>: <span word="cannibalism">cannibalism</span>.房子被弃置，而房屋的基石则用来修建加固在地下洞穴里的居所。甚至有证据显示当所有能吃的东西都消耗殆尽后，饥饿把岛民赶上了绝路：同类相食。<span word="Understandably">Understandably</span> <span word="this">this</span> <span word="version">version</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="Easter">Easter</span> <span word="Islands">Islands</span> <span word="history">history</span> <span word="remains">remains</span> <span word="controversial">controversial</span> <span word="because">because</span> <span word="it">it</span> <span word="suggests">suggests</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="Rapa">Rapa</span> <span word="Nui">Nui</span> <span word="were">were</span> <span word="incredibly">incredibly</span> <span word="short">short</span>-<span word="sighted">sighted</span>. <span word="As">As</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="trees">trees</span> <span word="dwindled">dwindled</span>, <span word="why">why</span> <span word="did">did</span> <span word="they">they</span> <span word="do">do</span> <span word="nothing">nothing</span> <span word="about">about</span> <span word="it">it</span>?这个版本的复活节岛历史仍然具有争议性，这可以理解，因为如果这个版本是真的，那就意味着拉帕努伊人太鼠目寸光了。当树木减少时，他们怎么会坐视不理呢？<span word="But">But</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="new">new</span> <span word="theory">theory</span> <span word="suggests">suggests</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="Rapa">Rapa</span> <span word="Nui">Nui</span> <span word="were">were</span> <span word="powerless">powerless</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="prevent">prevent</span> <span word="their">their</span> <span word="downfall">downfall</span>, <span word="for">for</span> <span word="when">when</span> <span word="they">they</span> <span word="arrived">arrived</span> <span word="on">on</span> <span word="this">this</span> <span word="island">island</span>, <span word="they">they</span> <span word="were">were</span> <span word="not">not</span> <span word="alone">alone</span>. <span word="Rats">Rats</span> <span word="traveled">traveled</span> <span word="with">with</span> <span word="people">people</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="every">every</span> <span word="corner">corner</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="Pacific">Pacific</span>. <span word="On">On</span> <span word="Easter">Easter</span> <span word="Island">Island</span>, <span word="their">their</span> <span word="impact">impact</span> <span word="may">may</span> <span word="have">have</span> <span word="been">been</span> <span word="catastrophic">catastrophic</span>: 1<span word="multiplying">multiplying</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="plague">plague</span> <span word="proportions">proportions</span> <span word="they">they</span> <span word="would">would</span> <span word="have">have</span> <span word="devoured">devoured</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="wild">wild</span> <span word="fruits">fruits</span>, <span word="the">the</span> <span word="seabirds">seabirds</span>, <span word="even">even</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="nuts">nuts</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="giant">giant</span> <span word="palms">palms</span>, <span word="so">so</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="trees">trees</span> <span word="may">may</span> <span word="have">have</span> <span word="stopped">stopped</span> <span word="reproducing">reproducing</span> <span word="long">long</span> <span word="before">before</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="last">last</span> <span word="one">one</span> <span word="was">was</span> <span word="felled">felled</span>. <span word="Perhaps">Perhaps</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="fate">fate</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="Easter">Easter</span> <span word="Island">Island</span> <span word="was">was</span> <span word="not">not</span> <span word="sealed">sealed</span> <span word="by">by</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="human">human</span> <span word="who">who</span> <span word="felled">felled</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="last">last</span> <span word="tree">tree</span>, <span word="but">but</span> <span word="by">by</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="rat">rat</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="ate">ate</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="last">last</span> <span word="palm">palm</span> <span word="nut">nut</span>.然而，一个新理论认为拉帕努伊人根本无力阻止衰落，因为他们抵达小岛时，还带着伴。老鼠跟随人类到达太平洋每个角落。在复活节岛上，它们的影响可能是灾难性的：老鼠大量繁殖成灾，它们会吃光野生果实、海鸟，甚至棕榈树坚果，所以可能早在最后一棵树被砍倒之前，树木已经不再生长了。也许，复活节岛的衰败并非是由于岛民砍光了所有的树，而是因为老鼠吃光所有的棕榈树坚果。<span word="Other">Other</span> <span word="South">South</span> <span word="Pacific">Pacific</span> <span word="islands">islands</span> <span word="have">have</span> <span word="also">also</span> <span word="seen">seen</span> <span word="civilizations">civilizations</span> <span word="rise">rise</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="fall">fall</span>, <span word="though">though</span> <span word="none">none</span> <span word="have">have</span> <span word="left">left</span> <span word="such">such</span> <span word="dramatic">dramatic</span> <span word="reminders">reminders</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="their">their</span> <span word="passing">passing</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="giant">giant</span> <span word="statues">statues</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="Rapa">Rapa</span> <span word="Nui">Nui</span>. <span word="Now">Now</span> <span word="re">re</span>-<span word="erected">erected</span>, <span word="theyve">theyve</span> <span word="come">come</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="symbolize">symbolize</span> <span word="how">how</span> <span word="precarious">precarious</span> <span word="life">life</span> <span word="can">can</span> <span word="be">be</span> <span word="on">on</span> <span word="an">an</span> <span word="isolated">isolated</span> <span word="island">island</span>. <span word="For">For</span> <span word="this">this</span> <span word="island">island</span> <span word="has">has</span> <span word="not">not</span> <span word="been">been</span> <span word="abandoned">abandoned</span>, <span word="a">a</span> <span word="few">few</span> <span word="Rapa">Rapa</span> <span word="Nui">Nui</span> <span word="survived">survived</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="now">now</span> <span word="theyre">theyre</span> <span word="thriving">thriving</span> <span word="once">once</span> <span word="more">more</span>, <span word="entertaining">entertaining</span> <span word="visitors">visitors</span> <span word="from">from</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="outside">outside</span> <span word="world">world</span>. <span word="Trees">Trees</span> <span word="have">have</span> <span word="been">been</span> <span word="planted">planted</span>, <span word="though">though</span> <span word="its">its</span> <span word="too">too</span> <span word="late">late</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="unique">unique</span> <span word="creatures">creatures</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="once">once</span> <span word="lived">lived</span> <span word="here">here</span>.其他南太平洋岛屿同样经历了文明的兴盛与衰落，但它们并没有留下拉帕努伊的巨型石像，这些石像成了复活节岛文明消失的引人注目的见证。如今石像被重新竖立，它们象征着孤岛上的生命是多么难以捉摸。但这座孤岛没有被遗弃，很少一部分拉帕努伊人幸存了下来，如今再次兴旺了起来，他们接待来自世界各地的游客，也重新栽种了树木——尽管对那些曾生长在这里的珍稀动物来说已太晚了。</p>
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