美国国家公共电台 NPR Opinion: Can Stonehenge Offer A Lesson For Brexit?

 

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

It has not been uplifting for Americans to look across the ocean the past few years and see Great Britain's Brexit imbroglio¹. Almost three years ago, a slim majority, 51.9 percent, voted in a referendum to leave the European Union. But breaking up is hard to do. Three times, Prime Minister Theresa May has proposed an exit plan. Parliament has rejected it each time. The March 29 deadline to depart has come and gone. Parliament has asked the EU for delay after delay. More than 6 million people have signed a petition calling on Parliament to revoke² Britain's exit. Millions have marched to hold a second referendum, hoping the result might be different a second time around. From across the ocean, it doesn't look like a lot of Britons are eager to Brexit at all. This week, a leak in the roof of the House of Commons forced MPs to suspend debate. Labour MP Justin Madders told a nearly vacant chamber³ between drips, I think there's probably some kind of symbol about how many people view how broken Parliament is going on there.

Perhaps, there's a lesson in a report this week in the journal Science Advances about new findings from ceremonial sites around Stonehenge. Something in the standing⁴ stone slabs⁵ in that ancient burial ground seems to signify stony⁶, British steadfastness⁷. The Neolithic⁸ builders of Stonehenge held large feasts where the celebrants roasted huge pigs and, every now and then, a cow. Whatever may be written on the slabs of Stonehenge, it probably wasn't vegan options available. Scientists had always assumed the doomed⁹ swine were local. Farm-to-table cuisine¹⁰ or, in those days, herd-to-hut was kind of necessary in the Neolithic period. But recent isotopic¹¹ analysis of pig remains¹² from several ceremonial sites in the area show that the swine and celebrants sometimes came from as far as what's now Scotland and Wales. In the Neolithic era, it must have seemed like the ends of the Earth.

Richard Madgwick of Cardiff University, lead author of the study, says, these gatherings¹³ could be seen as the first united cultural events of our island with people from all corners of Britain descending¹⁴ on the areas around Stonehenge to feast on food that had been specially¹⁵ reared and transported from their homes. What this might mean in our times is that, even when the slabs of Stonehenge were being raised, people understood they were stronger together than apart. And when they found a way to come together, it was something to celebrate.

(SOUNDBITE OF MAEVE GILCHRIST AND VIKTOR KRAUSS' "SPLIT WINDOW")

1 imbroglio   

n.纷乱，纠葛，纷扰，一团糟

参考例句：

• The imbroglio led to the resignation of several managers.这场纠纷导致了多名经理辞职。
• I had seen something of this imbroglio at first hand.我曾经亲眼看到过这种乱七八糟的东西。

2 revoke   

v.废除，取消，撤回

参考例句：

• The university may revoke my diploma.大学可能吊销我的毕业证书。
• The government revoked her husband's license to operate migrant labor crews.政府撤销了她丈夫管理外来打工人群的许可证。

3 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 slabs   

n.厚板，平板，厚片( slab的名词复数 )；厚胶片

参考例句：

• The patio was made of stone slabs. 这天井是用石板铺砌而成的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The slabs of standing stone point roughly toward the invisible notch. 这些矗立的石块，大致指向那个看不见的缺口。 来自辞典例句

6 stony   

adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的

参考例句：

• The ground is too dry and stony.这块地太干，而且布满了石头。
• He listened to her story with a stony expression.他带着冷漠的表情听她讲经历。

7 steadfastness   

n.坚定，稳当

参考例句：

• But he was attacked with increasing boldness and steadfastness. 但他却受到日益大胆和坚决的攻击。 来自辞典例句
• There was an unceremonious directness, a searching, decided steadfastness in his gaze now. 现在他的凝视中有一种不礼貌的直率，一种锐利、断然的坚定。 来自辞典例句

8 neolithic   

adj.新石器时代的

参考例句：

• Cattle were first domesticated in Neolithic times.新石器时代有人开始驯养牛。
• The monument was Stone Age or Neolithic.该纪念碑是属于石器时代或新石器时代的。

9 doomed   

命定的

参考例句：

• The court doomed the accused to a long term of imprisonment. 法庭判处被告长期监禁。
• A country ruled by an iron hand is doomed to suffer. 被铁腕人物统治的国家定会遭受不幸的。

10 cuisine   

n.烹调，烹饪法

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• This restaurant is renowned for its cuisine.这家餐馆以其精美的饭菜而闻名。

11 isotopic   

adj.同位素的，合痕的

参考例句：

• The isotopic signatures of most ancient limestones indicated the same process. 大多数古代石灰岩的同位素特征说明了同样的过程。 来自辞典例句
• Isotopic discrimination is not likely. 同位素甄别是不可能的。 来自辞典例句

12 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

13 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。

14 descending   

n. 下行 adj. 下降的

参考例句：

• The results are expressed in descending numerical order . 结果按数字降序列出。
• The climbers stopped to orient themselves before descending the mountain. 登山者先停下来确定所在的位置，然后再下山。

15 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。