Discuss these questions with a partner.

 Can you name any societies or civilizations that were

once powerful but no longer exist today?
 Why do you think some societies and civilizations
have not lasted?
 What do you think are the main pressures affecting
societies today?

 The kingdom of Aksum, the Mayan civilization, the Nabataeans and the Mycenaean
civilization are some of the examples of great and developed civilizations and kingdoms
that were once powerful but no longer exist today.

 It is a very complex question, since there are usually different factors that produce the fall
of cities and civilizations, however, I believe that the main reason is natural and climatic
changes and disasters. extreme changes such as drought, excessive rains, storms, among
others.

 I believe that the main pressures that affect cities today are related to the environment,
growth and poor distribution of the population and public transport, this generates
inequality, violence, environmental risk and chaos
Reading Comprehension
Multiple Choice. Choose the best answer for each question.
Reference 1. What does it refer to in I saw it, I saw it!? (lines 3-4)
a. the cenote
b. the zenith light
c. the stone sundial
d. the mouth of the well
Detail 2. What are Arturo Montero and Guillermo de Anda NOT
investigating in the cenote?
a. whether the ancient Maya had depleted the
cenote's water
from overuse
b. whether the ancient Maya went there to give thanks and
offer
sacrifices
c. whether the ancient Maya used the cenote as a
sundial and
timekeeper
d. whether ancient Maya priests used the cenote to correct
their
measurements of the sun's angle when it reached the
zenith
Figurative 3. What does the author compare the cenote to in
paragraph C?
Language a. a column b. dancing fire
c. a cathedral d. a pool of water
Inference 4. What did Luis Un Ken mean when he said, "The Chaak
moved"
(line 64)?
a. It had rained. b. It was very hot.
c. Chaak had prayed. d. Chaak was important.
Detail 5. Why is farming particularly difficult for the Maya?
a. Rivers flood regularly.
b. Rain does not sink into the ground.
c. Crops like corn suck nutrients from the soil.
d. There are not enough farmers during harvest time.
Sequence 6. To get the best crops, what must happen immediately
after the
fields are burned?
a. Seeds are planted.
b. The fields dry out.
c. Heavy rain soaks the fields.
d. Some rain softens the ground.
Purpose 7. What is the main purpose of paragraphs K and L?
a. to explain a long-forgotten cultural practice
b. to explain how one villager became the new Chaak
c. to explain how a village prays to Chaak for rain
d. to explain what villagers do during the milpa
ceremony
Understanding Infographics

A. Matching. Look back at the infographic on pages 12-13. Match the

descriptions
(a—d) to the relevant sections on the infographic.

a. There are four cenotes surrounding El Castillo: Holtun cenote, Xtoloc

cenote, Sacred cenote, and Kanjuyum cenote. 4
b. On days other than the sun's zenith, the sun rays are reflected onto the cenote's walls. 1
c. The pyramid at Chichen Itza is oriented to the moments when the
sun reaches its highest point in the sky. 3
d. A vase and a winged figure were some of the artifacts discovered on the
floor of the cenote. 2
B. True or False. Mark these statements about the infographic T
(True), F(False),
or NG (Not Given).
1. The Maya entered the cenote by jumping into the water below. T F NG
2. During the sun's zenith, its rays are reflected onto the cave walls. T F NG
3. The surface of the water is 220 feet below the cenote mouth. T F NG
4. During droughts, the Maya put offerings on an exposed rock shelf. T F NG
5. No offerings to the gods were ever made on May 23 and July 19. T F NG
6. A broken Jaguar man was found on the rock shelf. T F NG
Vocabulary Practice

A. Completion. Complete the information with the correct form of words

from the box. Three words are extra.

abashed demise flourish grueling

inspect penetrate plunged transparent

With their sophisticated concepts of architecture,

astronomy, and mathematics, the Maya were among the
greatest of all ancient
civilizations. They 1. Flourish for centuries, and at their peak,
around A.D. 800, totaled 15 million people ranging from present-
day Mexico to Honduras. Then, suddenly, their society collapsed.
Consequently, people abandoned the cities and left immense
pyramids in ruins. What caused the collapse of the Maya
civilization?

Researchers now believe that climate change may be the

answer. According to one study, a long period of dry
climate, with three
2. Grueling droughts, led to the Maya's end. Researchers who
3. Inspected sediment from the Yucatan Peninsula found that these
droughts matched downturns in the Maya culture. It is believed that the
Maya were particularly at risk because their population depended wholly on lakes,
ponds, and rivers that provided a supply of water for drinking and agriculture for
just 18 months. Even when rain did come following a drought, water could not
4. Penetrate the soil because it was so dry and hard.
Believers of the climate change theory say the droughts sparked a chain of events .
that led to the 5. Demise of the Maya. "Sunny days, in and of themselves,
don't kill people," says Richardson B. Gill, author of The Great Maya
Droughts: Water, Life, and Death. "But when people run out of food
and water, they die."

B. Words in Context. Complete each sentence with the correct answer.

1. If someone plunges into a lake, he or she
a. enters slowly and carefully b. jumps in suddenly
2. You_________see through something that is transparent.
a. can b. cannot
3. If you are astonished to see someone, you feel very
a. frightened b. surprised
4. The sacrifice of an animal during a religious ceremony means
the________ of it.
a. killing b. decorating
5. If you are abashed, you feel
a. confident and proud b. embarrassed and ashamed