Prof：Built 4，000 years ago，the three great pyramids at Giza，in the Egyptian desert remain the most colossal buildings ever constructed。The pyramids were built by Egyptians under the orders of the Egyptian leader，whose title was Pharaoh。There was a sequence of Pharaohs culminating around 2615 B。C。，with the Pharaoh Cheops who built the biggest thing ever built，the Great Pyramid，also known as Khufu。
Student：But you mentioned these huge building were constructed 4，000 years ago。How ancient builders managed to build these massive structures？It must have called and still calls for great architectural techniques and expertise。
Prof：What you asked has never been fully answered but the effort clearly required brains and brawn。Was there engineering genius involved？Yes，there was。For example，when you're putting the block right at the top，how are you going to lug a block of stone that weighs several tons 480 feet up a structure？How are you going to do it，and how are you going to do it without leaving scratches on all the rest of the structure？And how many people does it take to drag a block weighing several tons 480 feet up into the sky？Approximately，2.3 million blocks of stone were cut，transported and assembled to create the Great Pyramid。
Student：What was the Pharaoh's purpose to create such grandeur？Was it meant to boast the nation's power？
Prof：The Pharaohs may have set out to build magnificent tombs for themselves，but in the end they created monuments to human potential。There's a universal message in the pyramids。The pyramids belong to Egypt，but the pyramids also belong to the world。That's why we can all identify the pyramids as an early monument of human greatness。For being a manmade wonder that has survived the sands of time，the pyramids rise to the number two spot。
教授：矗立在埃及沙漠中吉萨的三座大金字塔建于4000年前，它们一直都是有史以来最宏大的建筑。金字塔是埃及人在他们的领袖法老的命令下建造的。在公元前2615年左右，几任法老相继统治埃及，基奥普斯法老建造了有史以来最大的金字塔——大金字塔，也被称为胡夫金字塔。
学生：您刚才说这些金字塔是在四千年前建造的。古代的建筑者是如何建造这些庞然大物的呢？这项工作不仅在过去，就是在现在也对建筑技术提出了很高的要求。
教授：你提出的这个问题一直是个未解之谜，但很明显这个工程需要付出大量的脑力和体力。有工程天才的参与吗？是的，有。比如，当你要把一个石块放在顶端时，你该如何把一个几吨重的石块提升到480英尺的高度呢？应该怎样做？怎么做才不至于在塔身留下刮痕？把几吨重的石块提举到480英尺的高处又需要多少人力呢？为了建造大金字塔，人们切割、运输、垒砌了大约230万块石头。
学生：那这些法老建造这些金字塔的目的是什么呢？是为了宣扬国威吗？
教授：法老们的初衷是为自己建造豪华的陵墓，而最终他们创建的却是昭示人类潜能的纪念碑。金字塔蕴含着一种共同的信息，金字塔属于埃及，但它也属于世界。因此我们完全可以把金字塔作为展示人类伟大文明的早期纪念物。由于历经岁月的沧桑，金字塔位列十大人工奇观排行榜第2名。
狮身人面像Colossal adj。巨大的；广大的；庞大的
Culminate v。（书面用语）终于获得某种结局或结果：
a long struggle that culminated in success 终于取得胜利的长期斗争
Massive adj。大而重的；巨大的：a massive monument，rock，etc 巨大的纪念碑、大石
Brawn n。强壮的肌肉；强健的体力
Lug v。用力拉或拖（某物）：lugging a heavy suitcase up the stairs 拖着沉重的衣箱上楼
Approximately adv。约略地
Assemble v。装配；安装：assemble the parts of a watch 装配表的零件
埃及的金字塔（Pyramids）始建于4500年前，是古埃及法老（即国王）和王后的陵墓。陵墓是用巨大石块修砌成的方锥形建筑，因形似汉字“金”字，故译作“金字塔”。埃及迄今已发现大大小小的金字塔110座，大多建于埃及古王朝时期。在埃及已发现的金字塔中，最大最有名的是位于开罗西南面吉萨高地上的祖孙三代金字塔。它们是大金字塔（也称胡夫金字塔）、海夫拉金字塔和门卡乌拉金字塔，与其周围众多的小金字塔形成金字塔群，为埃及金字塔建筑艺术的顶峰。古金字塔也也是世界七大奇迹之一。
