First Listening
Please listen to a short passage carefully and prepare to answer some questions.
The Amazon River Basin boasts the largest river system on Earth and harbors an ecosystem that is tremendously complex. The Amazon civilization has created one of the cultural achievements of tropical forest societies. For hundreds of years, this region has attracted travelers from Europe in pursuit of the famous cities of gold and spices, which are supposed to be hidden in the jungle forest.
Who are the original dwellers in the Amazon River Basin? What are the possible reasons for the rise and decline of the Amazon civilization? These questions have puzzled the sociologists for long.
The newly made discoveries give a clue to the riddle. According to recent archaeological research the native peoples of the Amazon can no longer be seen as isolated communities in the depths of the forest or dispersed along rivers. Although we still have much to learn about their societies, the rainforest should no longer be seen as an untouched “paradise”. The future of the Amazon Basin is now a subject of fierce debate.
Second Listening
Listen to the tape again. Then answer the following questions.
1. What are the reasons for the travelers from Europe to come to the Amazon River Basin?
2. What are the questions that have puzzled sociologists for long?
3. What do the newly made discoveries indicate?
