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Mexico's Yucatan peninsula has no rivers, lakes or streams,
墨西哥的尤卡坦半岛没有河流、湖泊和小溪
so the Maya relied on the cenotes, the flooded entrances to the water-filled caves.
因此玛雅文化完全依赖于沼穴--地下水洞的入口
These flooded shafts are the region's only source of open fresh water.
这些水潭是整个地区唯一的露天淡水资源
The cenotes are, in effect, gigantic freshwater wells.
沼穴于是成了巨大的淡水井
Away from the life-giving rays of sunshine, one might not expect to find plants.
这里远离给予生命的阳光，似乎不太可能会有植物。
But in the darkness of the cave tunnels,
但是在黑暗的洞穴通道内
roots of giant tropical trees have pushed their way through cracks in the limestone to reach the flooded caverns.
大型热带树木的根系却已穿透石灰岩裂缝伸入到水洞之中
Without this water, the Yucatan's forest could not grow so luxuriantly.
如果没有这些水，尤卡坦半岛的森林不可能长得如此茂盛。
The Maya knew that their lives depended on this water,
玛雅人固然知道它们的生活离不开这些水
but it's only with the help of today's technology
但只有借助现代科技
that we've come to appreciate the full significance and scale of these flooded passageways.
我们才能完全了解这些地下水道的重要性及其规模。
