紅葉兔子窩

    The Nile alone made agriculture possible in Egypt’s desert environment. Each year the rains of central Africa caused the river to rise over its floodplain（洪泛區）, cresting（到達頂點）in September and October. In places the plain（平原）extends several miles on either side（每一方）; elsewhere the cliffs slope down to the water’s edge. When the floodwaters receded（退去）, they left a rich layer on organically（有機耕作地）fertile silt（泥沙）. The construction（建造）and maintenance（維修） of canals（渠道）, dams, and irrigation ditches（灌渠）to control the river’s water, together with careful planning and organization（組織）of planning and harvesting, produced an agricultural prosperity（繁榮）unmatched（無與倫比的）in the ancient world.

　　尼羅河使得埃及的沙漠環境得以發展農業。中非每年的降雨使河流在九、十月時高過其洪氾區而到達頂點，該區的平原往各方擴展數十里，別處的峭壁則斜倒至水邊。當洪水退去，其留下一層有機耕作地的肥沃泥沙。為控制河水，其集合精密的耕作計劃和組織來建造和維修渠道、水壩、灌渠，創造一個古代世界無與倫比的農業繁榮。

    The Nile served as major highway connecting Upper and Lower Egypt. There was also a network of desert roads running north and south, as well as routes across the eastern desert to the Sinai（西奈半島） and the Red Sea. Other tracks led to oases（綠洲） in the western desert. Thanks to geography and climate, Egypt was more isolated and enjoyed far more security than Mesopotamia. This security along with the predictable flood calendar, gave Egyptian civilization a more optimistic outlook（觀點）than the civilizations of the Tigris and Euphrates, which were more prone to storms, flash floods, and invasions.

　　尼羅河適為連接上、下埃及的主要途徑，其不但是個走往南北的沙漠網路，也是跨越東邊沙漠至西奈半島和紅海的路線，還有另一路線領往西邊沙漠的綠洲。由於地形和氣候的幫助，埃及較美索不達米亞更加孤立而能享有更安全的防禦。相比於易有暴風、暴洪和侵略的底格里斯河、幼發拉底河文明，這般安全性加上可預的洪水週期給予埃及文明較樂觀的看法。