1．
根据以下内容，选择最恰当的答案
The
oldest stone buildings in the world are the pyramids. They have stood for
nearly 5,000 years, and it seems likely that they will continue to stand for
thousands of years yet. There are over eighty of them scattered along
the banks of the Nile, some of which are different in shape from the true
pyramids. The most famous of these are the "Step" pyramid and the
"Bent" pyramid.
Some
of the pyramids still look as much alike as they must have been when they were built
thousands of years ago. Most of the damage suffered by the others has been at
the hands of men who were looking for treasure or, more often, for stone to use
in modern buildings. The dry climate of Egypt has helped to keep the pyramids
in good condition, and their very shape has made them less likely fall into
ruin. These are good reasons why they can still be seen today, but perhaps the
most important one is that they were planned to last forever.
The "Step"
pyramid had to be on the west side of the Nile, the side on which the Sun sets.
This was for spiritual reasons. It also had to stand well above the level of
the river to protect it against the regular floods. It could not be too far
from the Nile; however, as the stones to build it needed to be carried in boats
down the river to the nearest point. Water transport was, of course, much
easier than land transport. The builders also had to find a rock base, which
was not likely to crack under the great weight of the pyramid. Finally, it had
to be near the capital, or better still, near king's palace so that he could
visit it easily to personally check the progress being made on the final
resting place for his body.
