It seems that man was making a real effort to understand the seasons 20,000 years earlier than has been supposed.
看来人类早就致力于探索四季变迁了，比人们想像的要早20，000年。
新概念英语第三册
Lesson 38 The first calender
📚 句中词汇解析
从本句中提取的重要词汇
n. 努力，尝试;工作;成就;杰作;
💡 ef出+fort强大，力量→出力→努力
"She made a feeble effort to get to school on time."
她努力想按时赶到学校,但未成功.
近义：intent, pledge, pull, push, spirit, struggle
反义：heartsickness, hopelessness, intimidation, lassitude, tiredness, weariness
vt.& vi. 懂，理解;
vt. 了解;默认;听说;领会;
💡 under(under)+stand→懂；了解；通晓；认为
"That's just an approximation, you understand."
你知道那仅仅是近似值。
近义：ideate, imagine, apprehend, interpret, assimilate, penetrate
反义：misapprehend, misconstrue, mishear, misinterpret, misrepresent, misread
making
['mekɪŋ]
n. 制造;产生的过程;成功改进的手段;原料，材料;
v. “make”的现在分词;
"The old lady engaged herself in making clothes for her children."
这位老太太忙着为孩子们做衣服.
近义：manufacture, preparation, workmanship, confection, construct, construction
adj. 真的;真实的，现实的;事实上的;真诚的;
adv. 真正，实在;确实地;
n. 实在，现实;实数;
"I made a real balls-up of my exams."
我考试考得一塌糊涂。
近义：legitimate, authentic, sterling, true, truthful, unfeigned
反义：imaginary, utopical, visional, chimeric, chimerical, dreamlike
adj. （按规定、法律、协议等）（不）应当;假定的;（只用于否定句）不准;（对某人所说的话表示气愤或不大理解）那是什么意思;
v. 料想( suppose的过去式和过去分词);意味着;[用于被动语态]认为应该;[用于祈使句]让;
"Am I supposed to finish the homework today?"
我今天是不是应该完成这项作业？
近义：hypothetical, imaginary, assumed, assumptive, notional, phony
反义：legitimate, original, authentic, real, sterling, truthful