The Cretaceous is a long stretch of time in the Earth’s past — the last part of the age of dinosaurs. It ended about 66 million years ago, when a huge rock from space hit the Earth and most of the dinosaurs died.

The Cretaceous白堊紀 is a long stretch of time in the Earth's past是地球歷史上很長的一段時間——the last part of the age of dinosaurs是恐龍時代的最後一段。 It ended about 66 million years ago它大約在六千六百萬年前結束，when a huge rock from space hit the Earth那時有塊來自太空的巨石撞上地球，and most of the dinosaurs died大部分恐龍因此滅絕。

Scientists named this time from Latin creta, meaning chalk, because in many places the rock laid down then is chalk: the white cliffs of England, for example, were built in the Cretaceous. Though actually, it is not only about chalk.

Scientists named this time from Latin creta, meaning chalk科學家用拉丁文creta（意思是白堊）替這段時期命名，because in many places the rock laid down then is chalk因為當時很多地方沉積下來的岩石就是白堊：the white cliffs of England, for example, were built in the Cretaceous舉例來說，英格蘭的白色懸崖就是在白堊紀形成的。 Though actually不過其實，it is not only about chalk不是只跟白堊有關而已。

This was also the time when flowering plants spread, and when animals such as Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops lived. In English the word almost always takes a capital C when we mean the period (the Cretaceous, Cretaceous rocks).

This was also the time when flowering plants spread這也是開花植物開始擴散的時期，and when animals such as Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops lived也是暴龍和三角龍這類動物生存的時代。 In English the word almost always takes a capital C在英文裡這個字幾乎都會用大寫C，when we mean the period當我們指這個時期的時候：the Cretaceous, Cretaceous rocks像the Cretaceous、Cretaceous rocks。

There is a quieter older meaning, “chalky”, but students will nearly always meet it as the name of that time. It has nothing to do with Crete, the Greek island; they only look a little alike.

There is a quieter older meaning, "chalky",還有一個比較少用的舊意思「像白堊一樣的」，but students will nearly always meet it as the name of that time但學生幾乎都只會把它當成那段時期的名稱來遇到。 It has nothing to do with Crete, the Greek island它跟希臘的克里特島一點關係都沒有；they only look a little alike兩個字只是長得有點像。