【推荐1】Relics are artifacts(人工制品) from ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians, Greeks, and Mayans. On many occasions, archaeologists discover relics containing text written in ancient languages. These items could be ancient books and scrolls(卷轴) or they could simply be vases and coins with writing on them. Interpreting these texts can be difficult, particularly if the language is a previously undiscovered one, and the texts may additionally be hard to read if they are incomplete or if sections have worn away. Another complication is that interpreting them must be done without the reader introducing any bias (偏见) based upon modern language and culture.

Lost languages are among the numerous barriers archaeologists must break through to interpret texts on relics. One solution is to employ a key, such as the Rosetta Stone, which was discovered in Egypt in 1799. It contains an ancient Egyptian decree(法令) written in three languages, one of which is in Egyptian hieroglyphics(象形文字), an unknown language at the time of its discovery; however, another language on it is ancient Greek, which scholars understood. By comparing the text, scholars made great leaps(跃进) in interpreting hieroglyphics. Unfortunately, other ancient languages, such as Minoan Linear A, have not been figured out primarily because no key that can assist translation efforts has been discovered yet.

The Rosetta Stone was mostly unscathed, but its missing parts increased the difficulty of interpreting its text, something which frequently happens with relics. The passage of time may result in carvings, paintings, drawings, and textual inscriptions(题字) getting worn away. For example, the Tel Dan Stone, a stone with ancient Hebrew inscriptions that was found in Israel in 1993, is broken in places, and large pieces of text are missing. The result is a long-standing controversy over the precise interpretation of the writing on it.

How modern scholars view texts is another barrier to interpreting them since translators have their own personal biases. Researchers must therefore keep the historical and cultural context of the period when the text was written in mind. This can be difficult when little is known of the people who wrote the text and when or why they wrote it .

【推荐2】Although the English language has been in a constant state of change, Shakespeare’s works have continued to influence the language we use daily. Shakespeare created many commonly used expressions, new words, and the way of using punctuation (标点符号).     1    

Shakespeare’s talent for making the English language into the powerful written word has ensured his lasting influence on our everyday language. Hundreds of expressions were invented by Shakespeare.     2    

They only know some well-known expressions, such as, “To be, or not to be, that is the question.” can be attributed (认为是……所作) to Shakespeare.

    3     Many of his original words, for example, “uncomfortable” and “fashionable”, are still used today. Shakespeare’s effect on vocabulary is rather amazing when considering how much language has changed since his lifetime.

Shakespeare’s use of punctuation is also distinctive (有特色的). His punctuation is a clue to the way a piece should be performed. Punctuation is required to signal how each line should be delivered.     4     Consequently, lines without punctuation naturally seem to gather speed and emotional purpose. When analyzing a Shakespearean text, stop and consider how punctuation is used.

In conclusion, Shakespeare is truly a great author.     5     We will always have the benefit of his remarkable works for many years to come.