1 . A waterworks maintenance team discovered a possible one-of-a-kind Roman road in a field in Worcestershire that may date back 2,000 years.
If asked to name a place where you might make a once-in-a-lifetime archaeological (考古的) discovery, your mind may go to the pyramids of Egypt or the peaks of the Andes...not a field in Worcestershire. But a field in Worcestershire is exactly where workmen recently discovered what is thought to be a Roman road up to 2,000 years old！
The road was discovered during routine (常规的) waterworks maintenance by Severn Trent. Archaeological experts from Wychavon District Council were called to the scene and immediately recognised the find’s significance.
Wychavon District Council’s archaeology officer Aidan Smyth said, “When I first saw it, it took my breath away. If proven to be from the first century AD, it would be beyond rare.”
Experts say it is constructed in a traditional Roman technique, with similar roads only being found in Rome and Pompeii. Ruts (车辙) in the stones show that it was used by carts for a long time. A team from Historic England is expected to investigate further to determine the exact origin of the structure.
This is actually not the first significant historical discovery in Worcestershire. A number of possible forts have been suggested in Worcestershire since the 1950s, and Worcestershire is thought to possibly have been the site for the Roman town of Vertis.
It is too early to say without 100 per cent certainty that the road is Roman, but even if it is a road in the Middle Ages, it will still be a nationally significant discovery. If it is indeed a first-century Roman road, then it is the only one of its kind in Britain.
1. Why does the author mention the pyramids of Egypt?| A．To make a comparison with the Andes. |
| B．To identify the importance of pyramids. |
| C．To show the find in Worcestershire is rare. |
| D．To prove the archaeological discovery is true. |
| A．Long expected archaeology news. |
| B．The result of a careful exploration. |
| C．The effort of world archaeologists. |
| D．An unexpected result of a repair service. |
| A．Excited. | B．Confused. | C．Annoyed. | D．Satisfied. |
| A．A once-in-a-lifetime archaeological literature. |
| B．An unfortunate waterworks maintenance team. |
| C．A nationally significant event in ancient Rome. |
| D．A possible Roman road discovered in a field in Britain. |
2 . Metal detecting (探测) is a big hobby in the U.K. This year, more people have been doing this because of the corona-virus (新冠病毒). Social distancing is very easy when people work with their metal detectors. More than 47,000 objects were found with metal detectors in 2020. People have been recording their finds on an app on the British Museum’s website. The U.K. Culture Minister said, “It is amazing to see the app growing from strength to strength during lockdown thanks to garden discoveries and digital reporting.”
The British Museum said people have dug up many exciting and interesting things this year. Perhaps the best find among the new discoveries are two hoards (批) of coins. One of the hoards contained 50 South African gold coins found 50 miles northwest of London. The other coin hoard contained 63 gold coins and one silver coin featuring (刻有) the British kings Edward IV and Henry VIII. Experts believe they were buried in the 16th century. Another find was an ancient Roman furniture fitting made of copper. It featured the face of the god Oceanus and dates back to AD 43-200.
The UK’s Treasure Act of 1996 requires that finders report each discovery more than 300 years old to the local government in the area where they found it. If the local authority defines the object as treasure, the government then pays a fair market price to the discoverer.
The database of the British Museum contains records of more than 1.5 million objects discovered since 1998 by the general public rather than by professional archaeologists. The museum said that the app ensures that finds are not lost but instead recorded, which are important for understanding Britain’s past.
1. Why has metal detecting become more popular this year?| A．Because metal is more expensive. | B．Because the equipment is cheaper. |
| C．Because there are more gold coins. | D．Because people have fewer social activities. |
| A．114. | B．113. | C．63. | D．50. |
| A．A type of metal. | B．A shell. | C．A symbol. | D．A piece of wood. |
| A．When he sells the treasure he finds in the market. |
| B．When he hands in the over-300-year-old treasure he finds. |
| C．When he reports his discovery in time to the government. |
| D．When he records his finds on the British Museum’s website. |
Over 2,500 pieces of cultural relics dating back up to 2,200 years were unearthed in Guang zhou, capital of south China’s Guangdong Province, local authorities said Friday. The cultural relics were unearthed at
The
“The excavation outcomes are
Located in Guanghan city of Southwest China’s Sichuan province and covering an area of 12 square kilometers, Sanxingdui Site is the remains of the ancient Shu culture, which dates back
In fact, as a cultural site, Sanxingdui had come into the notice of archaeologists as early as in the 1930s, and
After sleeping for 3, 000 years, their awakening has shocked the world. When our eyes
In 1968, many precious relics were unearthed in the tombs of the Western Han Dynasty including the Changxin Palace Lamp, which is acknowledged
The bronze lamp bears the shape of a girl on her knees
The delicate Changxin Palace Lamp provides a glimpse into China’s glorious past, showing
6 . Sometimes shipwrecks (沉船) contain sunken treasure, loads of gold or jewelry. Other shipwrecks are themselves the treasure— the stories of their ill-fated voyages creating a legend that makes them sparkle far more than any gold or precious stones.
The wreck of HMS Endurance, which has finally been located deep beneath the icy seas of Antarctica after being lost 107 years ago, was arguably the most valuable shipwreck ever sought. That’s because its discovery adds another thrilling new chapter to an already fascinating tale of perseverance and survival that has echoed down the decades and still inspires today.
Incredibly well preserved at a depth of almost two miles, the ship is little changed from the day in November 1914 when it finally sank beneath the ice. Endurance became embedded in ice while crossing Antarctica’s Weddell Sea. The video shot by underwater search vehicles shows painted timbers, an undamaged guardrail (护栏) and the name “Endurance” written above the five-pointed symbol of a polar star.
“I tell you, you would have to be made of stone not to feel a bit soft at the sight of that star and the name above, “Mensun Bound, the mission’s marine archaeologist, told the BBC. “You can see a porthole (舷窗) that is in Shackleton’s cabin. At that moment, you really do feel the breath of the great man upon the back of your neck.” Shackleton’s leadership was crucial to getting his men out alive. The reason why Shackleton is still applauded as a great man becomes obvious when you consider what he achieved in the face of disasters and hardships during his 1914-16 expedition. The practicality and humanity he showed in the face of severe situations was arguably praised.
1. What makes Endurance the most valuable shipwreck?| A．The treasure aboard. | B．Its inspiring stories. |
| C．Its undamaged guardrail. | D．The symbol of a polar star. |
| A．It is badly damaged at a depth of almost two miles. |
| B．It is beyond recognition from the day when it finally sank |
| C．It becomes fixed firmly and deeply beneath the icy seas |
| D．Its name above the five-pointed symbol of a polar star is gone. |
| A．The floating ice is as hard as stones. |
| B．The well-preserved shipwreck is amazing. |
| C．The heroic deeds of Shackleton are touching. |
| D．The discovery of Endurance is challenging. |
| A．A book review. | B．A news story. |
| C．A biography. | D．A travel journal. |
In 1968, many precious relics were unearthed in the tombs of the Western Han Dynasty including the Changxin Palace Lamp, which is acknowledged
The bronze lamp bears the shape of a girl on her knees
The delicate Changxin Palace Lamp provides a glimpse into China’s glorious past, showing
Located in Guanghan city of Southwest China’s Sichuan Province and covering an area of 12 square kilometers. Sanxingdui Site is the remains of the ancient Shu culture, which dates back
In fact, as a cultural site,, Sanxingdui had come into the notice of archaeologists in as early as the 1930s, and
After sleeping for 3,000 years, their awakening has shocked the world. When our eyes
9 . Scientists found what could be the oldest evidence of cooking at the edge of the ancient Lake Hula in Israel at the Gesher Benot Ya’aqov, according to a newly-published paper. The remains, especially fish teeth, were discovered near places where scientists also found signs of fire. Tests showed the teeth had been exposed to temperatures that were hot, but not super-hot. This suggested the fish were cooked slowly over a low heat, rather than being put right onto a fire.
With all the evidence together, scientists concluded that these ancient humans had used fire for cooking some 780,000 years ago. That is much earlier than the next oldest evidence for cooking, about 170,000 years ago, which showed Stone Age humans ate burnt roots in South Africa.
Scientists believe cooking started long before this, though physical evidence has been hard to come by —considering the importance of using fire to cook. Cooked food makes it easier for the body to digest and get more nutrients. When early humans figured out how to cook, they were able to get more energy, which they could use to fuel bigger brains. Based on how human ancestors’ bodies developed, scientists guess that cooking skills would have had to appear nearly 2 million years ago.
Those first cooked meals were a far cry from today’s dinners. And at that time, humans started eating not just for fuel, but for their community. In a 2010 paper, scientists described the earliest evidence of a feast(盛宴), which was a specially prepared meal that brought people together for an event in a cave. This “first feast” came at an important turning point in human history, right as hunter-gatherers were starting to settle into more permanent living situations. Gathering for special meals may have been a way to build community and reduce tensions now that people lived closer to each other. Scientists believe ancient feasts served a lot of the same social uses that modern gatherings serve: People exchange information, make connections, or try to improve their position.
1. Which is probably the earliest evidence of cooking?| A．The tools of cooking. | B．The signs of fire. |
| C．The leftover fish. | D．The burnt roots. |
| A．Food is key to keeping brains’ functioning. | B．Using fire to cook is a universal practice. |
| C．Our understanding of ancestors is limited. | D．Cooking is the driving force for human evolution. |
| A．They mark important events. | B．They have multiple functions. |
| C．They differ from modern gatherings. | D．They display excellent cooking skills. |
| A．To inform readers of a new discovery. |
| B．To explain why early humans started to cook. |
| C．To present how cooking makes us together. |
| D．To stress the importance of fire to human life. |
Archaeologists have excavated (挖掘) the ruins of a house
The house
“This is the first time that large house ruins
Archaeologists also unearthed a large number of
In 1921, the first excavation on the Yangshao village site,
Originating from the Yellow River, the Yangshao Culture is considered as
