2 . The city of Pompeii is a partially buried Roman towncity near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania. Along with Herculaneum, Pompeii was partially destroyed and buried under 4 m to 6 m of ash in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
By the 1st century AD, Pompeii was one of a number of towns located near the base of the volcano, Mount Vesuvius. The area had a large population which grew prosperous(繁荣的) from the region’s agricultural fertility(丰产). Many of Pompeii’s neighboring communities also suffered damage or destruction during the 79 AD eruption. The eruption occurred on August 24.
A study of the eruption products and victims indicated that at Vesuvius and surrounding towns heat was the main cause of death of people, previously believed to have died by ash suffocation(窒息). The results of the study, published in 2010, show that exposure to at least 250 ℃ hot surges at a distance of 10 kilometres from the vent(出口) was sufficient to cause instant death, even if people were sheltered within buildings.
In 1748, a farmer called Andre and his brother dug a cupboard made of metal. To their surprise, there are a lot of dissolved jewelry and ancient money in it.
This news took air. The farmers were thinking of the legend of disappeared Pompeii that ancestors told them. So, many archaeologists, historians, and even treasure hunters swarmed(蜂拥) there. In 1876, Italy government agreed with experts to dig the Pompeii out. Through a hundred years’ working, they dug the Pompeii out completely.
The historian Vanya said, “What a horrifying scene! Many people died when they are dormant(休眠的), and some people died behind the door of home. They were raising their hands and breathing ...”
Compared with nature, human seems small and weak. We don’t have enough power to compete with nature, so we should respect nature and protect the environment to lessen disasters.
1. What did the people of Pompeii depend on for a living?
| A．Industry. | B．Agriculture. |
| C．Hunting. | D．Business. |
2. What caused the deaths according to the study?
| A．Ash suffocation. | B．Lack of shelters. |
| C．Extreme heat. | D．Starvation. |
3. What does the underlined phrase “took air” most probably mean?
| A．Spread. | B．Disappeared. |
| C．Increased. | D．Reduced. |
4. What does the last paragraph tell us to do?
| A．To compete with nature. | B．To fight against disasters. |
| C．To protect our surroundings. | D．To research on nature. |
