1 . When ancient Egyptians put pen to paper—or, more accurately, ink to papyrus (纸莎草纸) —they took steps to ensure that their words would last forever, a new study suggests. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have found that ancient scribes (抄写员) likely added lead to their inks to help their writing dry. More than 1,000 years later, reports Cosmos Magazine, 15th-century European artists employed lead as well. According to the London National Gallery, lead-based pigments found in many Old Master paintings are “known to aid the drying of paint films.”
According to a statement from the University of Copenhagen, the study’s authors analyzed 12 papyrus pieces dating back to between 100 and 200 C.E., when Egypt was under Roman control. The team used X-ray microscope to determine the raw materials used in different inks, as well as the chemical structure of the dried ink attached to the ancient paper. Ancient Egyptians began writing with ink—made by burning wood or oil and mixing the resulting material with water—around 3200 B.C. Typically, scribes used black, carbon-based ink for the body of text and reserved red ink for headings and other key words in the text. Though black and red inks were most common, shades of blue, green, white and yellow also appeared in ancient texts.
The researchers write that the Egyptians created red inks with iron-based combinations—most likely natural earth pigments. The team also identified the presence of lead. They were bowled over that there was no lead white or other combinations that would typically be present in a lead-based pigment. Instead, the ancient ink’s lead pigments appeared to wrap around the papyrus cell walls and iron particles (微粒). The resulting effect looked “as if the letters were outlined” in lead. This finding indicates that the ancient Egyptians invented a system of adding lead to red and black inks specifically for the purpose of sticking the words to paper.
The 12 analyzed papyrus pieces are part of the University of Copenhagen’s Papyrus Carlsberg Collection. The documents originated in Tebtunis, the only large-scale institutional library known to have survived from ancient Egyptian times.
1. What is the main function of lead in the masterpieces of the ancients?| A．To make the colors brighter. | B．To stick the ink to the pen. |
| C．To help the writing dry. | D．To increase their thickness. |
| A．It was easy for X-ray microscope to detect the raw materials. |
| B．Only wet inks can be used to determine their chemical components. |
| C．Ancient Egyptians already knew black could catch eyes easily. |
| D．The inks used by the ancient Egyptians came in a variety of colors. |
| A．Amazed. | B．Concerned. | C．Angry. | D．Worried. |
| A．By combining several kinds of colors. |
| B．By adding lead to red and black inks. |
| C．By breaking the structure of the colors. |
| D．By analyzing the elements of the paper. |
2 . That dinosaurs ate the mammals (哺乳动物) that ran beneath their feet is not in doubt. Now an extraordinary fossil newly described in Scientific Reports, unearthed by a team led by Gang Han at Hainan Vocational University of Science and Technology in China, shows that sometimes the tables were turned.
The fossil -dated to about 125 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period-was formed when a flow of boiling volcanic mud swallowed two animals seemingly locked in a life-and-death fight. The one on top is a mammal. This animal is a herbivorous species closely related to the Triceratops (三角恐龙). Animal interactions such as this are exceptionally cam e in the fossil record.
One possibility is that the mammal was eating something already dead, other than hunting live prey. These days it is uncommon for small mammals to attack much larger animals. But it is not unheard of. And Dr. Han and his colleagues point out that those mammals which eat dead bodies typically leave tooth marks all over the bones of the animals. The dinosaur’s remains show no such marks. There is also a chance the fossil could be a fake. More and more convincing fake s have emerged, as this one did -though Dr. Han and his colleagues argue that the complexly connected nature of the skeletons (骨骼) makes that unlikely, too.
Assuming it is genuine, the discovery serves as a reminder that not all dinosaurs were enormous during the Cretaceous and not all mammals were tiny. From nose to tail, the dinosaur is just 1.2 meters long. The mammal is a bit under half a meter in length. Despite being half the size, the mammal has one paw firmly wrapped around one of its prey’s limbs, and another pulling on its jaw. It is biting down on the dinosaur’s chest, and has ripped off two of its ribs. Before they were interrupted, it seems that the mammal was winning.
1. Which idiom is closest in meaning to underlined part “the tables were turned” in paragraph 1?| A．The fittest survives. | B．The hunters become hunted. |
| C．Fortune always favors the brave. | D．The truth will always come to light. |
| A．To prove the fossil was fake. | B．To show the forming of the fossil. |
| C．To illustrate the process of hunting. | D．To suggest the dinosaur was hunted alive. |
| A．The size of the fossil. | B．The absence of fake fossils. |
| C．The complexity of the skeletons. | D．The consistency of the opinions. |
| A．It offers a cause. | B．It highlights a solution. |
| C．It justifies the conclusion. | D．It provides a new discovery. |
3 . The lack of clues left behind by ancient Americans has made it difficult for researchers to determine precisely when humans first arrived on the continent. However, it has always been believed to be about 13, 000 years ago. Now, evidence from the Chiquihuite Cave in Zacatecas, Central Mexico, seems to suggest that prehistoric humans may have been living in North America as early as 30, 000 years ago.
Dr. Ciprian Ardelean, of the Autonomous University of Zacatecas who led the groundbreaking re- search, first became aware of the cave in May 2010. Getting to the cave located 2, 750 meters above sea level required a 45-minute truck ride to the base and an uphill climb over a rough terrain. However, Dr. Ardelean and his team found enough clues to make the difficult journey three additional times-in 2012, 2016, and 2017.
The archeologists’ efforts revealed many artifacts including over 1, 900 stone tools from multiple layers of the cave. The scientists found that most of the tools were between 16, 000 and 13, 000 years old. However, 239 artifacts unearthed from the deepest layer of the cave dated back an astonishing 30, 000 years!
While the genetic material gained in the cave was only plant and animal DNA, the team did find evidence of sulfur, potassium and zinc elements that could indicate human activities such as killing animals. Dr. Ardelean says the absence of human DNA confirms that the early people visited the cave for short periods of time.
The researchers are unsure of the ancient humans’ origins or the path they took to get to America. They guess the groups were tribes (部落) who moved from place to place and went extinct at some point during their migrations. Dr. Ardelean says, “We don’t know who they were, where they came from or where they went. They’re a complete enigma. We falsely assume that the native populations in the Americas to- day are direct descendants from the earliest Americans, but now we don’t think that is the case. ” Archeologist Loren Davis, from Oregon State University, is unsure that the artifacts recovered are tools. The researcher says, “If it’s true that people were in Zacatecas 32, 000 years ago, that changes everything-it more than doubles the time people have been in the Americas. I’m not going to say it’s impossible, but if all they found are broken rocks without any hard evidence, it’s natural for people to challenge the conclusion. ”
1. What did Dr. Ciprian Ardelean do?| A．He sold hundreds of artifacts. |
| B．He explored the cave four times. |
| C．He made the cave world-known. |
| D．He collected artifacts from the cave. |
| A．Metal elements unearthed from the cave. |
| B．Plant and animal DNA discovered in the cave. |
| C．The stone tools from the cave’s deepest layer. |
| D．The artifacts from the upper layers of the cave. |
| A．Problem. | B．Breakthrough. | C．Appeal. | D．Mystery. |
| A．Archaeology. | B．Anecdote. | C．Economy. | D．Literature. |
4 . When you visit Kinderdijk, one of the most visited villages in the Netherlands, you step right into the middle of Dutch history.
Kinderdijk lies in the Alblasserwaard, where the Lek and Noord rivers meet together. Much of the village is near or even below sea level. Although there are canals and dykes (堤坝), the lowlands of the village are still at risk of flooding (洪灾). Among the most deadly floods was Saint Elisabeth’s flood in 1421, which killed thousands after the dykes broke in several places. To deal with this kind of problem, the Kinderdijk windmills (风车) were built around 1740 to move water from the lower areas to higher ground and into the river.
Nineteen of the 20 Kinderdijk windmills remain and were named a UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) Site in 1997. Of the 19 windmills, 16 still have millers who live inside and control the huge sails (翼板) in the wind. These windmills continue to help manage the Netherlands ongoing fight to stay above water.
For tourists, boat tours are offered along the canals and walkways lead from the visitor center to the windmills. Two windmills serve as museums, filled with old millers’ items and photos. You can climb up inside to see how the windmills work. The windmills also are working, so be prepared to feel the whole building shake when the sails turn in the wind.
Each year, about 500,000 people visit the Kinderdijk windmills and the buildings have become a must-see on any trip to the Netherlands. There are some windmills north of Amsterdam that “were built for tourists, but we’re a historical site where tourists come, so it’s the other way around,” says Kinderdijk communications manager Peter Paul Klapwijk. “Tourism is a good way to support our site.”
1. Why were the Kinderdijk windmills built around 1740?| A．To protect dykes. | B．To produce clean water. |
| C．To prevent floods. | D．To keep the sea level from rising. |
| A．Most of them are working as before. |
| B．Most of them have become museums. |
| C．Several of them have been sold to millers. |
| D．Several of them were destroyed long ago. |
| A．Fearful. | B．Worried. | C．Excited. | D．Surprised. |
| A．The history of Kinderdijk |
| B．A famous historical site |
| C．An amazing village of canals |
| D．The traditions of the Netherlands |
5 . A ship that sank off the coast of California decades ago was recently reconstructed in detail. The 3D digital model even included hundreds of sponges (海绵动物) that have gathered on the ship’s surface since it sank.
Named American Heritage, the supply ship sank in Santa Monica Bay on May 4, 1995, and for decades its exact location was unknown. Researchers with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) spotted a strange shape in that area in 2008. But it wasn’t until May 2018 that MBARI scientists identified its exact location and mapped the site in detail, showing what appeared to be a shipwreck (失事船只).
Even then, the identity of the shipwreck was uncertain. Yet another MBARI team revisited the location to do further exploration. They sent remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and took photos of the damaged ship. Though it was covered with deep-sea sponges and other animals, the scientists were able to spot letters spelling out its name, confirming that the shipwreck was American Heritage.
As one of the MBARI scientists who found American Heritage, chief ROV pilot Knute Brekke had worked on the ship before. And he was on duty with the diving company American Pacific Marine — the owner of American Heritage — the night the ship began taking in water and eventually sank.
MBARI spokesperson Kim Fulton -Bennett said to Live Science about the discovery, “The model is not complete, as floating ropes and poor visibility kept the pilots from getting too close to the wreck. But the 3D reconstruction is detailed enough to show that American Heritage is now home to thousands of sponges. Shipwrecks often turn into the shelter for diverse communities of ocean life.”
1. What is the main idea of the text?| A．A valuable treasure was discovered. |
| B．Special sponges were found under sea. |
| C．3D model reconstructed a sunken ship. |
| D．A sunken ship was gotten out of water. |
① Something strange was found in the area.
② ROVs were sent under sea to take photos.
③ A ship sank in Santa Monica Bay.
④ The identity of the ship was confirmed.
⑤ Scientists tried to locate the shipwreck.
| A．②③⑤④① | B．③①⑤②④ |
| C．⑤③①④② | D．④③①②⑤ |
| A．He was familiar with the sunken ship. |
| B．He was in charge of a diving company. |
| C．He was responsible for the rescue work. |
| D．He was the first one to witness the accident. |
| A．Critical. | B．Doubtful. | C．Amazed. | D．Objective. |
